When an officer tries to determine whether you are driving intoxicated, they have certain tools they utilize. Field sobriety tests are among the first they will implement. You are more likely to run into the standardized sort.
What should you know about standardized field sobriety tests, then? What impact could they have in your overall case?
Why do officers use standardized tests?
Verywell Mind looks into standardized field sobriety testing. First, it is important to note that field sobriety test results do not ever indicate guilt in a DUI case. These tests have a lot of unknown factors and potential outside influences. Because of that, they are not standard or solid evidence. Still, you want as little working against you as possible in your case. You should thus take any field sobriety test seriously.
Next, understand the difference between standardized and non-standardized field sobriety testing. Non-standardized tests do not follow a unified rubric. Because of that, there is more room for office bias in interpreting the results. Officers thus use standardized tests to avoid some of this potential bias and hopefully achieve more accurate answers.
Types of standardized tests
Unlike non-standardized tests, officers only have three types of standardized tests to choose from. This includes the horizontal gaze nystagmus, the walk-and-turn and the one-legged stand. The first focus on an eye waver that grows more pronounced after consuming alcohol. The last two focus on physical aptitude. Each test checks a person’s balance, concentration and ability to follow instructions as a base.
If you failed a field sobriety test, you still want to consider contacting a legal professional. They can help you work through the aftermath in a way that benefits you.
