42-4-1301.1. Expressed consent for the taking of blood, breath, urine, or saliva sample -
testing.
(1) Any person who drives any motor vehicle upon the streets and highways and elsewhere
throughout this state shall be deemed to have expressed such person's consent to the
provisions of this section.
(2) (a) (I) Any person who drives any motor vehicle upon the streets and highways and
elsewhere throughout this state shall be required to take and complete, and to cooperate
in the taking and completing of, any test or tests of such person's breath or blood for
the purpose of determining the alcoholic content of the person's blood or breath when so
requested and directed by a law enforcement officer having probable cause to believe that
the person was driving a motor vehicle in violation of the prohibitions against DUI, DUI
per se, DWAI, habitual user, or UDD. Except as otherwise provided in this section, if a
person who is twenty-one years of age or older requests that said test be a blood test,
then the test shall be of his or her blood; but, if such person requests that a specimen
of his or her blood not be drawn, then a specimen of such person's breath shall be
obtained and tested. A person who is under twenty-one years of age shall be entitled to
request a blood test unless the alleged violation is UDD, in which case a specimen of
such person's breath shall be obtained and tested, except as provided in subparagraph
(II) of this paragraph (a).
(II) If a person elects either a blood test or a breath test, such person shall not be
permitted to change such election, and, if such person fails to take and complete, and to
cooperate in the completing of, the test elected, such failure shall be deemed to be a
refusal to submit to testing. If such person is unable to take, or to complete, or to
cooperate in the completing of a breath test because of injuries, illness, disease,
physical infirmity, or physical incapacity, or if such person is receiving medical
treatment at a location at which a breath testing instrument certified by the
department of public health and environment is not available, the test shall be of
such person's blood.
(III) If a law enforcement officer requests a test under this paragraph (a), the person
must cooperate with the request such that the sample of blood or breath can be obtained
within two hours of the person's driving.
(b) (I) Any person who drives any motor vehicle upon the streets and highways and
elsewhere throughout this state shall be required to submit to and to complete, and to
cooperate in the completing of, a test or tests of such person's blood, saliva, and urine
for the purpose of determining the drug content within the person's system when so
requested and directed by a law enforcement officer having probable cause to believe
that the person was driving a motor vehicle in violation of the prohibitions against DUI,
DWAI, or habitual user and when it is reasonable to require such testing of blood, saliva,
and urine to determine whether such person was under the influence of, or impaired by, one
or more drugs, or one or more controlled substances, or a combination of both alcohol and
one or more drugs, or a combination of both alcohol and one or more controlled substances.
(II) If a law enforcement officer requests a test under this paragraph (b), the person
must cooperate with the request such that the sample of blood, saliva, or urine can be
obtained within two hours of the person's driving.
(3) Any person who is required to take and to complete, and to cooperate in the completing
of, any test or tests shall cooperate with the person authorized to obtain specimens of
such person's blood, breath, saliva, or urine, including the signing of any release or
consent forms required by any person, hospital, clinic, or association authorized to
obtain such specimens. If such person does not cooperate with the person, hospital,
clinic, or association authorized to obtain such specimens, including the signing of any
release or consent forms, such noncooperation shall be considered a refusal to submit to
testing. No law enforcement officer shall physically restrain any person for the purpose
of obtaining a specimen of such person's blood, breath, saliva, or urine for testing
except when the officer has probable cause to believe that the person has committed
criminally negligent homicide pursuant to section 18-3-105, C.R.S., vehicular homicide
pursuant to section 18-3-106 (1) (b), C.R.S., assault in the third degree pursuant to
section 18-3-204 , C.R.S., or vehicular assault pursuant to section 18-3-205 (1) (b),
C.R.S., and the person is refusing to take or to complete, or to cooperate in the
completing of, any test or tests, then, in such event, the law enforcement officer may
require a blood test.
(4) Any driver of a commercial motor vehicle requested to submit to a test as provided in
paragraph (a) or (b) of subsection (2) of this section shall be warned by the law
enforcement officer requesting the test that a refusal to submit to the test shall result
in an out-of-service order as defined under section 42-2-402 (8) for a period of
twenty-four hours and a revocation of the privilege to operate a commercial motor vehicle
for one year as provided under section 42-2-126.
(5) The tests shall be administered at the direction of a law enforcement officer having
probable cause to believe that the person had been driving a motor vehicle in violation of
section 42-4-1301 and in accordance with rules and regulations prescribed by the
department of public health and environment concerning the health of the person being
tested and the accuracy of such testing.
(6) (a) No person except a physician, a registered nurse, a paramedic, as certified in
part 2 of article 3.5 of title 25, C.R.S., an emergency medical technician, as defined in
part 1 of article 3.5 of title 25, C.R.S., or a person whose normal duties include
withdrawing blood samples under the supervision of a physician or registered nurse shall
be entitled to withdraw blood for the purpose of determining the alcoholic or drug content
therein.
(b) No civil liability shall attach to any person authorized to obtain blood, breath,
saliva, or urine specimens or to any hospital, clinic, or association in or for which such
specimens are obtained as provided in this section as a result of the act of obtaining
such specimens from any person submitting thereto if such specimens were obtained
according to the rules and regulations prescribed by the department of public health and
environment; except that this provision shall not relieve any such person from liability
for negligence in the obtaining of any specimen sample.
(7) A preliminary screening test conducted by a law enforcement officer pursuant to
section 42-4-1301 (6) (i) shall not substitute for or qualify as the test or tests
required by subsection (2) of this section.
(8) Any person who is dead or unconscious shall be tested to determine the alcohol or
drug content of the person's blood or any drug content within such person's system as
provided in this section. If a test cannot be administered to a person who is
unconscious, hospitalized, or undergoing medical treatment because the test would
endanger the person's life or health, the law enforcement agency shall be allowed to
test any blood, urine, or saliva that was obtained and not utilized by a health care
provider and shall have access to that portion of the analysis and results of any tests
administered by such provider that shows the alcohol or drug content of the person's
blood, urine, or saliva or any drug content within the person's system. Such test results
shall not be considered privileged communications, and the provisions of section
13-90-107, C.R.S., relating to the physician-patient privilege shall not apply. Any
person who is dead, in addition to the tests prescribed, shall also have the person's
blood checked for carbon monoxide content and for the presence of drugs, as prescribed
by the department of public health and environment. Such information obtained shall be
made a part of the accident report.