When police suspect that a person has been driving under the influence, there are a variety of tests that police can choose to perform to confirm their suspicions. One common test is the field sobriety test. While people may have visions of people touching their noses or saying the alphabet backwards from popular culture, the truth is actually a little different. Field sobriety tests are sophisticated tests based in science to that help to show if a person has been drinking or not.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there are three main tests that are used to determine if a person is impaired or not. These standardized tests help officers to know if a person is intoxicated.
The first test is called the one leg stand. In this test, a person is asked to hold their leg six inches from the ground for 30 seconds while counting. Officers look for swaying, hopping or using arms to balance to determine if a person is intoxicated.
The second test is the walk and turn. This test asks a person to walk toe-to-heel for a certain number of steps and turn around and walk back the same way. Officers look for improper walking, difficulty balancing and not being able to maintain a straight line as signs of intoxication.
The final test is called the HGN test. It measures the amount of jerking in a person's eyes when following a small object. If the eyes jerk, the person is more likely to be intoxicated.
Understanding these tests is important for people who have been accused of DUI because any deviation from these standards could make the results unreliable. When a field sobriety test is being used as evidence against a person, that person should seek legal advice. An attorney can ensure that the test was properly administered so that a person is not wrongly accused of drunk driving. An attorney can also help develop a comprehensive criminal defense strategy.
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