From Kevin Landrigan at the Union Leader – read the full story here.

Stephen, a former state prosecutor and health and human services commissioner, said he was alarmed to learn about 45% of administrative law suspensions of licenses get withdrawn, often because the driver agrees to plead guilty to DWI or a lesser violation so the loss of license is a shorter period.

“I don’t ever remember that withdrawal rate being that high. We’ve got to look at that,” Stephen said.

State Police Lt. Chris Storm, attached to the Office of Highway Safety, said one of the biggest reforms lawmakers can make is to create incentives for drivers to take a blood alcohol test at the scene.

The state’s refusal rate of 70% is the third highest in the country and nearly three times the national average refusal rate, which is in the low 20s, Storm said.

“This number is not a good number for our state,” Storm said.