Charged with DUI / Impaired Driving and Need a Criminal Lawyer?

Talk to one of our criminal defence lawyers in our Abbotsford and Surrey, BC offices

Being accused of drunk driving or impaired driving in British Columbia can be embarrassing, stressful, overwhelming, and confusing. It's easy to feel too ashamed to reach out for help, or to feel so uncomfortable that you take the shortest route to closure and moving on, even if that means an unnecessary guilty plea and unneeded punishment. 

However, you are not alone. According to the Canadian Safety Foundation, an estimated 1.5 million Canadian drivers travel while impaired each year.  DUI cases accounted for 12 percent of all cases heard across the county last year, making it the most common criminal offence. More importantly, almost 30 percent of drunk driving cases that go to court don't lead to convictions in Canada. There are a number of avenues for you to take after your drunk driving charge but before your court date. Remember: an impaired driving charge is not a conviction.

Dykstra & Company, who are BC criminal lawyers, have over 25 years of experience defending drunk driving offences in British Columbia. Located in Abbotsford and Surrey, BC, and serving the surrounding Fraser Valley and Lower Mainland areas, we will listen to your story, examine the facts of the case, and ensure that you receive the best representation available. We will not only assess your case with an open mind, but will also help you understand the scope of your situation.

What Are the Consequences Of A DUI Or Impaired Driving Conviction?

Being convicted of a DUI can have serious, long-term consequences - it is imperative that you have an experienced, knowledgeable, and tough lawyer on your side fighting for your case. A drunk driving charge may lead to:

• A criminal record, which may impede future employment, traveling abroad, and community status.
• A revoked license, which could make it difficult to commute to work or travel.
• A long-term hike on your car insurance premiums, which will make it less affordable to own and operate a vehicle. 
• A number of heavy fines, which can have a significant impact on your financial wellbeing.
• Collision costs - although your insurance company normally covers costs of an accident, it will not pay for drinking-related damages on any car involved in a crash.
  

Although these consequences are frightening, we want you to know that a drunk driving charge is not the end of the world, especially if you have a capable lawyer with decades of experience arguing your case and helping you come to the best possible outcome. In many cases, Gordon Dykstra can help you receive a lesser charge or an acquittal. Although there are a number of consequences to being convicted of drinking and driving, there are an equal number of strategies to lessen or dismiss your charge. Let us help you analyze your case and explore your options.

Call Us Today To Discuss your DUI / Impaired Driving Charge With a Criminal Lawyer

It is easy to plead guilty and accept what others are telling you about your case, but taking this seemingly easy route leads to long-term consequences and a marred permanent record. By choosing to stand up and fight alongside an expert lawyer, you can be certain that you did everything in your power to protect your future - and in many cases, you will receive a fair and reasonable trial.

These charges could happen to almost anyone - talk to someone who understands your legal rights to help you take your life back. Dykstra & Company offers all clients a free, no-obligation consultation where you can educate yourself and explain your story. Contact us today either by calling us at (604) 853-4793 (toll free 1 (877) 753-4793) or by filling out the contact form at the right of this page. Make sure you get the help and counsel that you need.

If you want to learn more how a lawyer can help you if charged with impaired driving, request our FREE book "Am I Going to Jail?" by calling (604) 853-4793 (toll free 1 (877) 753-4793) or by filling in the form.  We will send "Am I Going to Jail?" at no cost (shipping is also paid) and no obligation to you.

Traffic Offence Criminal lawyers serving Abbotsford, Surrey, Greater Vancouver, BC.

DUI and impaired driving charges are just one of the several traffic offences we defend.  If you've been charged with refusing to provide a breath sample, driving while prohibited, dangerous driving / street racing, or hit and run, call us today.  These traffic offences can also have serious consequences to your life.  Learn your rights and possible defences today by calling us toll free at 1.877.753.4793.

Disclaimer

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Blog for DUI / Impaired Driving

• Delayed breath sample may result in “not guilty” from DUI charge
• No right to a criminal lawyer before roadside breathalyzer
• How the breathalyzer works and possible ways to defend a DUI charge in BC
• BC ignition interlock program for DUI / impaired convictions
• Nanaimo signs encourage calling 911 to report drunk drivers

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Library for DUI / Impaired Driving:

• Canadian Driving Under the Influence Laws   
  Description: What are the penalties for Canadian driving under the influence laws? The answer depends on whether your DUI charge is your first offence or not. Each additional impaired driving conviction results in much tougher punishments. The best solution is to successfully defend your case or avoid a DUI arrest with a BAC calculator in the first place.
• Canada DUI Laws: Guilty For Drunk Driving In a Motorized Wheelchair   
  Description: An Ontario Court found a man drunk while using a motorized wheelchair on the road guilty of impaired driving. It was held a wheelchair is a motor vehicle in the Criminal Code and that in this case, no Charter equality right was breached.
• Hosting a Holiday Bash? The current law on social host liability   
  Description: The holidays are a festive time. It’s an occasion for families to gather, work colleagues to celebrate together, and friends to meet up.
  
