Criminal Law - Traffic Offenders Program

What is the Traffic Offenders Program (TOP)?

This is a program designed to offer people who have been charged with a Drink/Drive offence and who have plead guilty to the charge with an opportunity to participate in a program which will give them information and skills.

This information and skills available through attending a TOP should allow an attendee to be a better member of society having been shown the benefits that a change of attitude toward drinking and driving can be such as being a more responsible and therefore safer road user.

How Do I take part?

To take part in the Traffic Offenders Program (TOP) you need to enter, or have your legal representative enter a “Guilty Plea” on your behalf when you go to Court. Ideally, this should be done on the first occasion available to take full advantage of the benefits offered by an early plea and taking part in the program.

Once a Magistrate makes orders for your matter to be adjourned to allow you to attend a TOP you will be required to register with an approved provider, generally a PYYC and then attend all sessions. At completion you will them be required to attend Court for sentencing.

Whilst attendance at a TOP is well looked upon and encouraged it should be noted that any application to have your matter adjourned to attend a TOP is entirely at the presiding Magistrates discretion and you should not be under a misbelief that attendance will entitle you to any lenient treatment simply because you were able to attend and complete the program.

What should I do now?