Are Field Sobriety Tests Accurate? The Walk-and-Turn Test
As a DUI attorney in Florida, I coach everyone I know to politely refuse to take field sobriety tests. The reason for this is that they are highly inaccurate and designed to fail you. The police need probable cause to issue an arrest, and the field sobriety tests help them get probable cause. Once you’re under arrest, the police can perform a breathalyzer test, which has its own problems.
One of the three tests authorized by the NHTSA is the walk-and-turn test. In this article, the Orlando, Florida DUI attorneys at FL DUI Group will discuss the walk-and-turn test, how it is performed, and why it’s weak proof that you’re under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
What is the walk-and-turn test?
The walk-and-turn test is one of three NHTSA-authorized field sobriety tests. The police officer will ask you to walk heel-to-toe, in a straight line with your hands directly at your side (so that you can’t balance). When you get to the end of the line, you have to turn around and walk back to where you started. Officers will be looking for signs that you’re swaying, stumbling, or falling off balance.
While it’s true that drunk individuals have difficulty performing well on this test, it’s also true that everyone has difficulty performing this test. This is because you’re being asked to walk unnaturally, and you can’t use your arms for balance.
Walk-and-turn field sobriety test accuracy problems
There’s a very good reason why we, as humans, don’t walk heel to toe with our arms by our side. It’s really hard to balance like this. There is no good reason why anyone would walk like this, and unless you’ve practiced it, you’re probably going to fail. The average person would likely lose their balance almost immediately when they’re trying to position their feet in the correct way.
Will the police officer interpret your falling off balance as a sign that you are drunk? The answer is, of course, yes. That is one of the determining factors for this test. But just because you swayed or used your arms for balance, it doesn’t mean that you’re intoxicated. It means that you (usually) don’t walk this way. You’re just human.
The test is made more difficult by the fact that you’re probably quite nervous having a police officer issue instructions to you. The states are quite high. Can you convince the police officer that you’re sober simply by performing well on this test? Probably not. They’ll probably just perform a different test.
Making matters worse, an individual with a learning disorder struggles to follow instructions. A police officer would interpret this as a sign of intoxication.
Talk to an Orlando, FL DUI Lawyer Today
FL DUI Group represents the interests of Orlando residents who have been charged with DUI. Call our Florida DUI defense lawyers today to schedule an appointment, and we can begin building your defense right away.
