Md. Code, Natural Resources § 8-738.1
This is the official text of Md. Code, Natural Resources § 8-738.1, part of Maryland’s Code, Natural Resources — governs parks, wildlife, and natural resource management.
Not legal advice. This page reproduces the official text of a government statute for reference only. Laws change, and how a statute applies depends on your specific facts. For advice about your situation, consult a licensed attorney in your state.
§8–738.
Official statutory text
§8–738.1.
(a) If a person is involved in an accident while operating or attempting to operate a vessel that results in the death of, or a life–threatening injury to, another person and the person is detained by a police officer who has reasonable grounds to believe that the person has been operating a vessel or attempting to operate a vessel while under the influence of alcohol, while impaired by alcohol, while so far impaired by any drug, any combination of drugs, or a combination of one or more drugs and alcohol that the person could not operate a vessel safely, or while impaired by a controlled dangerous substance, the person shall be required to submit, as directed by the police officer, to a test of:
(1) The person’s breath to determine alcohol concentration;
(2) One specimen of the person’s blood to determine alcohol concentration or to determine the drug or controlled dangerous substance content of the person’s blood; or
(3) Both the person’s breath under item (1) of this subsection and one specimen of the person’s blood under item (2) of this subsection.
(b) If a police officer directs that a person be tested, then the provisions of § 10–304 of the Courts Article apply.
(c) Any medical personnel who perform any test required by this section are not liable for any civil damages as a result of any act or omission related to the test, not amounting to gross negligence.
(a) If a person is involved in an accident while operating or attempting to operate a vessel that results in the death of, or a life–threatening injury to, another person and the person is detained by a police officer who has reasonable grounds to believe that the person has been operating a vessel or attempting to operate a vessel while under the influence of alcohol, while impaired by alcohol, while so far impaired by any drug, any combination of drugs, or a combination of one or more drugs and alcohol that the person could not operate a vessel safely, or while impaired by a controlled dangerous substance, the person shall be required to submit, as directed by the police officer, to a test of:
(1) The person’s breath to determine alcohol concentration;
(2) One specimen of the person’s blood to determine alcohol concentration or to determine the drug or controlled dangerous substance content of the person’s blood; or
(3) Both the person’s breath under item (1) of this subsection and one specimen of the person’s blood under item (2) of this subsection.
(b) If a police officer directs that a person be tested, then the provisions of § 10–304 of the Courts Article apply.
(c) Any medical personnel who perform any test required by this section are not liable for any civil damages as a result of any act or omission related to the test, not amounting to gross negligence.
Status: in_force · Read it on the official government site
Need a lawyer in Maryland?
Find a Maryland lawyer
About this page: Statute text is reproduced from official government publishers via the
Open US Law dataset
(Vaquill AI, snapshot v2026.08, CC BY 4.0). Primary legislative text like this is public domain under the government-edicts doctrine
(Georgia v. Public.Resource.Org, 2020). We link every section back to its official source so you can verify it independently.