The new 20 mph speed limit
One of the purposes of these blogs is to inform on developments in law and how they apply in practice in our everyday lives. Reduction in speed limits A relatively new development is the proliferation of 20 mile per hour speed limit zones in residential areas in London and elsewhere….
Difficult mitigation
I recently represented a client at Guildford Magistrates’ Court charged with speeding – 96 in a 70. He already had six penalty points on his licence and faced disqualification if he received penalty points in line with the sentencing guidelines. He narrowly avoided disqualification after I informed the court of…
Listening Skills
At Guildford Magistrates Court, I represented a client charge with speeding (96 in a 70) on the A3. He already had a number of points on his licence and was in danger of being disqualified. I was able to persuade the Court not to disqualify by explaining his personal circumstances;…
Avoid the Temptation to Lie
A driver paid a friend to accept a speeding conviction on his behalf. The authorities found out and the driver was convicted of perverting the course of justice and sentenced to five months imprisonment. Instructing a quality lawyer in Surrey will always be more sensible than trying to lie your…
Speeding Habits
7 out of 10 driving convictions are for speeding, and middle-aged drivers in senior management positions are more likely to be convicted, according to an article in the Telegraph. A speeding conviction adds about 8% to the cost of an insurance premium. If you face a speeding conviction in the…
Speeding on the M25 in Surrey
Speed cameras on the M25 in Surrey have not been working due to technical and legal difficulties. The M25 is 117 miles long with around 500,000 drivers using it every day; it is one of the busiest roads in Europe. The speed cameras on the gantries have not been working…
Recent Increase in Speeding Prosecutions
We have seen a recent increase in police prosecutions for speeding in and around Guildford, Surrey. According to legislation, roads in built-up areas with street lighting that is not more than 200 yards apart will normally be restricted to 30 mph. If you don’t see speed signs in roads of…
Complicated Aspects of Road Traffic Procedure
I attended Redhill Magistrates Court to deal with a client charged with an offence of speeding; he had already accrued 9 penalty points and was about to receive at least three more, making him a totter. What dates do you use to calculate a three year period for the purpose…
Removal of Disqualification!
A person disqualified from driving for more than 2 years may apply to have his or her licence returned! Certain conditions apply but call for advice.
Avoiding Disqualification
My footballer client fully expected to be disqualified at the Magistrates’ court last Thursday. He had nine points on his licence and collected a further five for a speeding offence. Normally he would have been disqualified for a minimum of six months and receive a hefty fine. Fortunately, he had…