Awaiting Blood Results For Drug Driving? What You Need To Know
Awaiting Blood Results For Drug Driving? What You Need To Know
If you’re awaiting results for drug driving, it is important not to let the time run down without securing yourself some expert legal representation. Awaiting Blood Results For Drug Driving? What You Need To Know
As soon as you are asked by the police to provide a sample of blood, saliva, or urine, you will want to make sure you have access to this kind of legal advice.
Reach out to one of our specialist drug driving solicitors today – for FREE and with no obligation – by giving us a call on 033 03411690 or by completing a Free Online Enquiry with zero commitment to use us.
Amazing support from Abdul.
I had charge from the court for 12 points for two different incidents.
Abdul assisted me with this like family and finally got out of the charges. It was nearly a year journey and I never felt left alone.
I recommend everyone to seek advice from him, very knowledgeable and helpful.
“Stopped for drink driving, I started a dream job, and I could have lost everything, Kieran was brilliant at putting forward detailed legal arguments, which resulted in the prosecution offering no evidence in my case. Unbelievable, Thank you to Parnell & Peel Solicitors.”
With that out of the way, here is everything you need to know about how long you need to wait to get blood test results for drug driving:
Drug Driving Blood Test Results – How Long Do You Have To Wait?
The average wait time for drug driving blood test results is six to eight weeks. However, this isn't a fixed limit. It's not uncommon for blood test results to take longer than eight weeks to come back.
Just think of the process involved. The police have to get a medical professional to take the sample either at the police station or a hospital. It then has to be sent off to a forensic science laboratory.
These laboratories differ in size and efficiency. The particular lab that the police send your sample to may also be very busy or overworked. Then the results have to get back to the police and they have to get around to notifying you.
In short, there's no guarantee that your sample has come back negative or that “things are looking good” if you haven't been notified within eight weeks.
Understanding Police Drug Driving Test Procedure
One thing that many people overlook when waiting for the results of a drug driving blood test is the actual substances (i.e. which drugs) are illegal to have in your system when driving.
For a long time, drug driving was penalised in the UK under wider laws around dangerous driving. Since 2015 though, changes were made to the Road Traffic Act that laid the groundwork for a specific drug driving offence.
These changes set out 17 drugs with set limits for each drug as to what counts as an illegal quantity to have in your system when driving. Around half of these are drugs that are illegal anyway – things like cocaine and cannabis.
The surprise for many people is that not all of these drugs are illegal on their own. The other half of those seventeen are prescription medications that your doctor can give you. However, you are still not allowed to have certain levels of these drugs in your system and drive.
To prove that you were guilty of drug driving, the police need to show that you had more than the legally allowed limit of a specific one of those seventeen drugs in your system at the time you were driving.
Drug Driving Technical Defences
If you are concerned that your blood test result for drug driving may come back as over the limit, there may still be options open to you. We have already covered how to avoid a drug driving ban in a deep dive, but it is useful to know that many possible defences do relate to your blood test.
In our long experience of successfully defending clients against drug driving charges, we have found that these defences tend to be grouped around the facts that:
- There is a significant time gap between your being stopped by the police and when your blood is tested
- Roadside test kits can be fallible
- Evidence relating to blood test results is often mishandled by the police or prosecution
How Long Do The Police Have To Prosecute You For Drug Driving?
The police usually have six months to prosecute you for a drug driving offence. A great deal of that time can be spent waiting for the blood test results to come back from the lab.
People who are accused of drug driving can go through what amounts to two months or more of stressful waiting time to get their blood test results back. But then they often start to relax...
They begin to suspect that they may have been found to be under the limit. When they then receive notification that the police intend to prosecute them, it can come as a big shock.
Again, this is why it is so important to engage a specialist drug driving solicitor to represent you. They can advise you what to do, what to expect, and the best defence you can put forward.
Contact Us
If you're awaiting blood results for drug driving, reach out to us today. Chat with one of our specialists about your situation for FREE and with no obligation by calling 033 03411690 or completing a Free Online Enquiry today.
All enquiries are completely confidential.
These guys are the real deal. Abdul was absolutely excellent in dealing with my drink driving case. We didn’t have a very strong case but thanks to his preparation, perseverance and calm approach in court, the charge was dropped.
In court, Abdul was quick thinking and really dictated the speed and flow of proceedings, taking time to properly consider the argument put forward and close down the prosecution.
Highly recommend.
After a gruelling process of putting forward a post consumption defence the CPS failed to counter defend the evidence presented by the team at Parnell and Peel.
I’m a happy man and glad I get to keep my licence!
Mr Abdul Ali took my case on a few weeks before my case, he understood how vital it was for me to not get a ban on my driving licence due to totting up of points.
He was reassuring all through out the build up to my case, he guided me all through the information I would need for presenting evidence for an exceptional hardship case and on the day went through how the court process would be.
