The police may suspect that a driver is drunk if they see a vehicle swerving on the road, making sudden stops or running red lights at night. If the police pull over a vehicle, they may gather evidence against the driver by testing their sobriety.
There are a few methods the police can use to determine whether a driver is drunk. Here is what you should know:
3 types of field sobriety tests
The police may ask a driver to perform a standardized field sobriety test, which is a type of physical performance evaluation. A driver may be asked to do the following tests:
- The police may hold an object in front of a driver during a horizontal gaze nystagmus test, allowing them to watch for erratic eye movements that indicate drunkenness.
- The driver may be asked to walk on a line during a walk-and-turn test. Falling or walking off the line may indicate inebriation.
- The driver may be asked to stand on one leg for several seconds during a one-legged stand test. The police may suspect that a driver is drunk if they place their foot down or fall over.
The police may judge the driver’s inebriation following one or more of these tests.
3 types of chemical sobriety tests
A driver may be asked to take a chemical sobriety test. These tests often provide accurate results by testing a driver’s blood alcohol content (BAC), which is the amount of alcohol in the body at the time of testing. These tests can include the following:
- A breath test evaluates a driver’s BAC reading by the air in their lungs.
- A sample of the driver’s blood can determine their BAC level.
- The driver’s BAC level may be tested with a urine sample.
Inaccurate results after a field sobriety test or chemical test can lead to a wrongful conviction. Legal guidance can help protect the rights of people facing drunk driving charges.
