Typically when a law enforcement officer suspects a person of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, they will ask the driver to perform “voluntary” field sobriety test. Although voluntary, we commonly see law enforcement officers in a way “command” drivers to perform the tests in hopes of building a case against them. These tests & exercises were developed by the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration to help officers make assessments on whether or not a driver is impaired by alcohol.
The Standardized Field Sobriety tests consist of the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN), the Walk-and- Turn (WAT) and the One-Leg Stand (OLS). The officer are required to administer the various tests and exercises consistent with strict protocol and they will evaluate the driver’s performance of the tests looking for “clues” of impairment. If the officer observes indicators of impairment during the driver’s test, they can obtain probable cause to arrest based on sobriety test performance. One of the many issues with the Field Sobriety Tests are that the supposed indicators of impairment can be attributed to numerous factors not related to impairment (health, injury, nerves, footwear, eyesight, previous surgical operations, testing environment, etc.).
The usefulness of field sobriety tests is subject to heated debate and something our DUI attorneys vigorously attack in defending our clients charged with DUI. Our Seattle lawyers understand that sober drivers can have issues performing field sobriety tests and as a result, our Seattle DUI attorneys have experienced consistent success attacking the field sobriety tests. When you retain Sheed Law Offices to fight for you, your attorney will challenge the field sobriety tests as we have previously used virtually every argument possible against the tests, ranging from incomplete officer direction, to biological and environmental factors that yielded inconclusive or invalid test results. We will ensure that you or your loved one receive the very best in DUI defense. Don’t just take it from us, view our client Testimonials.
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