Credible evidence is necessary for a strong criminal case. Statements about prior activities, video footage of poor driving and test results often serve as the main evidence in drunk driving cases.
Before police officers can arrest people and require that they submit to a chemical test, they may first attempt to conduct field sobriety tests. Medical professionals, lawyers and investigative reporters have raised about the accuracy of roadside testing in Georgia.
Despite the possibility of false positives, field sobriety testing is still standard during drunk driving traffic stops. Police officers may ask drivers to submit to three specific tests recognized as relatively reliable.
What are the standardized tests?
There are three tests that can help validate an individual’s intoxication, although false positives are possible. The first is the one-leg stand test that looks at balance. The walk-and-turn test looks at a driver’s balance and coordination.
Finally, the horizontal gaze nystagmus test looks for the presence of a visible muscle twitch associated with alcohol intoxication. Motorists who fail one or more of the standardized field sobriety tests are likely to face arrest and may then need to submit to chemical tests.
Drivers generally have the option of declining field sobriety tests during traffic stops. They may also be able to explain false positive results by working with a defense attorney to present medical evidence or another reason why a motorist failed the tests.
Understanding the field sobriety tests themselves and the rights that drivers have can help people fight back against the pending charges they face. With the right assistance, it is often possible to avoid a drunk driving conviction.
