People who are pulled over on suspicion of drunk driving often face a barrage of questions and requests on the side of the road. These are all done by the police officers on the scene to try to determine if the driver is intoxicated or not.
One of the tools that officers have is field sobriety tests. There are only three tests that are part of the standardized field sobriety test (SFST), which is the only set of tests that’s endorsed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
What are the components of the SFST?
In the one-leg stand, the driver is asked to stand on one foot while lifting the other foot approximately six inches off the ground. They must hold this position for 30 seconds while counting aloud.
The walk and turn measures balance, coordination, and the ability to follow instructions. The driver must take nine heel-to-toe steps in a straight line. At the end of those nine steps, they must turn on one foot and return to the starting point.
The horizontal gaze nystagmus involves tracking the movement of the eyes. The officer moves a small object horizontally across the driver’s field of vision. They look for involuntary jerking of the eyes, called nystagmus, which becomes more noticeable when a person is intoxicated.
The SFST is the only field sobriety test that’s considered accurate enough to be admissible in court, but that doesn’t mean that it’s infallible. Defendants facing drunk driving charges should learn all their defense options, including calling the results of the SFST into account. This may be easier if they work with someone familiar with drunk driving cases.