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Field sobriety test accuracy rates

On Behalf of | Mar 23, 2019 | Traffic Offenses And DUI

Anyone in Illinois who has been charged with a driving under the influence offense might wonder how in the world they might defend themselves against the charge. One of the things that every driver should know is that the tests used by officers before an arrest is made are not completely accurate. 

As explained by FieldSobrietyTests.org, the three roadside tests called the field sobriety tests are not able to prove that you are drunk. All that these tests can do is show that you might be drunk. If you are said to have failed these tests, then a police officer has the legal support needed to place you under arrest and charge you with suspected drunk driving.

The accuracy rates of these tests range from a low of 65 percent to a high of only 77 percent. The one-leg stand test and the walk and turn test have accuracy rates of 65 percent and 68 percent, respectively. People who have medical conditions that impact their balance can be at a disadvantage when taking these tests. Anxiety is another condition that may contribute to an inability to pass these tests. Some neurological conditions may cause problems for people when taking the horizontal gaze nystagmus test that looks for a certain motion of the eyeball. 

If you would like to learn more about the problems associated with the tests used by law enforcement during a drunk driving investigation, please feel free to visit the field sobriety test page of our Illinois driving under the influence defense website.