I was very nervous but through his expertise and guidance I was able to present my case and was successful in not being banned from driving.
I could not state highly enough how valuable he was to my case and me personally as soon as I met him I knew he was the right solicitor for me.
He took the time to understand my case and what I had to loose and did everything in professional capacity in court to ensure I received the verdict that I wanted.
I would highly recommend his services and expertise to anyone in such driving offences situation.
I am extremely grateful for the exceptional services provided by solicitor Abdul in my drink-driving case.
His expertise and dedication resulted in a successful outcome even before we went to court.
I was impressed by his thorough understanding of the legal system and his ability to navigate through the complexities of my case.
I highly recommend Abdul for anyone in need of a reliable and skilled solicitor.
Thank you for your outstanding work!
First of all I would like to start with a massive Thankyou to Abdul Ali and his team.
This is to be my first review as I have never ever posted one.
I was charged with Failure To Provide Specimen with the suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol.
The prosecution was looking to throw the book at me give a custodial sentence however due to Abdul’s above and beyond examination of the evidence it was concluded that the prosecution had no case as they had no evidence of me driving the car.
If you are in trouble it is always worth getting legal advice and seeing what can be done.
This guy is an extremely educated person and knows exactly what he is talking about.
He was throughout in contact even answering my phone at stupid times when I used to have some questions so I got to give it to him for his dedication.
All in all I would definitely say this firm and Abdul Ali is definitely someone I’d blindly put my trust in.
“My family and friends were sceptical about using Solicitors after I was stopped for drink driving. Parnell & Peel Solicitors were willing take a case on that others told was hopeless. I am astounded by Abdul and his teams brilliance in helping me to avoid conviction. If you have been stopped for drink driving do not hesitate to use Parnell & Peel Solicitors.”
They done the impossible, got caught drink driving, I thought I would lose my license, however Abdul Ali insisted that I had a case, I just decided to take the risk, it went a lot better than I could have ever imagined.
He managed to drop my case before it got to the second trial, the whole experience was very smooth and he was very positive and uplifting throughout the whole process.
Just trust them and leave them to do their job.
THEY WILL SORT IT.
Will recommend them to everyone!
Abdul Ali was extremely helpful and re-assuring throughout the process.
He was always available and on-call even outside your traditional working hours.
I’d highly recommend Abdul as with his experience and confidence regarding the matter, he’s always comfortable in dealing with it as he’s been there and done it many times before!
Can’t recommend Abdul and his team enough.
Even when I taught there was nothing I could Abdul reassured he would do everything he could.
Very perfessional and were always at the other end of the phone.
Received the best outcome there is and kept my license.
Wow, words cannot express how happy I am today when I was told the good news by Abdul that my drink drive court case has been dropped.
From the very first day I contacted Abdul when i was charged with drink drive offense, he assured me to calm down and that he will do all he can to get me the possible outcome and that is exacted what I had.
I will 100% recommend Parnell and Peel Solicitors to you if you find yourself at the wrong side of the law.
Once again, thank you Abdul, Thank you Parnell and Peel Solicitors.
“Hi Abdul, I would like to thank you and your team for looking after me after been charged with Drink Driving, from the initial contact with Nancy to speaking to you and especially Keiran who represented me in court, who I can’t thank enough. When I thought there was no hope you and Kieran sorted what I thought was a hopeless case. I would strongly recommend you to anyone in the same position. Again thank you to you and your team.”
I was stopped for drink drive I was devastated as I stood on the verge of losing everything
I spoke to Abdul and he was reassuring and informed me that we could put a technical defence forward.
The prosecution on the day of the trial offered no evidence.
I am so grateful to the team at Parnel.
My experience was excellent particular thanks go to Abdul
Abdul was brilliant to work with.
Answered all calls and texts with helpful information and on the day of court.
He got me the outcome I wanted
Drink driving- Not guilty.
Worth every penny!
I was certain I would lose my license at the time.
After contacting Parnell and Peel, Abdul quickly filled me with confidence and explained in great detail how he would defend my case.
He clearly has a lot of experience and knowledge.
In the end I didn’t even need to go to trial as my case was dropped a few days before, all thanks to Abdul and his team.
I can’t thank him enough and I would highly recommend Parnell and Peel solicitors to anyone.
Amazing support from Abdul.
I had charge from the court for 12 points for two different incidents.
Abdul assisted me with this like family and finally got out of the charges. It was nearly a year journey and I never felt left alone.
I recommend everyone to seek advice from him, very knowledgeable and helpful.
Contacted Pamell and Peel on Friday re a driving offence.
Answered immediately.
Abdul has been extremely helpful.
I would definitely recommend.
“Stopped for drink driving, I started a dream job, and I could have lost everything, Kieran was brilliant at putting forward detailed legal arguments, which resulted in the prosecution offering no evidence in my case. Unbelievable, Thank you to Parnell & Peel Solicitors.”
