If you have been arrested in Texas and charged with a driving while intoxicated offense, you may well be scared about what might happen to you next. This is very understandable, and it is important at this point to learn not only about the defense process but also about the arrest process. The tests used by officers may be important evidence used against you and you should know exactly what they are and what they mean.
It is common for officers to ask drivers to perform what are called field sobriety tests. These generally involve walking along a straight line, balancing on one foot and watching for a specific eye movement with a light. You might assume that these tests are part of how police prove that you might be drunk. However, as explained by FieldSobrietyTests.org, that is not the case at all. These tests, in fact, are unable to prove impairment.
Field sobriety tests are only able to indicate that you might be impaired. It is this potential for impairment that allows an officer to legally place you under arrest. You can think of this as a form of probable cause. It is also important for you to know that none of the tests used are completely accurate.
If you would like to learn more about the steps involved in a drunk driving arrest and your options to defend yourself, please feel free to visit the field sobriety test page of our Texas drunk driving and criminal defense website.
