Sobriety Tests

After a police officer has conducted a traffic stop and suspects a DUI violation, he or she will conduct one or more tests to determine whether or not the motorist is impaired. Usually the process begins with a field sobriety test, in which the officer asks the driver to perform a set of tasks that would be difficult for a drunk driver to complete. The officer then uses an instrument to measure an individual's blood-alcohol concentration (BAC), most commonly called a breathalyzer. This section covers a range of topics pertaining to sobriety tests and their use as evidence in a DUI case.