Specialist Motoring Defence · Chester, North Wales & Nationwide
Road Traffic Offence Solicitors
Charged with a road traffic offence? Our specialist motoring defence solicitors defend all road traffic offences — from drink driving and drug driving to speeding, careless driving, dangerous driving, and totting up bans. Fixed fees. Free initial consultation.
The sooner you get specialist legal advice, the more options you have. Many clients keep their licence — call us today to find out where you stand.
No obligation · Confidential · Fixed fees explained clearly
Road Traffic Law
What Are Road Traffic Offences?
Road traffic offences are criminal or civil offences committed while using a road or public place with a motor vehicle. They range from minor fixed penalty matters — such as a speeding ticket — to serious criminal charges such as causing death by dangerous driving.
The primary legislation governing road traffic offences in England and Wales is the Road Traffic Act 1988 and the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988. Penalties range from fixed penalty notices and penalty points through to mandatory disqualification, unlimited fines, and imprisonment.
Many road traffic offences carry mandatory minimum disqualification periods — meaning the court has no discretion to avoid a ban on conviction. This makes early specialist legal advice essential. A specialist road traffic solicitor can identify procedural errors, challenge evidence, and present exceptional hardship or special reasons arguments that may prevent or reduce a ban.
PDA Law's specialist road traffic solicitors defend all motoring offences from fixed penalty notices to Crown Court trials. We offer fixed fees for Magistrates Court matters, confirmed in writing before you instruct us.
Common Road Traffic Offences We Defend
- Drink driving (s.5 and s.4 Road Traffic Act 1988)
- Drug driving (s.5A Road Traffic Act 1988)
- Speeding — fixed penalty, NIP, and court summons
- Careless driving (s.3 RTA 1988)
- Dangerous driving (s.2 RTA 1988)
- Totting up — 12+ points disqualification
- Failing to provide a specimen (s.7 RTA 1988)
- Failing to identify the driver (s.172 RTA 1988)
- Driving without insurance
- Mobile phone offences
- Causing death by dangerous or careless driving
- Professional driver licensing hearings
Our Services
Road Traffic Offences We Defend
We defend all road traffic offences in the Magistrates Court and Crown Court. Fixed fees for most Magistrates Court matters — confirmed in writing before you instruct us.
Drink Driving
From £1,440 inc VAT
Section 5 and s.4 Road Traffic Act 1988 offences. Procedural challenges, hip flask defence, special reasons arguments. Fixed fee from £1,440 inc VAT.
Drug Driving
From £1,440 inc VAT
Section 5A RTA charges including prescribed medication cases and blood sample challenges. Fixed fee from £1,440 inc VAT.
Totting Up & Exceptional Hardship
From £1,020 inc VAT
Facing a ban at 12+ points? We argue exceptional hardship to keep you on the road. Fixed fee from £1,020 inc VAT.
Speeding Offences
From £300 inc VAT
NIP validity challenges, speed camera calibration disputes, exceptional hardship arguments. Fixed fee from £300 inc VAT.
Careless Driving
From £1,020 inc VAT
Section 3 RTA driving without due care and attention — Magistrates Court defence. Fixed fee from £1,020 inc VAT.
Dangerous Driving
From £3,600 inc VAT
Magistrates and Crown Court defence including causing death by dangerous driving. Fixed fee from £3,600 inc VAT.
Failing to Provide Specimen
From £1,440 inc VAT
Section 7 RTA offences — reasonable excuse defence. Fixed fee from £1,440 inc VAT.
Mobile Phone Offences
From £600 inc VAT
Handheld mobile phone offences — 6 points since March 2022. Fixed fee from £600 inc VAT.
No Insurance & Licence Offences
From £720 inc VAT
Driving without insurance, disqualified driving, special reasons applications. Fixed fee from £720 inc VAT.
Why Choose PDA Law for Road Traffic Offences?
Specialist Road Traffic Solicitor
Ritesh Chauhan is a dedicated road traffic solicitor with a focused practice in motoring defence. You will deal directly with a specialist — not a generalist.
Fixed Fees — No Surprises
Fixed fees for most Magistrates Court matters, confirmed in writing before you instruct us. You know exactly what you will pay.
Same-Day Advice Available
Road traffic cases move quickly. We offer same-day advice for urgent matters — including drink driving arrests and court summons.
SRA Regulated
PDA Law is regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. You have the full protection of the SRA regulatory framework.
4.8★ on Google
Rated 4.8 out of 5 from 374 Google reviews. Our clients consistently praise our clear advice, fixed fees, and successful outcomes.
Chester, North Wales & Nationwide
Based in Chester, we advise clients across North Wales, Central England, and nationwide. Remote advice available by phone or video call.
