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When a law enforcement officer has
reason to suspect that a driver has been drinking or
may have had too much to drink the officer will take
certain steps to ascertain the drivers impairment.
Below are the steps that are normally taken by the
officer to make a judgment during a typical
DUI arrest.
Field Sobriety Test
The officer will ask the driver to perform several
field sobriety tests (FST's) to test the driver's
coordination. The field sobriety tests
employed may include some of the tests below and
others:
* Walk in a straight line, heel-to-toe
then turn and walk back.
* Tip the head back with eyes closed and touch the tip of the nose with the index finger.
* Stand on one foot.
* Recite the alphabet.
* Count backwards
* Follow a moving finger with the eyes.
* Field breathalyzer test.
The National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration reports that three specific
FST's are statistically reliable in determining if a
driver is impaired. These tests include the
"Walk and Turn", the "Stand on One Foot" and the
"Moving Finger" (Nystagmus) test. FST's are
not as effective at determining a driver's specific
blood alcohol content (BAC) level.
Chemical Test
In addition to the field
breathalyzer test, drivers arrested for suspicion of
DUI are asked to provide a urine or blood sample to
determine the BAC. Refusal to provide the
sample usually results in automatic suspension of
the driver's license and presumption of guilt.
Holding
Arrested drivers are normally held
in jail until arraignment before a judge and bail is
set, at which time they can post bail or be released
on their own recognizance.
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