Refusing blood test after getting pulled over for DUI in Colorado will add more consequences
In Colorado, if you are pulled over for what officers say is driving under the influence, you will be asked to consent to a chemical or blood test to check your blood alcohol concentration level, also known as BAC level. If you refuse, you can receive even more penalties.
As Colorado State Patrol troopers are scanning the roads for intoxicated drivers, they look for anyone shifting drastically in and out of lanes, driving too fast and too slow. When you are pulled over, a chemical or blood test will determine how intoxicated you are.
Troopers say if you are over the legal limit, which is .05 in Colorado, you face consequences.
Here are some BAC levels and their associated effects according to WebMD:
- 0.0%: Sober
- 0.02%: Altered mood, relaxation, and slight loss of judgment
- 0.05%: Uninhibited, lowered alertness, and impaired judgment
- 0.08%: Legally intoxicated, reduced muscle coordination, difficulty detecting danger, and impaired judgment and reasoning
- 0.10%: Reduced reaction time, slurred speech, and slowed thinking
- 0.15%: Altered mood, nausea and vomiting, and loss of balance and some muscle control
- 0.20%: Confused and disoriented, trouble standing, and blackouts become likely
- 0.25%: Almost all aspects of your brain are severely impaired, you may have passed out, and vomiting is likely
- 0.30%: In a stupor, you likely have no comprehension of where you are or what you are doing
- 0.35%: Similar to the physical effects of surgical anesthesia, you may stop breathing
- 0.40%: At risk for coma or death
Those who consent to the BAC test can lose their license for up to nine months if found guilty. Those who don't consent to the BAC test can lose their license for up to a year. Not doing the test will add additional penalties that could work against you in the court process.
Troopers said you can also have an interlock device added to your vehicle. This is a machine the drivers must blow into to enable the car to start. The device won't turn on the car unless the driver is completely sober.
Troopers said they don't want to see anyone get hurt because of a driver's bad decision.
"We don't want anybody drinking and driving because of the consequences," Colorado State Trooper Sherri Mendez said. "You could take a life. You could injure somebody. Of course, it's costly."
Other penalties include impounding the vehicle and at least $13,000 in court fees and fines.
