THE SOBRIETY TEST

    The sobriety test is a simple task that police officers will have a driver do if they look like they might be under the influence of alcohol or drugs.Typical field sobriety tests include asking the DUI suspect to stand on one leg, touch their nose, walk in a straight line heel-to-toe and recite the alphabet forwards or backwards.Some officers may perform a blood alcohol test using a portable breath analysis machine. Hopefully you will never encounter the embarrassment you'll face when you're asked to touch your nose and you fall back and hit your head on a call box.This test has proven itself to be successful when trying to find the drunks out on our streets and near traffic lights.

    Field sobriety tests are tests given to drivers by police officers at the scene of a traffic stop to determine if the driver is driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Sobriety tests will test the accused person(s) of their ability to follow direction and their individual concentration on more than one thing at a time. Scientists have proof that drivers under the influence will have problems performing two tasks simultaneously. Many drivers under the influence of alcohol or drugs will be tested by their ability to follow instruction, balance, and coordination.
    There are no other approved tests by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration than the HGN (the HOrizontal Gaze Nystagmus) than the simple walk and turn, and the one leg stand. Sometimes they will ask the convicted to recite the alphabet, touching your nose, or any sway tests.
    Most often, the sobriety test is taken while using a pen light to watch the eyes and watch for jerking of the eye. The walk and turn, cannot be performed on a slippery or uneven surface. the wald and turn must be done heel to heel and they must be able to walk in a straight line for nine steps, hte directions would be as followed:
 
1. Put your left foot on the line and put your right foot in front of it with your right heel touching your left toe. Keep your hands at your side. (Demonstrate).
2. Do not start until I tell you to.
3. Do you understand the directions?
4. When I tell you to begin, take nine heel-to-toe steps on the line, turn around keeping one foot on the line, and return nine heel-to-toe steps. (Demonstrate heel-to-toe; three steps is sufficient).
5. On the ninth step, keep the front foot on the line and turn by taking several small steps with the other foot. (Demonstrate turn)
6. While Walking, watch your feet at all times, keep arms at side, count steps out loud. Once you begin, do not stop until test is completed.
7. Do you understand the directions?
8. You may begin the test.
 
 

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