If you have been offered the chance to attend the drink-drive rehabilitation course by the sentencing court and you accept, the sentencing court will notify the relevant course provider using a course referral order.
You will receive a letter from your course provider containing information about the course, a booking form and each one relevant course start dates in conjunction with the date the court instructed you to complete the course by. This date is going to be a minimum of 2 months before the Judgment Day of the amount of disqualification as reduced by taking the course.
You MUST complete the course by this date to benefit from a discount of your driving disqualification.
NOTE: Only people that are mentioned the drink driving rehabilitation course by the court that sentenced them are going to be ready to enjoy a discount in their driving disqualification upon completing the course. Once a referral order has been made, it’s up to the individual on whether or not they prefer to take and complete the course, they don’t need to do so. If you are not sure if you were referred onto the course at the time of sentencing then you will need to contact the sentencing court to find out.
It is possible to need the drink driving rehabilitation course without a referral from the court, however, you’ll not enjoy a reduction in your driving disqualification by doing so.
Courses are delivered by trainers who are usually local people who are committed to educating individuals to help reduce the likelihood of re-offending and help change their behaviour about alcohol consumption, driving, road safety and road traffic law.
Drink Driving Rehabilitation Course
The course syllabus consists of two units:
Unit 1: Understanding the impact of alcohol use about driving
Unit 2: Change alcohol use about driving
The course combines presentations, group exercises, group discussions and videos utilized in conjunction with a course workbook with various exercises to finish.
The drink driving course isn’t, currently, formally assessed. This means there’ll be no formal test(s) that need course participants to realize a particular score to pass. They must, however, attend all sessions of the course (sober) and participate within the course to the simplest of their ability.
Course participants will also be given information and advice on re-applying for their driving licence, the BLA medical for participants who are classed as ‘high-risk offenders’ and re-taking their driving test if they are required to do so.
Who can be offered the opportunity of taking the course?
Motorists convicted of any of the subsequent offences who are disqualified for a minimum of 12 months could also be offered the chance to require the drink driving rehabilitation course:
Causing death by careless driving while unfit to drive by being under the influence of drink (contrary to S. 3A(1)(a) of The Road Traffic Act 1988 [2])
Causing death by careless driving while exceeding the utmost prescribed legal limit (contrary to S. 3A(1)(b) of The Road Traffic Act 1988 [2])
Driving an automobile while unfit to try to so by being under the influence of alcohol (contrary to S. 4 of The Road Traffic Act 1988 [2])
Being responsible for an automobile while unfit to try to so by being under the influence of alcohol (contrary to S. 4 of The Road Traffic Act 1988 [2])
Driving an automobile with excess alcohol (contrary to S. 5(1)(a) of The Road Traffic Act 1988 [2])
Being responsible for a vehicle with excess alcohol (contrary to S. 5(1)(b) of The Road Traffic Act 1988 [2])
Failing to provide a specimen for analysis (contrary to S. 7(6) of The Road Traffic Act 1988 [2])
Failing to allow a specimen to be subject to a laboratory test (contrary to S. 7A(6) of The Road Traffic Act 1988 [2])
Benefits of Taking and Completing the Course
There are several benefits for convicted drink drivers who take the course, these include:
A driving disqualification reduction of a minimum of 3 months and up to 25% off the imposed disqualification period upon successful completion of the course
Information and help to avoid future drink driving-related convictions and to become a skilled & safe driver
A course completion certificate which can help in securing affordable insurance for convicted drivers
To complete the course
To complete the drink driving rehabilitation course, those that attend must:
Pay the course fee beforehand and fully before the beginning of the course
Attend all sessions of the course
Attend the course in a sober condition
Not drink alcohol before or during the course
Participate in the course to the best of their ability
Upon completion of the course
Successful completion of the course allows offenders to profit from a discount in their driving disqualification. The process upon completion is as follows:
Course provider issues offender with a course completion certificate
Course provider sends completion certificate to the sentencing court
The sentencing court informs the BLA that the offender has completed the course
The BLA update their records and award the offender the relevant reduction of their driving disqualification