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.

Gordon talks about new DUI laws on CKNW with Christy Clark

Gordon was interviewed about the latest DUI laws on CKNW with Christy Clark - listen to the interview here.

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.

FREE telephone consult with a DUI lawyer:

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 telephone consultation so that you have an opportunity to explain your case to an experienced DUI lawyer.  This is a no-obligation consultation where you can educate yourself and explain your story and learn about your options.

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

• Arrested? Your Right to Counsel in British Columbia
• BC Drinking and Driving 90 Day Driving Prohibition Issues
• No right to a criminal lawyer before roadside breathalyzer
• Delayed breath sample may result in “not guilty” from DUI charge
• 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:

• BC DUI Lawyer: Update on BC DUI Laws Since Big November 30, 2011 Court Decision   
  On November 30, 2011 the BC Supreme Court issued a decision that may impact the new DUI regime in BC. This is a preliminary comment on the case
• When is DUI considered a felony?   
• Canadian Driving Under the Influence Laws   
  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   
  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   
  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.
• Charged with Driving While Prohibited?   
  Free telephone consultation with a BC driving while prohited criminal defence lawyer. Call toll free at 1.877.753-4793 to discuss your criminal charge today.
• Were You Charged with Refusing to Provide a Breath Sample?   
  Free telephone consult with a BC DUI lawyer. Call us toll free at 1.877.753-4793 to discuss your refusing to provide a breath sample charge today.
• What is a DUI Charge and What Can Happen?   
  Free telephone consult with a BC DUI and operating while impaired criminal defence lawyer. Call toll free at 1.877.753-4793 today to discuss your DUI case.
• Charged with Dangerous Driving or Street Racing?   
  Free telephone consultation with a BC dangerous driving criminal defence attorney. Call toll free 1.877.753-4793 to discuss your dangerous driving charge today.
• Were You Charged With Hit and Run?   
  Free telephone consultation with a hit and run criminal defence lawyer. If you’ve been charged with hit and run, call us toll free at 1.877.753-4793.
• Breathalyzers and how a criminal lawyer can defend a DUI charge in BC?   
  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?"   
  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:

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

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Videos about DUI / Impaired Driving:

• Why Hire A Criminal Defence Lawyer in BC?