New Hampshire Police Chief-Lawmaker Wants Tougher Drunk Driving Law

A New Hampshire state lawmaker who also works as a police chief wants to make it illegal for suspected drunken drivers to refuse to take breath tests.

Dalton Police Chief John Tholl, a Republican, believes the current process of requiring accused drunken drivers to forfeit their driving privileges for 180 days if they refuse a breath test has gotten out of control. He wants to make refusing a breath test a separate crime, punishable by up to a year and jail and a $1,000 fine.

According to federal statistics, New Hampshire has the highest breath-test refusal rate in the country, 81 percent compared to the national average of 22 percent.

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Information from: New Hampshire Union Leader,
http://www.unionleader.com