Test refusal refers to an individual who is suspected of drunk driving refusing to take a sobriety test when requested by a law enforcement officer. These tests may include the on-the-spot field sobriety test, breathalyzer test, or chemical tests like blood or urine test which are done to determine an individual’s blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level.
In the United States, driving is a privilege given to many people by the state that they live in after they meet certain criteria. When an individual is issued a driver's license in any of the states, they sign an agreement in which they agree to the implied consent laws of their state. The implied consent laws include agreeing to perform a field sobriety test whenever asked and consenting to breathalyzer, blood, and urine tests to determine their blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level. If an individual refuses to take any of these tests, it’s called test refusal. It is a punishable offense in every U.S. state.