
In order to make an arrest and subject someone to a blood or breath test, law enforcement must be able to establish what is known as “probable cause,” or a reasonable suspicion that a crime has been committed, which would then justify an arrest and search. However, simply looking at someone or talking to them for a few minutes may not necessarily yield an accurate result, so law enforcement devised tests known as “field sobriety tests” in order to help with this process. These are seemingly simple tasks that require you to focus on multiple things at once, usually mixing one physical and one mental task simultaneously, something which those who are intoxicated have a significantly reduced ability to do.
However, despite substantial testing and refinement, field sobriety tests are shockingly inaccurate, even to this day, and still cause a number of false or unjustified arrests. If you have been arrested and charged with DUI, you should speak with a Seminole County DUI attorney regarding your case. Law enforcement frequently make mistakes when administering field sobriety tests, and The Law Office of David A. Webster, P.A. have substantial experience reviewing the evidence and working to suppress anything that may have been obtained by illegitimate or unlawful means. We have over 25 years of experience defending the criminally-accused, and our dedication and success has earned us numerous awards, including an Avvo Clients’ Choice Award and being named one of the Top 100 Trial Lawyers by The National Trial Lawyers.
Call The Law Office of David A. Webster, P.A. today by dialing (407) 326-0650 and request a free, no obligation consultation to start building your defense as soon as possible!
The immense number of false arrests for driving under the influence led to the need for a standardized system. Law enforcement and the NHTSA developed a standardized set of procedures for the three most accurate field sobriety tests to attempt to cut down on the number of mistakes and wrongful arrests. However, the tests are still surprisingly inaccurate, even with these standard procedures.
While these tests on their own are not all that accurate, when used together, they get slightly better. However, even then, when all three tests were properly administered and used together, they were correct only 82 percent of the time; that’s just below one in five people being wrongfully accused of driving while intoxicated because they couldn’t pass these tests.
This means if you were arrested and forced to take a blood or breath test, your arrest may not have been lawful. A Seminole County DUI attorney can help you fight back and work to suppress any evidence that may have been obtained through an unlawful arrest, including one caused by an improperly administered or inaccurate field sobriety test.
For assistance with combatting your DUI charges, contact The Law Office of David A. Webster, P.A. now!