Being pulled over and asked to step out of the car is one of the scariest moments you can face as a driver–taking Field Sobriety Tests can be even scarier.  

Often these requests to vacate your vehicle by law enforcement are for one purpose–to arrest you for a D.U.I.  Whether you have been drinking or not, the exercises used by law enforcement (called Standard Field Sobriety Tests, or SFSTs/FSTs) to determine whether they believe you are under the influence can be failed whether you are sober or not.  

Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (SFST) consist of three (3) tests (or exercises) that law enforcement officers use to determine whether they believe you are intoxicated.  SFSTs consist of the following: 1) Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (more commonly referred to as HGN); 2) One-Leg Stand; and 3) Walk-and-Turn (often referred to as Walk-N-Turn).  Although these tests are not required to be performed by someone who has been pulled over, law enforcement officers rarely volunteer this information to you.  The video available at the bottom of this article offers a brief synopsis of each SFST

If you find yourself facing a DUI arrest or you are curious about how these tests work, give us a call at 770-415-9848 to discuss your case at the Sellers Law Firm: Where Clients Become Family.