Aquarius DRIVE is a course provider in the West Midlands for the Driving Standards Agency's Drink Drive Scheme. As such we run alcohol education
courses for people convicted of drink-drive offences who have been referred by Magistrates' Courts in Birmingham, Dudley, Solihull, Wolverhampton and Sandwell. Magistrates may offer convicted drink-drivers the option of attending a course, which on completion entitles participants to have their driving
ban reduced by up to a quarter.
The fee for the course is £185 payable in advance by the participants (this can be paid in instalments, but must be paid in full before you start the course).
Some concessionary fees are available. The courses are very popular, so an early booking is strongly recommended.
An alcohol education course for convicted drink-drivers.
Participants learn how to separate drinking from driving.
Should be offered to all first-time offenders, although others are not specifically
excluded.
An option if offered by Magistrates, in addition to any fine/ disqualification.
Reduces period of disqualification by up to 25% on completion.
Course free payable in advance (instalments accepted).
Daytime or evening sessions over four or eight weeks
Does not replace supervised probation alcohol education, but complements it.
The aim is to reduce reoffending by educating people convicted of
drink-driving about alcohol, and by improving their knowledge, skills and
attitudes towards drinking and driving. The methodology has been shown to
reduce reoffending both in Britain and abroad. Course content and issues
covered include the following:
Review of individual offences – causes, consequences and alternatives to
drinking and driving.
Alcohol and the law: the offence of drink-driving.
Effects of alcohol on performance, especially on driving skills.
Links between alcohol and road safety.
Attitudes towards drinking and towards drink-driving.
The concept of ‘units’ as a measure of alcohol.
How alcohol accumulates in and is eliminated by the body.
Effects of alcohol on health and behaviour. Individual drinking patterns.
Practical ways to separate drinking and driving.
Teaching methods include formal lecture, discussion, pairs and group work, DVDs,
written hand outs and home assignments.
The 18 hour course is spread over four or eight weeks, with a choice of
daytime or evening sessions at a number of venues.
Under the road traffic act 1991 Magistrates’ Courts have an addition
sentencing option for drink-drive offenders: attendance at a drink-drive
rehabilitation course helps participants to separate drinking and driving and
has been proven to reduce reoffending rates by more than 50%. In return,
successful course completers earn a reduction in their current driving ban.
Locally, courses are organised by the Aquarius DRIVE project which has
successfully run course for defendants from Magistrates’ Courts in
Birmingham, Dudley, Solihull, Wolverhampton, and Sandwell.