All You Need To Know About Roadside Sobriety Exercises

Undergoing Sobriety Examinations

It's going to be a shock when you're driving home from the bar or a party and all of a sudden you see the flashing lights of a police car in your rear view mirror. If you know you've had one too many drinks that night, your first feelings are usually of panic, fear, and regret. But if you feel as if you've done nothing wrong, regardless whether you've had something to drink or not, then you're more confused than anything else.

In most cases when the police officer pulls you over and asks you to step out of your vehicle, there's a good chance that you may be asked to perform some exercises to dispel the officer's suspicions that you may be driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. These tests are called Field Sobriety Exercises.

What does a Field Sobriety Exercise entail?

Standardized field sobriety exercises are at the police officer's discretion and are usually administered if they feel that there's enough physical observation evidence to suspect a DUI.

In my opinion, these tests were designed with an unfair advantage over the subject; ultimately resulting in failure in one or several areas. There are many factors aside from being intoxicated that can lead to a failed sobriety test. 

Here are a few things that can negatively affect your outcomes.

• Over-the-counter medication that can make you sleepy or groggy
• A drink or two, though under the drinking limit, can still impair your ability to pass the test to some degree
• Naturally lacking coordination and balance
• Physical disabilities, injuries experienced in the past or limited mobility of limbs
• Poor roadside conditions
• Over 60 years of age
• More than 50 pounds overweight

There are many parts to a sobriety test which can include both standardized and non-standardized testing. The entire process can last for several minutes depending on how many of the following you're asked to do.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration standardized tests are:

• One-leg stand
• Walk-an-turn
• Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN)

Other tests may include the following non-standardized tests:

• Finger-to-nose
• Finger-count
• Reciting the alphabet (forward or backwards)
• Number counting (forward or backwards)
• Rhomberg Balance

While the tests are being administered, the police officer will be closely observing and scrutinizing your every move; looking for wobbling, swaying, falling, stumbling, flailing of the arms, slurred speech and other signs of intoxication.

What happens after you refuse a sobriety exercise?

A lot of people are under the impression that a field sobriety test is a requirement if and when a police officer asks you to perform them, but in fact it's not. If you ask an officer if the sobriety tests are "voluntarily" then an overwhelming percentage of them will have to say yes, giving you the right to politely refuse to take them. In that event, unlike breath, blood or urine tests, refusing to do a sobriety exercise will result in no penalties and will not be used against you in court.

Have Questions? Call An Experienced DUI Lawyer.

Have more questions about your DUI case? Call Attorney Jonathan Blecher, P.A. to discuss your situation during a free case evaluation. Attorney Blecher has been defending DUI cases in Miami for over three decades and has the knowledge you need on your side.