The Road Traffic (Northern Ireland) Order 1995

Detention of persons affected by alcohol or a drugN.I.

21.—(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3), a person required [F1under Article 18] to provide a specimen of breath, blood or urine may afterwards be detained at a police station [F2(or, if the specimen was provided otherwise than at a police station, arrested and taken to and detained at a police station) if a constable has reasonable grounds for believing] that, were the person then driving or attempting to drive a mechanically propelled vehicle on a road, he would [F3commit] an offence under Article 15 or 16.

(2) [F4Paragraph (1) does not apply to the person if it ought reasonably to appear to the] constable that there is no likelihood of his driving or attempting to drive a mechanically propelled vehicle whilst his ability to drive properly is impaired or whilst the proportion of alcohol in his breath, blood or urine exceeds the prescribed limit.

[F5(2A) A person who is at a hospital as a patient shall not be arrested and taken from there to a police station in pursuance of this Article if it would be prejudicial to his proper care and treatment as a patient.]

(3) A constable must consult a medical practitioner on any question arising under this Article whether a person's ability to drive properly is or might be impaired through drugs and must act on the medical practitioner's advice.