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 expert legal representation. As soon as the police ask you to provide a sample of blood, saliva, or urine, it’s a good time to access specialist legal advice. Reach out to one of our skilled drug driving solicitors today for free and with no obligation by calling 033 03411690 or making an online enquiry.
“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.”
Understanding The Drug Driving Blood Test Procedure
For a long time, drug driving was penalised in the UK under broader laws around dangerous driving. However, in 2015, the Road Traffic Act was updated to introduce a specific offence for drug driving. This change defined legal limits for 17 different drugs, setting thresholds for what constitutes an illegal amount in your system while driving.
Around half of these drugs, such as cocaine and cannabis, are already illegal. However, you may be surprised to learn that the list also includes some prescription medications that your doctor may prescribe, which are legal but still restricted in terms of how much you can have in your system when driving. The police must prove that you exceeded the legal limit of one of these drugs while operating a vehicle to bring a prosecution.
How do the police test you for drug driving?
The police can ask you to provide a roadside saliva sample or field impairment test (FIT). If the officer at the scene concludes that a driver has failed either the FIA test or the saliva analysis has shown a positive result, they can be arrested and taken to a police station and asked to provide a blood sample.
Drug Driving Blood Test Results: How Long Do You Wait?
The average wait time for drug driving blood test results is six to eight weeks. However, this isn't a fixed limit. It is not uncommon for the results to take longer, sometimes well beyond eight weeks.
The process is lengthy and involves several steps:
- The police must get a medical professional to take the sample at the police station or a hospital.
- It then has to be sent to a forensic science laboratory, which differs in size and efficiency. The lab that the police send your sample to may also be very busy or overworked.
- Finally, the results have to get back to the police, and they have to get around to notifying you.
In short, the process can take time, and not hearing back within eight weeks does not guarantee a negative result or that “things are looking good”. It’s crucial to seek professional legal advice if you have been arrested on suspicion of drug driving so we can start to prepare the best defence for your case.
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. In our long experience of successfully defending clients against drug driving charges, we have identified key areas where effective defences can be built, such as:
- If there was a significant time gap between your being stopped by the police and when your blood is tested.
- The roadside test kits may be fallible.
- The police or prosecution sometimes mishandles blood test evidence.
Our specialist drug driving solicitors have a 95% success rate in overturning or reducing driving bans. To see how we’ve helped clients in similar situations, visit our client testimonials and case studies and learn how we’ve achieved favourable outcomes.
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, and you can spend a great deal of that time waiting for the blood test results to come back from the lab. Many accused individuals endure over two months of stressful waiting, expecting that no news might mean they are under the limit. However, when the police eventually notify them of their intention to prosecute, it can be a shocking surprise.
Again, this is why engaging a specialist drug driving solicitor to represent you early on is so important. They can advise you what to do, what to expect, and the best defence you can put forward.
Contact A Legal Professional Today
If you’d like additional information about the drug driving blood test procedure or other areas of the legal process, please reach out to us. Chat with one of our specialists about your situation for free and with no obligation to use our services by calling 033 03411690 or completing a confidential online enquiry.
“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.”
