Calgary Criminal Driving Lawyers | Wilson Criminal Defence

A criminal driving charge is a Criminal Code offence, not a traffic ticket. The most common charges in Calgary are dangerous driving, flight from a peace officer, failing to stop after an accident, and driving while disqualified. Dangerous driving, flight, and failing to stop each carry up to 10 years in prison, and any conviction leaves a criminal record that stays for life unless you get a pardon.

Speeding, careless driving and most collisions fall under Alberta’s Traffic Safety Act, with fines and demerit points but no criminal record. Criminal driving charges are heard at the Alberta Court of Justice in the Calgary Courts Centre, and they can be withdrawn or reduced to a Traffic Safety Act offence when a lawyer finds the problems in the Crown’s case early.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

After you identify yourself to police, stay silent. An apology or explanation can be used against you in court.
Do not accept a driving prohibition or plea offer without legal advice. Early agreements can lock in a criminal record that a lawyer could prevent.
Police need lawful grounds to stop and arrest you. In a recent case, Cory found the officer did not have them, and the charges were withdrawn before trial.
Common defences include a reasonable excuse for not stopping, not knowing about a licence suspension, Charter breaches, and doubt about who was driving.
Where an acquittal is not realistic, withdrawal, reduction to a Traffic Safety Act offence, or diversion can keep you out of jail and off the criminal record system.
A conviction shows up on background checks and can affect your job, professional licence, and travel to the US.

ABOUT CALGARY CRIMINAL DEFENCE LAWYER CORY WILSON

Cory Wilson has spent more than 16 years defending people charged with criminal driving offences in Calgary and has appeared at every level of court in Alberta. He earned his J.D. from the University of Calgary Faculty of Law, articled at Bennett Jones LLP, and trained under Willie deWit Q.C., now a judge of the Alberta Court of Appeal, and the late Hersh Wolch Q.C.

He is a member of the Law Society of Alberta, the Canadian Bar Association, and the Legal Education Society of Alberta. He holds a 4.9 rating across more than 130 Google reviews, is rated among Calgary’s top criminal defence lawyers by Three Best Rated and Calgary’s Best Rated, and has had his cases featured in the Calgary Herald.

On criminal driving files, his record includes a client who struck and killed a pedestrian in a crosswalk. Police spent months building toward a criminal charge. Cory walked the Crown through the full investigation and resolved the matter under the Traffic Safety Act instead, with a fine, a short driving prohibition, and no criminal record. Outcomes like that are built long before trial.

Criminal driving cases come down to whether police had lawful grounds to stop and arrest the driver, and whether the driving was criminal rather than careless. The Crown’s willingness to withdraw a charge or reduce it to a Traffic Safety Act offence is shaped by the problems the defence finds in the dashcam and bodycam footage, witness statements, and police notes. Cory reviews every piece of disclosure for those problems and puts them in front of the Crown while the charge can still be withdrawn or reduced.

Criminal driving charges arise in a few ways: a driver who did not stop when police signalled, a collision where someone was hurt or killed, a driver who did not know their licence was suspended, or a stop where police cannot say for certain who was behind the wheel. Each one leaves a record of footage, radio calls, and officer notes, and each one is a place where the Crown’s case can break. Cory has defended Calgary drivers against charges such as dangerous driving, flight from police, and driving while disqualified, and has put the gaps in those cases before the Crown and the court.

Cory has dealt with everything from a first-time flight from police to fatal collisions. If you have been charged with a criminal driving offence or police have asked you to come in for a statement, speak to a lawyer before you say anything. Call 403-978-6052, 24 hours a day, for a free consultation.

WHAT COUNTS AS A CRIMINAL DRIVING CHARGE IN CALGARY?

Not every bad driving moment lands you in criminal court. Speeding, following too closely, and most collisions are dealt with under Alberta’s Traffic Safety Act. A ticket carries fines and demerit points but no criminal record.

A criminal driving charge is different. It falls under the federal Criminal Code. A conviction stays on your record for life unless you get a pardon.

