We’ve all seen it in YouTube or Tik tok videos – the classic scene where someone is trying to walk in a straight line on the side of the road while a police officer watches. Field sobriety tests might seem like a straightforward way to prove you’re sober, but here’s the thing: even completely sober people often bomb these tests.
Think about it – you’re standing on the side of a highway at 2 AM, cars zooming past, bright lights in your face, and an officer watching your every move. Your adrenaline’s pumping, you’re nervous, and now you have to stand on one leg looking down at your foot and counting out loud? Good luck with that.
Medical Conditions, what you are wearing and whether the surface is clean, can influence how you do on these tests
Got a bad knee? Inner ear problems? Anxiety? Congratulations, you might fail these tests stone-cold sober. Medical conditions affecting balance, coordination, or cognitive function can make you look impaired even when you’re not. And let’s not forget about age – these tests were standardized using healthy people between 18-65 years old. Add to that wearing heels, and a possibly uneven surface and you got your work cutout for you.
You don’t know the rules of the game, but you’re expected to play perfectly
Have you ever heard of taking a test where nobody tells you what you are being tested for, but somehow you are expected to ace that test? I bet you haven’t….until now! Because that is exactly what the field sobriety tests are. The officer gives you a ton of instructions, that you hear only once, and then you are expected to do a set of tasks, but nobody tells you what you are being scored on, or what score you need to “pass”. But if you don’t “pass” you don’t just get a failing grade, your liberty is being taken away
What should you do
If you get pulled over, and the officer is investigating you for a DWI, and asks you to perform the field sobriety tests, politely decline. These tests are subjective, unreliable and will be used as evidence against you.
If you find yourself arrested and charged with a DWI, reach out to a DWI lawyer who not only has the experience to handle a DWI (yeap, DWI cases are very technical and complicated so you need a DWI lawyer that knows their sh*t), but also one who cares about YOUR specific needs and will work to get you what YOU need. Fill out the form below for a free consultation