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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 Walk
and Turn test:
- This
test requires a hard, dry, level, non-slipping
surface with sufficient room for the suspect
to complete nine heel-to-toe steps. It should
be administered under relatively safe conditions.
This test loses some validity when conducted
in certain wind/weather conditions contrary
to this criteria. The manual advises that a
straight line should be clearly visible on the
surface. Conditions must be such that the suspect
would be in no danger if he or she were to fall.
The subject and the officer's safety should
be considered at all times. If these conditions
do not exist, the manual advises that the suspects
should be asked to perform this test elsewhere
or only the HGN test should be used.
- There
are some people that this test should not be
given. The average sober person would have difficulty
under these conditions. People more than sixty
five years of age, over fifty pounds overweight,
or with any physical impairments that would
affect their ability to balance should not be
given this test. The officer is trained to take
this into account when developing their probable
cause to arrest. They should eliminate these
conditions being present before they begin the
test.
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
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