The most common charges we see in Calgary include:

CHARGE	WHAT IT MEANS	MAXIMUM PENALTY	COMMON ADDITIONAL CONSEQUENCE
Dangerous driving. (s. 320.13)	Operating a vehicle in a way that endangers the public, regardless of whether a crash happens.	Up to 10 years in prison (up to 14 years if death results).	Driving prohibition of 1 year or more.
Flight from a peace officer. (s. 320.17)	Failing to stop when the police signal you to pull over.	Up to 10 years in prison.	Licence suspension, often 5-10 years.
Failing to stop after an accident. (s. 320.16)	Leaving the scene of a collision without stopping and providing your information (sometimes called a hit and run).	Up to 10 years in prison.	Driving prohibition and a permanent record.
Driving while disqualified or unauthorized. (s. 320.18)	Getting behind the wheel while your licence is suspended, prohibited, or was never valid.	Jail term starting at 30 days, plus fines.	Additional suspension of 2-5 years.

Impaired driving and refusal of a test are also criminal driving charges. These follow their own separate rules under the Criminal Code. If you’re in that situation, our DUI and impaired driving page covers those charges in detail.

WHAT’S THE LONG-TERM IMPACT OF A CONVICTION?

The impact of a criminal driving conviction doesn’t stop with the penalties described. A conviction shows up on background checks.

A permanent criminal record can affect many areas of your life, including:

Your job, career or professional licence.
Travel across the border to the US.
Where you can live or volunteer.
Immigration status for non-Canadian citizens.

This is why calling Cory Wilson to fight the charge as early as possible in the case matters so much.

“A criminal driving charge can follow you for the rest of your life if it is not handled the right way. I have spent 16 years making sure my clients understand their options before they agree to anything.”

Cory Wilson, Criminal Defence Lawyer

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO RIGHT NOW?

If you’re under investigation or have already been charged, take these steps immediately:

Stay silent. After you identify yourself to the police, anything you say, including an apology or explanation, can be used against you in court.
Write down what happened while it’s still fresh. Note the time, location, weather, and any interactions with officers. These details often shape your defence.
Do not accept any driving prohibition or plea offer without legal advice. Early agreements can lock in a criminal record that a lawyer could prevent.
Call a Calgary criminal driving lawyer before your first court date. The earlier Cory reviews your file, the greater the chance to negotiate with the Crown.

Acting quickly gives your lawyer the best chance to challenge the evidence or resolve the matter without a conviction.

HOW CORY WILSON FIGHTS CRIMINAL DRIVING CHARGES

Cory Wilson has defended drivers charged with everything from a first-time flight from police to fatal collisions.

If he is called in early to the case, he can:

Speak directly with the police and the Crown.
Work to secure your release with the least restrictive conditions possible.
Represent you at your bail hearing if necessary.

In most non-serious criminal driving cases, the police release you after photographing and fingerprinting you. If there are aggravating circumstances, you may be taken to the Calgary Remand Centre (12200 85 Street NW, Calgary, Alberta, T3R 1J3) and held there.

Most criminal driving charges in Calgary are heard at the Alberta Court of Justice, inside the Calgary Courts Centre at 601 5th Street SW.

Working with Cory before the first court date allows work to start on your defence. It also opens the door to early discussions with the Prosecutor before the case gathers momentum.

HOW DOES CORY BUILD YOUR DEFENCE?

After the first court appearance, Cory obtains the Crown’s disclosure package. This contains the evidence against you.

In preparation for your defence, Cory can:

Review the disclosure package in detail.
Examine dashcam and bodycam footage, as well as witness statements and other evidence.
Try to identify weaknesses in the Crown’s case.

Viable defences in criminal driving cases often include:

Challenging whether police had lawful grounds to stop or arrest you.
Showing you had a reasonable excuse for not stopping, such as a medical emergency.
Arguing the Crown cannot prove you knew about a licence suspension or prohibition.
Raising breaches of your rights under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, such as an unlawful search or delayed access to a lawyer.
Suggesting mistaken identity if there are doubts about who the driver was.

RESOLVING YOUR CASE BEFORE TRIAL

Where a full acquittal is not realistic, Cory works to negotiate resolutions with the Crown. These can keep clients out of jail and off the criminal record system.

