What is a field sobriety test?
A field sobriety test is a test that law enforcement officers use to help establish if a person is drunk. When a police officer pulls over a suspected drunk driver, the officer typically has the suspect perform between three and five different field sobriety tests. Walking heel-to-toe, touching your own nose, and standing on one foot are all types of field sobriety tests.
A field sobriety test is a test used to assist an officer in determining if a person is intoxicated. The officer will typically ask the suspected drunk driver to perform between three to five tests, which involve the suspect’s coordination, alertness, balance, and ability to follow directions. Some common field sobriety tests include the horizontal gaze nystagmus, recitation of the alphabet, the Rhomberg test, the divided attention test, and the stationary balance test.
Law enforcement officials use three different types of coordination and balance tests to ensure that drivers on the road are not under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol. The Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus follows the jerking reflexes of the eyes, as the driver is forced to follow a flashlight with his or her eyes. Drivers can also be asked to walk and turn, to walk in a straight line or to stand upright on one leg.
A field sobriety test is a coordination/agility test that allows law enforcement to gauge if a person is impaired by drugs and/or alcohol. It is believed that if a person is impaired by drugs and/or alcohol, his/her coordination will be impacted, which will result in poor performance of the field sobriety tests.
In many states an officer will administer a field sobriety test (FST) if he has reason to believe you are under the influence of alcohol or drugs. It is a physical and mental test used to determine if the driver can operate his vehicle safely. There are many different versions of the FST. Here are some of most common tests: The Walk and Turn – The suspect has to walk heel to toe in a straight line then turn around and walk back in a straight line. The One Leg Stand – An officer will give you a time to balance on one leg. The Romberg Test – This is a modified position of attention test. The officer may have you close your eyes, tilt your head up, put your feet together, etc. A Memory Test – Such as reciting the alphabet. The Horizontal Gaze Test – The police officer will have the suspect follow an object with only his eyes left to right. A field sobriety test is most effective in measuring how impaired an individual is. They are not used to determine BAC (blood alcohol concentration) le
