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Field sobriety test accuracy not foolproof

On Behalf of | Jan 6, 2018 | DWI |

If you or someone you know has been arrested for and charged with a drunk driving offense in New York, you will want to become educated about the legal process involved in a drunk driving arrest and the subsequent defense process. One important thing to know and remember is that like any criminal charge, you are not guilty until proven so. An arrest simply indicates that law enforcement officers believe you might be guilty of a crime.

At the scene of a stop, you most likely were asked to perform several tests even before you were asked to provide a blood or breath sample. As explained by FieldSobrietyTests.org, these tests in no way are designed to or even able to prove that you are drunk. Chemical tests are required to provide proof of any intoxication. Instead field sobriety tests are used to support an arrest by providing enough evidence to show that you might be drunk.

Of the three tests approved for use by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, none of them are completely accurate. The individual accuracy rates range from 65 percent to 77 percent. When all three tests are administered, the combined accuracy rate does increase but still is only 82 percent. Factors such as medical conditions, joint injuries, weight and more may all interfere with your ability to pass these tests.

If you would like to learn more about the tests used during a drunk driving investigation stop, please feel free to visit the field sobriety test page of our New York criminal defense and drunk driving defense website.