Drug Driving Charges South Australia

A Drug Driving Charge, like Drink Driving, will give many the first taste of the criminal justice system.
It can be extremely daunting for many. The following sections have been written by experienced lawyers Mount Barker to inform people charged with a Drug Driving Offence about the penalties that are likely to be imposed by South Australian Courts.

Driving with a Prescribed Drug in Oral Fluid or Blood

A person who has driven or attempted to put a motor vehicle in motion while a prescribed drug is present in his or her oral fluid or blood is guilty of this offence. The maximum penalty for this charge depends upon whether the offender is a first or repeat offender as shown in the “Drug Driving Penalties” Table. In either case, the starting point would be that a $900 fine is imposed and the driver’s license disqualified for 6 months.

Defined Terms

Prescribed Drug: A Prescribed Drug is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, methylamphetamine and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA).
Minimum Period of Disqualification: This is the minimum period of disqualification that a court can impose for a drink driving charge.
Maximum Fine: This is the maximum fine that must be paid by the offender.
Maximum Jail: This is the maximum amount of jail time the offender may undergo for an offence.
Automatic Disqualification: This refers to whether the offender’s license will be immediately disqualified.

Beating a Prescribed Drug Driving Charge

There are many circumstances in which there may be drug driving defences available to you. Click here for more info on how we can help you beat a Prescribed Drug Driving Charge.