3 Common Field Sobriety Tests
Posted By San Antonio Criminal Defense Lawyer on Nov 15, 2010 9:45am PST
When you are pulled over by a cop, you normally do not expect to have to get out of your car and perform a series of tasks for his or her judgment. Clearly already creating stress for the driver, field sobriety tests can be highly subjective. Your San Antonio criminal defense attorney will investigate whether correct procedure was followed or whether there was a false "positive" for driving while intoxicated (DWI).
The three most common types of field sobriety tests are:
1. Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus Test - The officer will ask you to look at an object and then follow it with your eyes. He or she will be judging whether your eyes involuntarily jerk or not. If they do, it is taken as evidence that you are intoxicated.
2. Walk and Turn - The officer will ask you to take a certain number of steps in a straight line, turn, and walk the same number of steps back. He or she will be looking for signs of intoxication such as wobbling, taking the wrong number of steps, or failing to walk in a straight line.
3. One Leg Stand - The officer will ask you to stand on one leg and to life the other leg about 6 inches off the ground. He or she will note whether you fall, put your foot down, or fail to follow instructions.
Check back for "Why Field Sobriety Tests Aren't Always Accurate."
Contact a San Antonio Criminal Defense Lawyer at the firm today!