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ILLINOIS -- Good news for Adams County drivers ... An alarming number of serial DUI offenders are off the road.

That's thanks to a new search warrant system with the State's Attorney's office and local law enforcement.

Years ago, if an officer pulled you over for suspected drunk driving, you could refuse a breathalyzer test, which sometimes compromised a case against you.

But for a couple years now, officers have been able to issue warrants to get drivers to take the breathalyzer test.

If the offender refuses to comply, a search warrant's just a phone call away.

"The officer will call me and tell me about the situation, see if I want to obtain the search warrant. I'll call the judge. The officer will run the search warrant over to the judge's house to get signed. While that's happening, another officer will transport the suspect to Blessing Hospital to the lab to sit and wait for the phone call that the search warrant is signed," said Jennifer Cifaldi, Assistant States Attorney.

It's important to know that every person who has a drivers license in the state of Illinois, has consented to providing a sample of his or her blood or breath to test for alcohol content just by having a license.

If you refuse a test, that can double the time you lose your license.

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