Drunk driver ‘no refusal’ policy urged
Posted by Kevin Lewis on Dec 17, 2010 | No Comments »
WASHINGTON — The Transportation Department yesterday urged states and local authorities to adopt policies that crack down on suspected drunk drivers who refuse breath tests to avoid prosecution.
The department highlighted the “no refusal’’ policies as a way to target drunken driving during the holiday season.
Under the policy, when someone pulled over for drunken driving refuses to take a breath test, officials can seek prompt search warrants from judges to take blood samples to test alcohol levels.
Nearly 11,000 people were killed in alcohol-impaired crashes in the United States in 2009.
About one in four drunken driving suspects refuse to take breath tests, the department said, a loophole commonly used in a bid to avoid prosecution.
New Hampshire has the highest refusal rate at 81 percent. About two in five refuse tests in Massachusetts, Florida, Louisiana, and Ohio.
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Tags: Drunk Driver, Urged