The Drink-Drive Rehabilitation Scheme

Will I be offered a course?

If it is your first conviction then you will almost certainly be offered a course. If you have previous convictions or you are a High Risk Offender (HRO) then it will be down to the judge or magistrate to decide if they feel the offer of another course may be beneficial in reducing your risk of reoffending. In general terms, however, as long as there are not aggravating factors – for which you will often be remanded to Crown Court, those who are appearing in front of a magistrate have a high likelihood of being offered the option of taking part in the scheme. 

Those who successfully complete a rehabilitation course will receive a reduction in their ban of up to 25% meaning you will be eligible to receive your licence back more quickly than if you don’t take up the offer of a course. If you successfully complete our course you will also qualify for preferential rates from our specialist insurance partner, when you contact them via the dedicated phone number you will receive when you complete the course.

What happens in court?

When you are sentenced and the court offers you the chance of completing a Drink Drive Rehabilitation (DDR) course they will confirm the exact reduction you will receive and ask which course provider you would like to sit your course with. Ask the court to refer you to SAFER DRIVING EDUCATION LTD and the court will send us your details via the courts secure messaging system.

The court will also inform you of the date you must complete your course by. It is vital that you book a course that finished at least a week before this date as we will need to ensure the courts are informed of the result of your course and that you are issued with your completion certificate. This is automatically sent to the DVLA and it is this that will allow them to return your licence before you full ban has run it’s course. Failure to pass a course by your completion date will mean you will have to serve your full ban before you are eligible to have your licence returned. There is no option to have your completion date extended, if you miss it – that’s it.

What happens next?

Once you have been sentenced and requested us as your course provider give us a call in the next few days and we can work with you to arrange a course that best suits your needs and availability. We offer an early booking discount (£144 for a course, rather than the full price of £160) for those who book their course within 2 weeks of being sentenced. We also offer direct-debit instalment plans that can be tailored according to how much time you have before your completion date but these must be fully paid at least 1 month before your course is due to start. The cost for a course paid for by instalments is £180.

Can any company offer these courses?

No, both the company and the course itself must be fully approved by the DVSA to provide of these on behalf of the courts. We are and our DVSA Approved Centre No. is AC02632. 

Getting my licence back after my ban

You can download a guide written by the DVSA about this HERE

Will I be able to get insurance after my ban?

Obviously, as a previously banned driver you will find it both much harder and much more expensive to obtain car insurance, a lot of the well-known insurance companies may refuse to insure you. We are able to help with this as well however, as we work closely with our specialist insurance partner who can offer preferential rates to those who have successfully completed our course. 

High Risk Offenders

f you’re a ‘high risk offender’ (HRO), you will not get your new licence until you can prove you’re fit to drive again. You’ll need to pass a medical examination with one of DVLA’s appointed doctors.

You’re classified as a high risk offender if you:

  • were convicted of 2 drink driving offences within 10 years
  • were driving with an alcohol reading of at least 87.5 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres (ml) of breath, 200 milligrammes (mg) of alcohol per 100 ml of blood, or 267.5 mg of alcohol per 100 ml of urine
  • refused to give the police a sample of breath, blood or urine to test for alcohol
  • refused to allow a sample of your blood to be tested for alcohol (for example if it was taken when you were unconscious)

You’ll get a D27PH renewal form 90 days before your disqualification ends. You must fill in the form and send it to DVLA to reapply for your licence.

The courts will not automatically inform you that you are an HRO id one of the above is applicable. We cover details of the HRO scheme and explain about the additional requirements as part of our course. Nor are we informed of exactly which clients need to have a medical before receiving their license back. Please speak to your solicitor or DVLA directly is you are unsure if this will apply to you.