LICENSE REINSTATEMENT: WHAT HAPPENS IF I REFUSE A BREATH OR BLOOD TEST FOLLOWING A DUI ARREST IN ANN ARBOR?

For the last 20+ years, when my phone rings in the middle of the night, these are the most common questions I get asked by clients who have been arrested for drunk driving:

“Should I refuse the breath or blood test?”

“Will it affect my license reinstatement?”

There is no quick or easy answer to this question.  If a driver refuses the roadside, preliminary test offered by the police officer (called a Preliminary Breath Test, or PBT), the consequence is typically a civil infraction and fine.  However, if a driver refuses the “official” breath test at the police station (called a DataMaster Test), the consequence is typically an “Implied Consent Violation” which can result in a 1-year license suspension.  The same holds true for a Blood Test; a refusal can trigger a lengthy license suspension.  Read more.