California Sobriety Tests

DUI Lawyer in Ventura Explains Tests for Drunk Driving

People under suspicion of being intoxicated with drugs or alcohol while operating a motor vehicle may be asked to perform one or more sobriety tests. If you were charged with DUI for failing a sobriety test, then we can help! At Wilfert Law, P.C., we offer the legal guidance necessary to determine whether your sobriety test was properly administered. In cases in which testing is improperly administered, processed, or transported, we can use evidence of tampering or misconduct as part of a defense.

Types of Sobriety Tests

Chemical tests and field sobriety tests are the types of tests that can be performed to assess sobriety. These tests are administered in different ways to help law enforcement officials establish cause for an arrest. Find out how each of the tests work and what errors could result.

Field Sobriety Tests

Field sobriety tests are subjective roadside exercises that are designed to evaluate the accused’s divided attention or extent of ability impairment. Tests of this kind are voluntary for drivers over the age of 21. In many circumstances, it is advisable to politely refuse to take a field sobriety test. Common field sobriety tests include the horizontal gaze nystagmus evaluation, the walk-and-turn test, and the one-leg stand test.

Chemical Tests

Chemical tests, including breath and blood tests, are performed after an arrest, typically at the police station. These tests are not optional and refusal can result in the suspension of a driver’s license. In many circumstances, you have the option to select either a breath or blood test.

Our Ventura Criminal Attorneys Provide Defense for Sobriety Tests

The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) was established to make field sobriety tests more accurate. In some circumstances, however, drivers can be falsely charged for DUI based on an incorrect reading of a test.