Standardized Field Sobriety Testing

There are three field sobriety tests that have been tested by the Southern California Research Institute, sponsored by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which are to be administered together as a "Standardized Field Sobriety Test" to determine whether a driver is "under the influence" of alcohol and/or drugs. These tests are meant to determine whether a driver's mental and/or physical abilities are impaired by alcohol, a controlled substance or by both alcohol and drugs. The Standardized Field Sobriety Test includes:

• Walk and Turn - subject walks 9 steps, heel to toe, in one direction and then turns on one foot and walks in the opposite direction. The officer will look for any of eight specific signs of impairment: subject cannot keep balance while listening to instructions, subject begins walking before instructions are finished, subject stops walking in order to regain balance, or subject does not touch heel to toe, does not walk in a straight line, uses arms to balance, takes an incorrect number of steps or makes an improper turn. This test was found to be accurate 79% of the time, when a subject showed at least 2 signs of intoxication.
• HGN (Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus) Testing - subject follows an object or light horizontally with his or her eyes. The officer looks for an involuntary side-to-side jerking motion of the eyes. This test was found to be accurate approximately 88% of the time.
• One Leg Stand - subject stands with one foot approximately 6 inches off the ground, counting aloud by thousands, for approximately 30 seconds. The officer will look for any of four specific signs that may indicate intoxication: putting the foot down, hopping, swaying or using arms to balance. This test was found to be accurate 83% of the time, if a subject showed 2 or more signs of intoxication.

When all three tests are administered properly and by trained personnel, testing indicated that they may be accurate in approximately 91% of all cases.

Although you may have been arrested for DUI after "failing" Standardized Field Sobriety Testing, there are ways that a competent attorney may be able to effectively challenge your charges. Contact a Los Angeles DUI Lawyer at Gold & Witham today to learn more about the firm and how we can question your test results.