DUI Lawyer In Georgia

Reader’s Question:

A friend of mine told me that he was asked to do some field sobriety tests, including the walk and turn test, when he was stopped for DUI suspicion here in Marietta, Georgia. How is this being done and how can a police officer tell that a person failed the walk and turn test?

Jack

Marietta, GA

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the DUI suspect would be directed to take nine steps along a straight line, as if walking a tightrope. After taking the steps, the person must turn on one foot and return in the same manner in the opposite direction. Practitioners in Marietta, Georgia would generally see this test offered with only an imaginary line.

There are eight indicators of impairment in doing the walk and turn test: (1) the person could not keep balance while listening to the instructions, (2) the person begins the test before the instructions are finished, (3) the person stops while walking to regain balance, (4) the person does not touch heel-to-toe, (5) the person steps off the line, (6) the person uses arms for balance, (7) the person makes an improper turn, and (8) the person takes an incorrect number of steps. If the police officer would identify two or more indicators, the studied reliability percentage applies.

Tags: DUI, DUI lawyer, field sobriety tests