Being pulled over on suspicion of drunk driving often leads to the police officer trying to find out what’s going on. The officer needs to have reasonable suspicion to initiate the stop, so that means that they saw something that led them to believe the driver was impaired.
In some cases, the officer may ask the driver to take a field sobriety test. While there are countless tests they can use, there are only three tests that make up the standardized field sobriety test (SFST) that’s endorsed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Together, these tests are considered accurate enough to be admissible in court.
3 components of the SFST
An SFST includes the walk-and-turn, one-leg stand and horizontal gaze nystagmus. These tests allow the officer to check your ability to do more than one activity at a time, balance, and follow instructions precisely.
These tests aren’t perfect. They can be impacted by uncontrollable factors, such as poor lighting, medical conditions, injuries, age, nervousness, fatigue or uneven pavement. Because of this, they’re only one consideration in a drunk driving investigation. Officers may also consider things like the smell of alcohol on the driver’s breath or the result of a chemical blood alcohol concentration test.
Anyone who’s been arrested and charged with drunk driving should ensure they learn about their options for a defense strategy. Some of these options might be time sensitive, so it’s necessary to review them swiftly. Working with someone familiar with drunk driving cases is critical so you can explore the options and move forward with the one you feel is in your best interest.
