Understanding Field Sobriety Tests: Your Rights And What To Expect
Field sobriety tests are primary tools for law enforcement officers attempting to establish probable cause for a DUI arrest in Alexander City, Alabama. Many drivers mistakenly believe these tests provide objective evidence of impairment, when in fact they are highly subjective evaluations.
At Radney, Radney & Jackson, LLC, attorneys Thomas Radney and Jason Jackson understand the technical weaknesses of field sobriety tests and how to challenge their reliability in court. With over 60 years of combined experience defending DUI cases in Alexander City, Tallapoosa County and surrounding areas, our legal team has successfully contested countless field sobriety test results to protect our clients from unjust convictions and penalties.
Common Field Sobriety Tests In Alabama
Law enforcement in Alexander City typically administers three standardized field sobriety tests recognized by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Each test has specific protocols that officers must follow:
- Horizontal gaze nystagmus (HGN): Officers observe your eye movements as you follow a stimulus, looking for involuntary jerking
- Walk-and-turn: You must walk heel-to-toe along a straight line, turn, and return in the same manner
- One-leg stand: You are instructed to stand on one leg while counting aloud for 30 seconds
These tests appear simple but require complex physical coordination and balance abilities that many perfectly sober individuals may struggle with for reasons unrelated to alcohol consumption.
Factors Affecting Test Reliability
Many environmental and physical conditions can significantly impact field sobriety test performance regardless of intoxication. Poor weather conditions, uneven testing surfaces, improper footwear, physical injuries, medical conditions, nervousness and fatigue can all lead to failing results for completely sober individuals.
Your Legal Rights During Testing
Alabama law permits you to respectfully decline field sobriety tests without automatic penalties, unlike chemical tests, which carry implied consent consequences. Refusal of field tests may still lead to arrest if other evidence suggests impairment, but it prevents the creation of potentially damaging evidence against you.
How Our Defense Attorneys Challenge Field Sobriety Tests
Our Alexander City defense lawyers challenge field sobriety tests by scrutinizing officer training, highlighting environmental factors, presenting medical evidence, identifying protocol deviations and utilizing expert witnesses to expose flaws in these often unreliable assessments.
Contact Our Alexander City DUI Lawyers
If you have been arrested after field sobriety testing in Alexander City or surrounding Alabama areas, contact us at 256-570-6139 or fill out the online form to schedule a consultation with our experienced defense attorneys.