Being pulled over by a police officer is a very disheartening situation. In some cases, the police officer might have reason to believe that you’re impaired, which can lead to them asking you questions and asking you to do a few different things.
One thing that you might be asked to do is a field sobriety test. While there are many different sobriety tests that police officers may conduct, there is only one set of three tests that’s endorsed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. This battery of tests is known as the standardized field sobriety test and is the only field sobriety test considered reliable enough to be used as evidence in a drunk driving case.
What tests are part of the standardized field sobriety test?
The one-leg stand is a test that asks you to raise one foot off of the ground and hold it while counting aloud. Officers will look for signs of impairment, such as using your arms for balance or swaying around.
The horizontal gaze nystagmus test is another test in the battery. In this test, the officer will track your eye movements as you follow a moving object, such as their pen. If your eyes jerk at certain angles, it can indicate impairment.
The walk-and-turn is another test. You may be asked to walk heel-to-toe in a straight line, turn on one foot, and then return to the starting point in the same manner. If you step off the line or have trouble following the instructions, the officer may construe those as signs of impairment.
Even though the standardized field sobriety test is typically considered reliable, there are ways to question it. Various factors, such as your age, medical condition, or nervousness, could affect performance. If you’re facing a drunk driving charge, and this is one of the factors in the case, be sure to consider the suitability of using it in your defense strategy.
