Martin County DUI Lawyer
Field Sobriety Tests and DUI in Stuart, Florida
Being stopped and asked to step out of your vehicle under suspicion of DUI (driving under the influence) can be a very embarrassing experience. Law enforcement may ask a person to perform several types of field sobriety tests that help to determine whether a person may be legally drunk. A field sobriety test will measure a person’s physical and mental agility skills and failing just one test can lead to an immediate arrest.
Field sobriety tests are known to be inaccurate about 65% of the time. They lead to many false arrests and are often highly disputable in court. A person’s best chance at freedom and proving the inaccuracies or mistakes of a field sobriety test would be to hire a Stuart DUI attorney immediately.
The following may affect the outcome of a field sobriety test:
- Unreliable and/or outdated test administered
- Improperly administered test
- Poor instructions by law enforcement
- Tested on wet, uneven or slippery surface
- Unlit environment
- Adverse weather
- How much a person weighs
- Pre-existing injuries
- Natural coordination
- Improper footwear
- Anxiety, nervousness or intimidation due to traffic stop
- Eye conditions that already exist/wear glasses
- A disability that already exist
Aggressive Stuart DUI Lawyer
At the Law Offices of David Golden, P.A., we help clients facing DUI in Martin County, Florida and are very familiar with the many issues that often surround field sobriety tests. Attorney David Golden has been protecting the legal rights of clients for over 20 years with excellent case results. Please contact our firm today to review the circumstances that may surround your DUI case so that we may determine the best stance that can be made on your behalf.
The following Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (SFSTs) can be used in Florida if a person is suspected of DUI:
- Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN)
This test is used to measure when a person’s eyes begin to jerk, referred to as nystagmus. It is said that the quicker the eyes jerk the higher the blood alcohol content may be.
When law enforcement suspects that a person has a BAC at or above 0.010% (which is very high intoxication) then they often ask them to perform this test. During which a person will be asked to stand on a straight line and raise his or her foot for a minimum of 30 seconds. It is said that a person is heavily intoxicated if any parts of their body move during any part of this test.
Law enforcement will ask a person to walk several steps forward and then several steps back to see whether or not that person can follow basic commands that involve a person’s mental and physical skills. If a person is not able to properly perform this test then they can be arrested for DUI.
Skilled DUI Defense in Stuart, Florida
In the state of Florida, a person does have the legal right to refuse field sobriety tests. However, when this decision is made they can expect to be arrested and charged with DUI anyway. To learn more about your legal rights and how a Martin County DUI lawyer can help you, contact the Law Offices of David Golden, P.A. immediately.
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