Drink Driving Offences
Drink driving is a criminal offence under section 5 of the Road Traffic Act 1988. In England and Wales, the legal limit is 35 micrograms per 100ml of breath, 80mg per 100ml of blood, or 107mg per 100ml of urine.
A first conviction carries a mandatory minimum 12-month driving ban, up to 6 months imprisonment, and an unlimited fine. The conviction remains on your driving licence for 11 years and can affect employment, insurance, and travel to certain countries.
Defences include procedural errors, the hip flask defence (alcohol consumed after driving), faulty equipment, and special reasons arguments. Early specialist advice is essential.
Drink Driving DefenceDrug Driving Offences
Drug driving is a criminal offence under section 5A of the Road Traffic Act 1988, introduced in 2015. The law sets specific threshold limits for 16 controlled drugs — including cannabis, cocaine, heroin, and MDMA — as well as some prescription medications.
A conviction carries a mandatory minimum 12-month driving ban, up to 6 months imprisonment, and an unlimited fine. The conviction remains on your licence for 11 years.
Defences include challenging blood sample procedures, prescribed medication cases (where the drug was taken in accordance with medical advice), and procedural errors. We advise on all drug driving charges.
Drug Driving DefenceTotting Up
Totting Up & Exceptional Hardship
When you accumulate 12 or more penalty points within three years, you face an automatic totting up disqualification of at least six months. This applies even if each individual offence was minor — the points simply add up.
However, the court can be persuaded not to impose a ban if you can demonstrate exceptional hardship. This is a legal argument that losing your licence would cause disproportionate hardship — not just to you, but to others who depend on you.
Successful exceptional hardship arguments typically involve loss of employment (particularly where driving is essential to your job), inability to care for a dependent, or serious impact on a business. The hardship must be exceptional — ordinary inconvenience is not enough.
We specialise in exceptional hardship arguments and have a strong track record of helping clients keep their licences. Call us as soon as you receive a summons — preparation is key.
Totting Up & Exceptional HardshipExceptional Hardship — Key Points
- Threshold: 12 or more penalty points within three years triggers automatic disqualification.
- Minimum ban: The minimum totting up ban is 6 months. A second totting up ban within 3 years is 12 months.
- Exceptional hardship: The court can avoid a ban if you prove exceptional hardship — but ordinary inconvenience is not enough.
- Evidence required: You will need to provide evidence — such as employment contracts, medical letters, or financial records — to support your argument.
- Cannot repeat: You cannot use the same exceptional hardship argument twice within three years.
- Act quickly: Preparation is essential. Contact us as soon as you receive a court summons.
Speeding Offences
Speeding offences range from fixed penalty notices (£100 fine and 3 points) to court summons for higher speeds. The Sentencing Council guidelines divide offences into three bands — Band A (up to 10mph over), Band B (11–20mph over), and Band C (21mph+ over).
We challenge NIP validity, speed camera calibration, and driver identification. We also present exceptional hardship arguments for clients facing a totting up ban as a result of accumulated speeding points.
Speeding Offence DefenceCareless & Dangerous Driving
Careless driving (s.3 RTA 1988) means driving without due care and attention. Dangerous driving (s.2 RTA 1988) is a more serious offence — driving that falls far below the standard of a competent driver. Both carry mandatory disqualification on conviction.
The most serious offences — causing death by dangerous driving or causing death by careless driving — are tried in the Crown Court and carry maximum sentences of 14 years and 5 years imprisonment respectively.
Road Traffic Offences Guides
Free guides and resources on road traffic offences from our specialist solicitors.
What Happens If You Refuse a Breathalyser?
Refusing to provide a breath specimen is a criminal offence. We explain the law, the penalties, and whether a reasonable excuse defence is available.
UK Drink Driving Limits Explained
The legal alcohol limits for driving in England, Wales and Scotland — and why there is no safe amount to drink before driving.
Driving Offences Guide
A comprehensive guide to road traffic offences, penalties, and your rights when charged with a motoring offence.
Drink Driving Guide
Everything you need to know about drink driving charges, defences, and what to expect at court.
Section 172 Notice — Failing to Identify the Driver
What a Section 172 notice is, your obligations, and the consequences of failing to respond.
North Wales Driving Offences
Specialist road traffic offence defence for clients across North Wales — Wrexham, Flintshire, Deeside, Denbighshire, Conwy and Anglesey.
Road Traffic Offences — Frequently Asked Questions
Common Questions
Get Free Initial Advice
Tell us about your road traffic offence and we will call you back to discuss your options. No obligation. Fixed fees explained clearly.