If a police officer pulls you over on suspicion of driving under the influence (DUI), they may ask you to take a field sobriety test. These tests help the officer determine whether you're intoxicated or not.
Take a look at the different types of field sobriety tests and what could happen if you fail your test.
The Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN) Test
The HGN test measures the involuntary movement of your eyeballs. During this test, the officer will ask you to follow an object such as a flashlight as it moves from side to side.
The officer will be looking for the following cues while they perform this test:
If the police officer confirms that you're unable to smoothly follow the object with your eyes, they will likely arrest you for drunk driving. If you're wrongly arrested for DUI, you need an experienced traffic lawyer to challenge the results of field sobriety tests. They could argue that the test wasn't administered correctly or that you were suffering from another medical condition that caused inaccurate results.
The Walk-and-Turn Test
The Walk-and-Turn test is another divided attention test that requires both physical and mental tasks. For this test, the officer will ask you to walk in a straight-line walking heel-to-toe for a few steps, then turn around and walk back in the same manner.
While you're performing the Walk-and-Turn test, the officer will be looking for the following cues:
A police officer may arrest you for drunk driving if you fail the Walk-and-Turn test. To reduce your DUI charges to a lesser offense, you will need a licensed traffic lawyer. They can work up a good defense and often convince the court to dismiss your case.
The One-Leg Stand Test
The one-leg stand test gauges your balance and coordination. You will need to stand on one leg for 30 seconds during this test. You will pass the test if you can do this without any problems. However, if you sway, put your foot down, or can't keep your balance for 30 seconds, the officer is more likely to arrest you.
If you fail the one-leg stand test, a traffic law attorney can argue that you were suffering from an injury or medical condition at the time of your test. They may also argue that the instructions weren't correctly read out, which could lead to the dismissal of your case.
Share1 March 2022
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