Updated on February 3rd, 2021 at 10:49 pm
How a Field Sobriety Test is Administered
If a police officer suspects you have been driving under the influence of alcohol, he or she may request that you undergo a field sobriety test (FST). An FST is a standardized method for law enforcement officials to determine whether you are impaired.
There are multiple different FSTs that a police officer may ask you to complete. Each test requires you to exhibit an acceptable level of physical coordination and/or mental acuity, and each has specific rules for administration that the police officer must closely follow. If the police officer administers the FST incorrectly, your Milwaukee DUI lawyer may be able to prevent the results from being used against you at trial.
Before an FST begins, the officer will give you detailed instructions for how to perform it, including how to position your arms and legs, the posture you must maintain, any movements you are required to make, when to begin, and when to stop. The officer will then ask you if you understand his or her instructions. Once the FST begins, the officer will closely monitor your performance for evidence that you are impaired. The officer will inform you when the FST is completed.
In one test, the police officer will ask you to stand on one leg with the other leg extended in front of you approximately six inches above the ground and your arms kept at your sides. While remaining in this position, you will be required to count out loud in the following manner until told to stop: “One thousand and one, one thousand and two, one thousand and three …” As your Milwaukee DUI lawyer will tell you, one of the most important things to remember if you are subjected to an FST is to closely follow the officer’s instructions to the best of your ability.
If you have a charge pending against you for driving under the influence of alcohol, please contact Milwaukee DUI lawyers Vanden, Heuvel & Dineen.