In Australia, drivers are required to maintain a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of under 0.05% (i.e. 0.05 grams of alcohol per 100 mL of blood). Readings of 0.05 to 0.079 are classified as ‘low range’, readings between 0.08 and 0.149 are ‘mid range,’ and readings greater than 0.150 are in the ‘high range’. However, other ...
Category: High Range Drink Driving
Beating a Drink Driving Case, Naturally
A New York woman who was charged with drink driving has had the charges dropped after being diagnosed with a rare medical condition which causes her body to produce alcohol. The woman, who cannot be named, was pulled over after allegedly being observed driving erratically in October 2014. A breath test returned a reading of ...
Traffic Offences: Hot Spots for Getting Caught
Home to tourist hotspots like Manly and Palm Beach, the Northern Beaches is one of the most scenic areas of Sydney. But according to data obtained by Fairfax Media, the region also has the highest number of drink driving offences, with police charging 602 drivers in the year to 17 December. The Tweed / Byron ...
Should Interlock Devices be Fitted to All Vehicles?
Getting behind the wheel in Australia means having to obey a whole host of traffic rules – but imagine if this included a mandatory breath test before you even turned the ignition! While fitting an ‘alcohol interlock device’ may be part of the punishment for those convicted of serious drink driving offences, some believe that ...
Judges Gone Bad: Drunk Judges Misbehaving
Most of us enjoy having a drink or two from time to time, and judges are no different. But not everyone behaves themselves on the drink, including some members of our esteemed judiciary. If you’ve ever been in trouble for drink driving, you are certainly not alone. In fact, several Australian judges have been caught ...
Frequently Asked Questions about Traffic Cases
As Sydney’s criminal and traffic law specialists, our lawyers receive queries about traffic matters every day. Here are the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions: 1. I’ve been give a speeding ticket. Can I take the case to court? Speeding is the most common traffic offence, and most drivers in NSW will ...
Drink Driving Detective was Unlicensed for Over 20 Years
They’re supposed to set the standard for other road users to follow – but in an incident that calls into question the effectiveness of checks within the NSW Police Force, it has been reported that a police officer who was caught drink-driving has been unlicensed for over 20 years. 46-year-old Detective Sergeant Andrew John Clarke, who ...
Cars of First-Time Drink Drivers to be Impounded
Under tough new drink driving laws, Victorian drivers who are caught with a blood alcohol reading higher than 0.10 and are first-time offenders could lose their cars to the impound lot for a month. The controversial laws are due to come into effect in August, and there have been calls for other states to follow ...
The Treat That Can Make You Fail A Breath Test!
Cherry Ripes, tooth-pastes, Strepsils, mouthwashes, cough medicines and antibiotics have all been blamed for causing drivers to fail breath tests. But can these seemingly innocuous substances ever really be the culprit? It is well-known that alcohol from some mouthwashes and cough medicines can temporarily be detected in your breath – but only for about fifteen ...
Should low-range drink drivers get criminal records?
If you have been charged with drink driving, you are certainly not alone. Drink driving, also known as ‘P.C.A.’, is the most common offence in NSW Local Courts, accounting for 20% of all cases. And it may surprise you that over half of those who are guilty of low-range drink driving end up with criminal ...