Best Criminal Defense Lawyers in Boise, ID

Can I Refuse a Field Sobriety Test? A field sobriety test is something routinely used by police officers to ascertain whether or not a person is driving under the influence. These tests are meant to measure your judgment, balance and reflexes in general. The philosophy behind field tests is that alcohol or intoxicating drugs impair your judgment. This is reflected in slow, irregular and inaccurate physical reactions to specific situations. The tests judge you by putting you in such situations and letting law enforcement officers watch your reactions. The Idaho Code Section 18-8002 deals with the legalities of field sobriety tests in detail. As per this section, you can refuse a field sobriety test but you will have to face certain consequences. Before we look at these consequences, here’s a quick lowdown on the facts of these tests. What Are the Standardized Field Sobriety Tests? The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) defines three distinct types of field sobriety tests. Each test measures a different aspect of your sobriety. The three tests include: Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus Test: Nystagmus is defined as the ‘rapid and involuntary movement of the eyes.’ In our daily lives, our gaze smoothly transitions from one object to another. A jerky movement is very rare. In this test, you are asked to gaze at a stimulus that moves from side to side. A police officer observes your eye movement and determines if it is jerky or smooth. If your eye movement...