Who may legally require you to give a blood sample? Who may legally require you to give a blood sample?

  • A. An ambulance officer or medical doctor

  • B. A police officer, medical doctor or approved person

  • C. A judge or magistrate

  • D. The other crash party or an ambulance officer

  •  
    The correct answer is B
     
    You can be arrested if you refuse to give a blood sample when requested by a police officer if you have also refused to give an evidential breath test.
     
 
 
 

What happens if you are asked to give a blood sample after being stopped?

Only a police officer, a medical doctor or other approved person may legally require you to give a blood sample.

The blood sample will be taken as part of an evidential blood alcohol test if your first breath alcohol reading is positive for you being over the limit. The limit for breath alcohol is 250mcg per litre of expelled air (0.05%). 

You will be either taken to a police station for processing, or the police might have a 'booze bus' in which the test can be taken. The results will be made available while you wait and it's an offence to leave before the results are given to you (i.e. you could be arrested for doing so).

When the blood is taken its ethanol content will be measured. 

The doctor drawing the blood will usually wrap some kind of elasticated cuff around your arm to stop the flow of blood, then using a sterile needle, place it in the vein, attach a tube to the needle (usually a vacuum-sealed tube), remove the elastic cuff from your arm, then place a gauze pad with some pressure over the needle site.

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