If a police officer in Texas suspects that you are driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, they may use field sobriety tests to determine whether you are impaired. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) developed the Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (SFSTs), which are made up of the following:
- The horizontal gaze nystagmus (HGN) test: An officer will ask the driver to follow a moving pen, flashlight, or other object, with their eyes, from side to side. The officer will observe whether the driver exhibits involuntary jerking of the eyes, a sign of possible intoxication.
- The walk-and-turn test: The officer will ask the driver to take nine heel-to-toe steps, then turn on one foot, and take another nine heel-to-toe steps. The officer may consider difficulty balancing or inability to follow directions as signs of intoxication.
- The one-leg stand test: The officer will ask the driver to stand on one leg while counting in thousands until they are told to stop. The officer will look for signs of intoxication, including swaying, using their arms to balance, hopping, or putting their foot down.
Are field sobriety tests accurate?
While the results of field sobriety tests are often used to establish probable cause to arrest a driver for driving under the influence, the results are not always reliable. According to the NHTSA, the HGN the accuracy is only 82% when all three tests are used.
Challenging the administration of these tests and the accuracy of the results may be a good way to fight your drunk driving charge.