  But along with all that merriment come some amplified safety issues: car accidents increase, drunk-driving charges go up, and alcohol over-indulgence can wreck havoc on what should be a joyous time.
  
  Canadian courts have long held that bars, restaurants and other commercial establishments can be found liable for continuing to serve an intoxicated customer or letting one drive away if an accident occurs. The same rules, however, don’t apply to “social hosts” – people holding private get-togethers in their homes.
• Were You Charged With Hit and Run?   
  Description: If you’ve been charged with hit and run (i.e. failure to stop at the scene of an accident), you owe it to yourself to talk to a criminal defence attorney. At Dykstra & Company, we offer a free initial consultation where you can talk to criminal defence lawyer about your hit and run case. Call us today toll free at 1.877.753.4793 to discuss your hit and run case.
• Charged with Dangerous Driving or Street Racing?   
  Description: Many things can happen to a dangerous driving charge or street racing charge. The charges could be dropped or reduced, or you could go to trial be found not guilty. The fact is if you’re charged with dangerous driving or street racing, you should talk to a dangerous driving lawyer. At Dykstra & Company, you can talk to a criminal defence attorney during a first consultation for no charge and no obligation. Find out your options after being charged with dangerous driving or street racing. Call us at 1.877.753.4793 to schedule your free consultation today.
• What is a DUI Charge and What Can Happen?   
  Description: Drunk driving is a serious criminal charge. If you’ve been charged with operating while impaired in BC, learn about any possible defences available to you by talking to a criminal defence lawyer. Dykstra & Company has been defending people charged with DUI for more than 25 years. Call us toll free at 1.877.753.4793 to schedule a free consultation to discuss your impaired driving charge.
• Were You Charged with Refusing to Provide a Breath Sample?   
  Description: Whether or not a refusal to provide a breath sample is reasonable depends on the circumstances. For example, if blowing into a breathalyzer is extremely difficult or will likely cause you harm, that could be a reasonable excuse. That's why if you’ve been charged with refusing to provide a breath sample, talk to a DUI attorney at Dykstra & Company today by calling 1.877.753.4793.
• Charged with Driving While Prohibited?   
  Description: Driving prohibitions can be a very, very difficult situation and can cause serious hardship on you and your family. If your job, family, or livelihood responsibilities require that you drive, being prohibited from driving can seem impossible. At Dykstra & Company, you can talk to a criminal defence attorney free of charge during the first consultation. You are under no obligation to hire us; instead it’s an opportunity for you to find out whether you have a defence to your driving while prohibited charge. Call us toll free at 1.877.753.4793 to schedule your free initial consultation with one of our criminal lawyers.
• Breathalyzers and how a criminal lawyer can defend a DUI charge in BC?   
  Description: Breathalyzers are the first tool police use to test for impaired driving, DWI, and DUI in BC. Just because your breathalyzer reading indicates you're impaired, does not necessarily mean you'll be found guilty of an impaired charge in a BC court. There are many defences to impaired driving charges in BC, including challenging the accuracy of the breathalyzer results.
• About Gordon Dykstra's Criminal Law Book: "Am I Going to Jail?"   
  Description: If you are charged with an offence such as a DUI/impaired driving, theft, fraud, assault, spousal assault, drug charges, or any other crime, knowing something about the process that you face, the help you can get and what has to be proved is going to help you deal with an offence and the court system. Gordon Dykstra, a criminal lawyer serving Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Surrey, White Rock and throughout the Lower Mainland, wrote his book "Am I Going to Jail" so that you may be able to deal with the process and know something about what will happen so that you can know what to expect. This will also let you know what is the best thing to do and why you should do it.

View All

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Frequent Questions for DUI / Impaired Driving:

• What must the prosecutor prove to be convicted of a DUI / impaired driving?
• If I’m pulled over and asked to breathe into a breathalyzer do I need to do so?

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Case Results for DUI / Impaired Driving:

• DUI charge reduced to traffic violation = no criminal conviction
• Impaired driving charge reduced to driving without a licence
• "Not guilty" finding for driving while prohibited
• "Not Guilty" for Impaired Driving
• Charges Dropped - Refusing To Provide A Breath Sample

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Videos about DUI / Impaired Driving:

• Why Hire A Criminal Defence Lawyer in BC?

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