If you get pulled over for a DUI in Oregon, there are a few things you can count on happening. You will be asked for your license and registration and likely be asked where you’re headed. If an officer believes you’re under the influence, you may be asked to complete a field sobriety test. However, an important thing to know is that you’re not required to complete this test, no matter how much the officer may insist.
If you decide to take the test, there are three challenges you may face:
- The horizontal gaze nystagmus test. This is when a subject is asked to follow the movement of an object with their eyes only. The officer is trained to detect only three things: if the eye movement isn’t smooth, whether the vision jumps when having to hold a focus, and if the eye movement is jerky at an angle before 45 degrees.
- Walk and turn test. This is often known as the straight line test, where a subject must take several steps that are heel to toe in a straight line. There are a few things an officer may look for, such as lack of balance, wrong turns, or starting or stopping walking too quickly.
- One leg standing test. This test is fairly self-explanatory, but the subject must stand on one foot, with the other about 6 inches off the ground. Similar to the walk-and-turn test, the officer is looking for lack of balance or abnormal hopping or swaying.
Contact Us at Pedemonte Law
Field sobriety tests are designed for you to fail them, and there are many factors that may contribute to why a person may fail one of them. For more information on protecting yourself if you’ve failed a sobriety test, get in touch with us at Pedemonte Law today.