Does refusal to submit to testing increase penalties for DUI in Colorado?

When people are pulled over and informed that they are DUI suspects, most know that they will likely be asked to take sobriety tests. Some people get the bright idea that if they refuse to take the test, that they may be able to beat the charge. In Colorado, however, this idea is not usually so bright because those individuals are likely to face harsher penalties than they would if convicted of a DUI.

DUI Refusal: Colorado Alcohol Testing

If a police officer requests a person to take field sobriety tests, he can decline without consequence. If the officer wants the individual to submit to roadside breath testing… still, refusal will bear no consequence. However, when an individual is taken to the police station and a request is made for him to submit to the table top breathalyzer, saying no is an administrative offense that can result in him losing his driver’s license for a year. If he took the test and was convicted of a first offense DUI, the driver’s license suspension would generally only be 90 days.

For reasons such as this, when a person is suspected of a crime like DUI, it is best to allow an experienced attorney to develop the defense strategy.