Field sobriety tests are a huge factor in a DWI arrest: if they indicate that you have a high blood alcohol concentration (BAC), then the officer will have probable cause to arrest you for driving while intoxicated. Because of the importance of and controversy surrounding field sobriety tests, you should familiarize yourself with them if you’ve been arrested for a DWI. In this article, New Jersey DWI lawyer Dan T. Matrafajlo will give you a broad overview of field sobriety tests.
The United States Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) studied field sobriety tests beginning in 1975 and published the study in 1977. As a result of these studies, NHTSA has determined that three tests, when administered properly and used together, are reliable indicators of driving impairment. These three tests are known as the Standardized Field Sobriety Tests, or SFSTs. They are:
- The horizontal gaze nystagmus (HGN) test,
- The walk-and-turn (WAT) test, and
- The one-leg-stand (OLS) test.
However, police officers regularly use other tests besides the standardized tests. Some of these non-standardized tests have not been validated. Non-standardized tests include: reciting the alphabet, counting backwards, the Romberg balancing test, and the finger-to-nose test.
Some of these field sobriety ones, especially the clinical ones such as the HGN test and the Romberg test, have been extensively studied and validated for their reliability in showing impairment. However, many field sobriety tests have not yet been researched or validated, but they are still used by police officers in order to get probable cause for a DWI arrest.
Dealing with a DWI arrest can be scary and difficult. Let experienced New Jersey DWI lawyer Dan T. Matrafajlo help you sort through the facts of your case and find any holes in the prosecution’s case against you. Simply fill out the form on this page to schedule a free initial consultation.
