Field Sobriety Tests

Pennsylvania DUI Defense Lawyer on Your Side

Anyone pulled over under suspicion of drunk driving may be asked to perform a number of field sobriety tests (also known as FSTs or roadside tests). If you have been arrested for drunk driving in Pennsylvania, you may have questions about the field sobriety tests. How accurate are these tests? Can you refuse to take the test? Can the test be challenged?

At MyPhillyLawyer, our DUI lawyers know the law. We answer our clients’ questions about blood alcohol tests, field sobriety tests, and other evidence that may have been collected against them. We fight to protect our clients’ rights and freedom. Contact us to discuss your Pennsylvania DUI/DAI case.

Information About Field Sobriety Tests

Although there are numerous field sobriety tests that can be used, a small number of the tests are used more frequently than others.

• One-leg-stand
• Finger-to-nose
• Walk-and-turn
• Reciting the alphabet
• Nystagmus (following an object with your eye)

A common misconception about field sobriety tests is that if you fail them, it is obvious that you are drunk. While the officer may use the test to create probable cause for a DUI arrest, failure of the test does not prove intoxication in itself. In fact, field sobriety tests can be very unreliable and can be difficult for a sober person to pass. Additionally, these tests are subject to the officer’s opinion — if you catch the officer on a particularly bad day, will the officer be objective about how the test was performed or will the officer’s judgment be clouded?

Our DUI defense attorneys investigate drunk driving cases thoroughly in order to present the strongest defense possible. In certain cases, we can show that the officer requested non-standard tests that have been proven unreliable or that the officer was not properly trained in judging performance. Additionally, we strive to prove that outside factors, such as inclement weather or poor road conditions contributed to how the test was performed. Our ability to effectively present deficiencies in the prosecution’s evidence may result in reduction of the charges or the case getting dismissed altogether.

Philly DWI Defense Lawyer

Call MyPhillyLawyer at 215-227-2727

For aggressive DUI/DAI defense representation in the Philadelphia area, contact the DUI lawyers at MyPhillyLawyer.com.