Some possible pre-trial resolutions for criminal driving include:

Withdrawal of charges.
Reduction to a Traffic Safety Act offence.
Diversion or Alternative Measures Program.

The availability of these resolutions depends on the facts of your case, which Cory will try to establish as early as possible.

SUCCESSFUL RESULT: CHARGES WITHDRAWN, NO CRIMINAL RECORD

A client was pulled over on a secondary highway after police observed her vehicle swerving within her lane and crossing the centre line several times.

This is the same kind of driving pattern that often leads to a criminal driving charge:

She was arrested and charged after officers noted signs of impairment.
Cory Wilson reviewed the police dashcam footage.
He found the arresting officer did not have enough grounds to make the arrest in the first place.
He raised the issue directly with the Crown Prosecutor.
The charges were withdrawn well before trial.

The result? The client was left with no criminal record.

See more of Cory’s recent driving case results.

TESTIMONIALS

Recent clients have said this about Cory.

A result that I didn’t think was going to be possible

“I was in a great deal of trouble and started calling more than a few criminal lawyers. The last lawyer I called was Cory, and he picked up after one call on a Sunday as well. He put my mind at ease, and I went with Cory to try and help me when I felt really lost and defeated…

He was able to get me a result that I didn’t think was going to be possible, and I am so grateful.”

— S.O.

Everything happened exactly like Mr. Wilson said

“At such a stressful and upsetting time when you need a criminal lawyer, Cory Wilson was a Godsend. He was very knowledgeable and professional, patient and reassuring. Everything that happened, happened exactly like Mr. Wilson said. … I would 100% recommend him”

— A.E.

A true asset to anyone facing legal challenges

“I highly recommend Cory Wilson to anyone seeking a skilled and dedicated criminal defence lawyer. His expertise and commitment make him a true asset to anyone facing legal challenges.”

— J.G.

Read more client reviews. Remember that past results do not guarantee future outcomes.

RELATED OFFENCES

Criminal driving charges are often laid alongside these offences:

Impaired driving (DUI): Driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs, or over the legal limit. Police often lay it with dangerous driving when they believe alcohol or drugs played a part.
Failure or refusal to comply with a demand: Refusing or failing to give a breath, blood, or drug sample when police lawfully demand one. It is a criminal offence even if you were not impaired.
Hit and run: Leaving the scene of a collision without stopping, giving your information, or offering help.
Dangerous driving: Driving in a way that endangers the public, whether or not a crash happens. Police often lay it alongside flight from police or failing to stop after an accident.

If you face more than one charge from the same incident, speak to a lawyer about all of them before you respond to any.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

WILL A CRIMINAL DRIVING CHARGE SHOW UP ON A BACKGROUND CHECK?

Yes. A criminal driving charge is processed under the Criminal Code. It results in fingerprints and a record that appears on standard background checks, unlike a Traffic Safety Act ticket.

CAN I GET MY LICENCE BACK AFTER A DRIVING PROHIBITION?

Often, yes, once the prohibition period ends. However, you must complete any required steps, such as paying a reinstatement fee or completing a driver improvement course. A lawyer can confirm the exact requirements for your charge.

DO I NEED A LAWYER IF THE CROWN OFFERS A PLEA DEAL?

You should review any offer with a lawyer first. Early plea deals sometimes carry a criminal record that could be avoided through negotiation or a Charter challenge.

WHAT IF I WAS NOT THE DRIVER?

Identity is often contested in criminal driving cases, especially where no one saw the driver clearly. This is one of several defences Cory Wilson regularly raises at trial.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DANGEROUS DRIVING AND CARELESS DRIVING?

Careless driving is a Traffic Safety Act offence that carries fines, demerit points, and no criminal record. Dangerous driving carries criminal penalties. You can be charged if your driving amounts to a marked departure from how a reasonable driver would act, creating a real danger to others rather than a momentary lapse in judgment.

CONTACT US FOR A FREE, NO-OBLIGATION CONSULTATION

Every person charged with a criminal offence deserves skilled representation, regardless of their economic background.

During your free consultation, we will discuss the charges, possible outcomes, defences, and legal fees. We will also explain all the steps ahead, so you know what to expect.

Calgary Criminal Driving Lawyer