Police officers who suspect people of impaired driving may conduct targeted traffic stops. They may ask pointed, even accusatory questions. They may eventually instruct a driver to step out of their vehicle and submit to a series of field sobriety tests.
Field sobriety testing is one way for police officers to gauge an individual’s level of intoxication. The evidence gathered during field sobriety testing can help support operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated (OWI) charges against a motorist. Many drivers agree to testing, only to end up unintentionally strengthening the state’s case against them and giving an officer justification to arrest them.
Drivers who know what to expect during field sobriety testing can use that information during a traffic stop. Anyone asked to exit their vehicle is likely about to face a series of field sobriety tests. What occurs during field sobriety testing?
Officers try to gather scientific evidence
The purpose of field sobriety testing is to use somewhat scientific testing systems to screen people for intoxication. Police officers typically need probable cause to arrest drivers for DUI offenses. Field sobriety testing can provide them with that probable cause and can help them justify requests for chemical testing. As such, officers receive extensive training on how to properly conduct field sobriety tests.
During field sobriety testing, officers typically have drivers stand someplace close to the police cruiser to ensure that cameras capture their testing. The driver may need to perform a walk-and-turn test, a one-leg stand test and a horizontal gaze nystagmus test.
The first test looks at gait and gross motor function. The second test looks at balance. The third test allows an officer to evaluate drivers for visible muscle spasms associated with alcohol intoxication. The results of these tests can provide police officers with the probable cause they need to arrest a motorist or demand a chemical test.
Field sobriety tests can feel embarrassing for the driver performing the tests. Motorists may also feel quite anxious, in part because false positives are common during field sobriety testing. Motorists can usually decline field sobriety testing without consequence during traffic stops.
Those who fail the tests may be able to develop a defense strategy by providing an alternate explanation for their poor test performance. Learning more about what occurs during OWI traffic stops can help people handle traffic stops and better respond after an arrest.
