Traffic Offences Lawyer
Cairns & Far North Queensland
You have been charged with a traffic offence and your licence is at risk. In Cairns and Far North Queensland — where there is no train, no tram, and limited bus coverage — losing your licence does not just mean inconvenience. It means losing the ability to get to work, to drop your children at school, to function. That is the reality the Magistrate will hear, provided someone puts it before the court properly.
The Charge Decides Everything That Follows
Traffic offences in Queensland are not all equal. The gap between the least serious — a fine and a short suspension — and the most serious — years of imprisonment and permanent licence loss — is enormous. And the single biggest factor in where your matter falls is the specific charge. The second biggest factor is what Sacha does with the space between the minimum and maximum penalty. Below is what…
Dangerous Operation of a Vehicle
What you face depends on whether the charge is aggravated: Basic offence — maximum 200 penalty units or 3 years' imprisonment. Dealt with summarily in the Magistrates Court. Aggravated offence — maximum 400 penalty units or 5 years' imprisonment. The charge is aggravated if you were affected by alcohol or drugs, excessively speeding, racing, or have a prior conviction for the same offence. Causing…
Speeding, Hooning, and Evading Police
These charges sit between traffic infringements and full criminal offences. They carry real consequences — including vehicle impoundment and further licence loss — and they frequently accompany dangerous operation charges. Excessive speeding — 40km/h or more over the limit A conviction triggers an automatic 6-month licence suspension. No court discretion. This is on top of whatever fine the court…
Special Hardship Orders: Keeping Your Licence
A Special Hardship Order is a restricted driving authority that lets you continue driving under specific conditions while your licence is suspended. It is the traffic offence equivalent of a work licence — but the two are different things, available in different circumstances, and the confusion between them is one of the most common problems clients arrive with. A Special Hardship Order is…
Fixed Fees
- Driving While Disqualified — $2,500
- Dangerous Operation of a Vehicle — $3,200
- Special Hardship Order — $1,900
- Licence Disqualification Appeal — $2,200