What is the standard field sobriety test?

On Behalf of | Jul 22, 2024 | DWI Defense

If the police ever pull you over while driving, they might ask you to perform a field sobriety test. This is a non-chemical test (i.e. not a breath, blood or urine test), that involves you performing one or more physical actions.

While an officer might ask you to do all sorts of things, there are only three tests that are officially recognized by the National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA). They claim that when taken together, these three tests, jointly known as the standard field sobriety test, are quite accurate in determining whether someone is adversely affected by alcohol.

1. One-legged stand

Try it now in the comfort of your home or office. Can you stand unwavering on one leg with the other six inches off the ground for 30 seconds? If you can’t then you would fail this element of the test. 

2. Horizontal gaze nystagmus

Again this is something you could try right now, but you’ll need a partner. Have them hold their finger or a pen a few inches in front of your face. You then need to follow it with your eyes. If you do not follow it smoothly and your eyes jerk around, you would fail the police test.

3. Walk and turn

Once again you can give this a try. Find a straight line, somewhere safe, and try and walk heel to toe along it. After nine steps, turn and walk back along that same line. Failing to do it well could lead the police to assume you are drunk.

Maybe you did fine on all these tests when you tried them. But what about if you were nervous because a police officer was watching you? Or if you had just taken your daily medication that can sometimes leave you a little woozy. Would you still pass?

If you have been charged with DWI after failing a test, remember that there are plenty of reasons people fail that have nothing to do with alcohol. Learning more might allow you to use this as an element of your defense strategy. If the officer used non-standard tests you could also use that in your defense.

 

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