Do I Have To Submit To Chemical Testing For a DUI?

 Posted on October 19, 2013 in Your Rights

If you’re pulled over in Illinois and the officer has reason to believe that you may be under the influence of alcohol, he or she can ask you to complete a field sobriety test. Depending on the results of that test, the officer may request that you complete a chemical test to verify your blood alcohol content (BAC). Knowing what you are required to do in these circumstances can make a big difference in whether you lose driving privileges or not. If you have been arrested for DUI, your first step should be to contact your Illinois criminal law attorney for advice.

In Illinois, failing a chemical test or refusing to submit to chemical testing might lead to statutory summary suspension or revocation. It’s important to note that these rules apply to Illinois drivers pulled over for DUI in other states, too. If you refuse to submit to chemical testing, immediate penalties will apply. However, if you contact a DUI attorney immediately, you can fight a license suspension.

For the first occasion in which you refuse to submit to chemical testing, your driving privileges will be suspended for 12 months. On the 31^st day of that suspension, you might become eligible for driving relief, which involves a monitoring device driving permit and the installation of a Breath Alcohol Ignition Interlock Device. For a second offense, driving privileges can be suspended for three years with no opportunity for driving relief.

In the heat of the moment as you’re pulled over for suspected DUI, it can be frustrating for an officer to demand that you submit to a test. If you are arrested for DUI following the incident, you should hire aChicago DUI lawyerto manage your case. Don’t risk statutory summary suspension by refusing to submit to the chemical tests.