Used generically to indicate either Administrative License Revocation or Administrative License Suspension. This law provides for prompt administrative license suspension of offenders who fail a BAC test by registering above the illegal limit or refuse to submit to a test.  

Overview

Administrative license revocation (ALR) is the removal of a DUI/DWI offender's driver's license at the time of an arrest upon the failure or refusal of a chemical test. This distinction is important – administrative revocations are immediate in nature and, because of this, ALR is one of the most effective ways to deter people from driving under the influence of alcohol.

ALR laws are effective in saving lives. When states pass ALR laws, their fatal late-night crashes decrease by an average of nine percent. (Voas, Tippets, and Fell, 2000 Even though 50 to 75 percent of those whose licenses are suspended or revoked drive anyway, (Nichols and Ross, 1990) ALR deters people from ever driving under the influence of alcohol and thus prevents crashes. (Voas, Tippets, and Taylor, 1998)

Because of decreases in crashes, costs to the state are decreased. A study of ALR laws in Illinois, Mississippi, and Nevada found that the startup and operating costs of administrative license revocation are covered by reinstatement fees and that the savings in costs associated with nighttime crashes ranged from $37 million to $104 million. (Lacey, 1991)

Studies have shown that license revocations do not lead to losses of job or income (Knoebel and Ross, 1996); also, it is fears like these that give ALR its deterrent effect. Additionally, the Supreme Court found in Mackey v. Montrym (1979) that ALR does not violate due process rights.

All in all, ALR is effective and it makes sense. Driving is a privilege, not a right, and those who abuse the privilege should have it removed.

Take Action

Nine states still do not have administrative license revocation: Kentucky, Michigan, Montana, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, and Tennessee.  If you are from one of these states, click here to tell your representatives you would like to see them adopt administrative license revocation.

Related Issues

• Repeat offenders
• Vehicle impoundment
• Ignition interlock
• Driving while suspended
• .08 BAC per se

Resources

• Official Position Statement
• State Laws
• Studies
  • MADD's Impaired Driving Summit Report (PDF)
  • Beirness, Douglas, et al. "The Impact of Administrative License Suspension and Vehicle Impoundment for DWI in Manitoba.” In C. Mercier-Guyon (Ed.) Proceedings of the 14th International Conference on Alcohol, Drugs and Traffic Safety. Annecy, France: Centre d'Etudes et de Recherches en Medecine du Trafic, 1997: 919-925.
  • Fell, Jim. "Repeat DWI Offenders in the United States.” Washington, DC: National Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Traffic Tech No. 85, February 1995.
  • Jones, Ralph and John Lacey. "State of Knowledge of Alcohol-Impaired Driving: Research on Repeat DWI Offenders.” Washington, DC: National Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, February 2000. 
  • Knoebel, Kathleen and H. Lawrence Ross. "Effects of Administrative License Revocation on Employment.”DOT HS 808 462. Washington DC: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, May 1996. (not yet online)
  • Lacey, John, et al. Cost Benefit Analysis of Administrative License Suspension. MidAmerica Research, DOT HS 807 689. Washington DC: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, January 1991. (not yet online)
  • Nichols, James, and H. Lawrence Ross. "The Effectiveness of Legal Sanctions in Dealing with Drinking Drivers.” Alcohol, Drugs and Driving 6(2) (1990): 33-55.
  • Peck, R.C., R. J. Wilson, and L. Sutton. "Driver License Strategies for Controlling the Persistent DUI Offender,” Strategies for Dealing with the Persistent Drinking Driver. Transportation Research Board, Transportation Research Circular No. 437. Washington, DC: National Research Council (1995): 48-49.
  • Voas, Robert and A. Scott Tippetts. "The Relationship of Alcohol Safety Laws to Drinking Drivers in Fatal Crashes.” Washington, DC: National Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 1999.
  • Voas, Robert, A. Scott Tippetts, and Jim Fell. "The Relationship of Alcohol Safety Laws to Drinking Drivers in Fatal Crashes.” Accident Analysis and Prevention 32 (2000): 483-492.
  • Voas, Robert, A. Scott Tippetts, and Eileen Taylor. "Impact of Ohio Administrative License Suspension.” In: 42nd Annual Proceedings: Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine. AAAM, 1998. (not yet online)
  • Voas, Robert, et al. "Effectiveness of the Ohio Vehicle Action and Administrative License Suspension Laws.” Washington, DC: National Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, January 2000.
• Fact Sheets
  • National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. "Traffic Safety Facts: Administrative License Revocation (Suspension)." Washington, DC: National Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, May 2003. 

 

States with this law
Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wyoming