|
A
description of Standardized Field Sobriety Testing
posted by Florida DUI Lawyer. *
Parks
& Braxton , your best resource for a Florida
DUI Lawyer, wants you to be well informed.
Here is a basic description of the standards for
the Standardized Field Sobriety Testing
Program:
-
Psychophysical tests should require evaluation
of the subject's appearance and condition, ability
to follow instructions, as well as balance and
coordination. These types of tests are called
Divided Attention Tests. They require the subject
to concentrate on more than one thing at a time.
They divide the subject's attention between
mental and physical tasks.
- Studies
have shown that a person who is under the influence
of an alcoholic beverage may be able to perform
one of these tasks but rarely both. If under
the influence of an alcoholic beverage, people
are likely to make certain predictable errors
while attempting these tasks.
- Since
the mid 1970's, the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration (NHTSA), with the cooperation
and assistance of the law enforcement community,
has conducted research that resulted in the
development of a battery of three standardized
field sobriety tests (Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus,
Walk and Turn and the One Leg Stand) to assist
police officers in detecting impaired drivers.
These tests, formerly referred to as Improved
Sobriety Tests, are now the Standard that the
Federal Government wants to be utilized and
is in fact taught by the New Jersey State Police.
- The
program, which was previously termed the Improved
Sobriety Testing, was validated in laboratory
and field studies conducted by the Southern
California Research Institute. These tests were
initially developed by the Los Angeles Police
Department Training in how to conduct the tests
is included in the NHTSA course "DWI Detection
and Standardized Field Sobriety Testing."
This
material is for informational purposes only. If
you want to know how the SFST tests affect you,
please contact Florida DUI
Lawyers, Parks &
Braxton
|
