What are the Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (SFST)?
The Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (SFST) are a series of tests used by law enforcement officers to attempt to establish probable cause for arresting a person for DWI. The tests include three parts and are often done on the side of the road, which are the: Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN) – this is a test where the officer uses an object (i.e. a pen or pencil) and has the person follow it with their eyes. The officer is basically looking for certain movements of the eyes, such as jerking, which are marked as “clues” of intoxication; Walk-And-Turn (WAT) – this is a test where the officer instructs the person suspected of being intoxicated to walk a certain number of steps down then take three small steps in turning, and then walk back. As the person does the test the officer tries to observe “clues;” One-Leg-Stand (OLS) – this is a test where the officer instructs the person to stand on one leg in a certain manner and is told to start counting. The officer administering the test does
