A standard field sobriety test officer will administer when they suspect a driver of impaired driving is the One Leg Stand. An officer will first provide instructions to the suspected drunk driver, sometimes demonstrating what the driver is required to do.
The test begins by the officer directing the driver to stand with his or her feet together with his or her arms at their side. Next the driver will raise his or her foot 6 inches above the ground, keeping the leg straight and foot parallel while counting aloud from 1 to 30.
While conducting the test, the officer will then observe whether the driver follows the test directions, sways, uses his or her arms to balance, hops or puts their foot on the ground. A combination of issues may lead the officer to conclude that a driver is impaired.
Of course, any test may have reliability and validity issues depending on whether an officer properly administers the test. Many cases are won simply because poor procedures led to a Wisconsin DUI OWI arrest, so it is important to work with an experienced attorney if you have been charged with a drunk driving violation in Wisconsin.
Wisconsin Field Sobriety Test Defense Attorneys
If you failed a field sobriety test and are facing Wisconsin drunk driving first offense charge or a subsequent OWI offense, get experienced legal advise as soon as possible. Waukesha drunk driving defense lawyer Andrew C. Ladd will aggressively fight the OWI DUI charges you face to seek a dismissal or reduction in charges that may reduce the consequences you face. Contact The Law Offices of Andrew C Ladd today for a free consultation at 262-542-3900.
