Courses for drink drive offenders
If you have been convicted of a drink driving offence, speak to your solicitor about the possibility of attending a course. Referral onto a course is automatic (unless for special reasons the court decides attendance would be inappropriate). There is no similar course for drug driving offences.
The course will give you the opportunity to learn from your experience and receive training that can help prevent re-offending.
A similar scheme exists in Great Britain (GB). However, for legislative reasons, it is not possible at this time for a person disqualified in Northern Ireland to do the course in GB or vice versa – so, if you have been convicted by a court in GB you will not be able to do the course in Northern Ireland.
What the course covers
You can only go to the course for drink drive offenders if the magistrate has referred you. The course aims to prevent you from re-offending by showing you:
- the effects of alcohol on your driving, the legal alcohol limit for drivers and how much it might take for you to reach the limit
- how you can still be over the limit and/ or affected by alcohol the morning after
- the legal consequences of drink driving, including disqualification and other penalties, and the high risk offender scheme
- how you can be arrested for a 'drink driving' offence if you are sleeping in a car after drinking
- the effects of alcohol on your body, alcohol-related illnesses and sensible drinking (the course doesn’t try to get you to give up alcohol and doesn't give a counselling service)
- other choices to drink driving and ways to avoid re-offending
- the loss suffered by relatives of victims of drink drivers
You will be given details of how to re-apply for your licence, together with details of insurance companies that offer reasonable rates for people who have finished the course.
If you finish the course successfully
When you have finished the course:
- your period of disqualification could be reduced by up to 25 per cent
- you will understand the effects of alcohol on driving, how long alcohol stays in your system and what effect it might have on you the next morning
- it may help you to access reduced rates of vehicle insurance
Cost of course
The course fee is £170 and you can pay by instalments.
There is a reduced fee of £110 if you are on benefits, in full-time education or receive a pension. You can ask about this when you speak to the training provider.
How to apply for the course
TTC is appointed by the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) to deliver the course. You can do the course online from your home.
See the links below for more information and how to apply for the course: