Arizona DUI Attorney / DUI Lawyer Melanie Beauchamp Has Defended Those Arrested For DUI In Arizona For Over 19 Years
Phoenix DUI Attorneys: Field Sobriety Tests in Arizona
If a police officer suspects a driver to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol, they will normally issue the driver a Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (SFSTs). These tests are used to determine whether the driver is impaired: or competent enough to be operating a motor vehicle. The driver can refuse to take any of the SFSTs, and should demand to speak to a lawyer immediately.
Police officers will often ask drivers to take any one of the following sobriety tests to determine whether the driver is impaired
Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN) - the driver must follow either an object or light with their eyes. The police officer will measure the angle of the eye when it begins to twitch, or jerk, which is called nystagmus. If the eye begins to jerk prior to getting to 45 degrees, the officer will assume that the blood alcohol content (BAC) of the driver is 0.5% or greater.
The Walk and Turn Test - The officer will ask a suspected intoxicated driver to take nine (9) steps each direction on a line, which will force them to perform a mental and physical task simultaneously. If the driver is intoxicated, they will normally struggle with one or both of these tasks.
The One Leg Stand Test- The officer will ask a suspected drunk driver to lift one leg off of the ground for 30 seconds and balance. If the suspect becomes unbalanced, sways, hops, or gives any indication that they are unable to perform this task, there is normally a strong probability that the suspect is severely intoxicated.
Arizona Driving Under the Influence Lawyers
Because police officers make mistakes and these SFSTs are based on judgment, they are often inaccurate. There are several circumstances other than intoxication that could cause a suspect to fail these tests such as poor eyesight or previous injuries. An experienced DUI lawyer can challenge many of these field sobriety tests and show that the amount of potential human error involved can influence the outcome.
The DUI attorneys at Beauchamp Law Office will fight for anyone who has been arrested for a DUI regardless of the circumstances. Our firm will represent clients that have been accused of 1st offense DUI, 2nd offense DUI, extreme DUI, felony DUI, 3rd offense DUI, 4th offense DUI, aggravated DUI, or underage DUI. With 19 Years of experience in the legal field, we are eager to help our clients fight their DUI cases. Contact Beauchamp Law Office today for a free consultation.
