Drug Driving FAQ’s

Drug driving and the motoring laws that govern DUI offences can be confusing & complex. Below are commonly asked questions answered by an experienced motoring law solicitor.

Q: I have been caught drug driving. What is the minimum ban?

A: The minimum ban if convicted of drug driving is usually 12 months. However, the ban may be longer, depending mainly on how far over the limit you were. The court will also take into account other factors, such as any bad driving and any previous convictions. Much will depend on the mitigation put forward.

The ban cannot be reduced by attendance on an education course.

If you have a previous drink driving or drug driving conviction within the last 10 years, the minimum ban is usually three years and may be longer.

In some cases, it may be possible to put forward “special reasons” to avoid or reduce a ban. For example, if you were driving in an emergency then you may avoid a ban. In practice, special reasons can be difficult to establish.

Q: What are the legal driving limits for cannabis and cocaine?

A: In relation to driving whilst on illegal drugs such as cannabis and cocaine, the legislation follows a “zero tolerance – accidental exposure approach”.

The legal limit for cocaine is 10 microgrammes per litre of blood (µg/L)

The limit for cannabis is 2 microgrammes per litre of blood (µg/L)

Unfortunately, it is impossible to say exactly what dosage will put you over the limit, how much you can take and stay below the limit, or how long it will take to drop below the limit.

It is different for each person and depends on a number of factors, such as physical characteristics, where each person will metabolise the drug at different rates. Eating or drinking will also have an effect on the blood concentration.

Many people don’t realise that you could still be over the legal driving limit long after taking drugs such as cannabis and cocaine.

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