What Happens if You Refuse a Field Sobriety Test at a Drunk Driving Checkpoint?

Drunk driving checkpoints are designed to prevent serious auto and motorcycle accidents caused by drunk drivers. A car accident lawyer is often asked what a driver’s legal rights are if he or she refuses a sobriety test at such a checkpoint.

DUI and car accident lawyers advise clients that refusing a field sobriety test often means that you will be taken to a local police station for a chemical test. Chemical tests determine how much alcohol is in a driver’s system, often by testing the driver’s blood. While car accident lawyers have questioned the constitutionality of such tests, the courts have repeatedly upheld their validity. However, police departments often post the location and time of drunk driving checkpoints ahead of time.