- December 20, 2019
What Standard Field Sobriety Tests Are Used in Maryland DWI Stops?
Being charged with driving under the influence is a serious matter in Maryland. Maryland prosecutors aggressively pursue DUI/DWI cases in our state. If you are convicted of drunk driving, you could face serious penalties, including jail time, fines, loss of driving privileges, alcohol treatment programs, and probation.
One of the most common ways an officer determines whether a driver is impaired is by performing Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (SFST). Attorney Jason Plotkin of Pinder Plotkin LLC treats DUI cases very seriously. Attorney Plotkin attended the three-day SFST training seminar offered by the Maryland Association for Justice. He is qualified in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Standardized Field Sobriety Test (SFST) training program. Attorney Plotkin uses the information he learned to aggressively defend his clients who are charged with DUI in Maryland.
NHTSA’s Standardized Field Sobriety Tests
The NHTSA helped develop the three Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (SFST) that are used by officers in Maryland and throughout the country to determine if a driver is intoxicated or impaired. The tests are designed to be performed roadside after a driver is pulled over for suspicion of driving under the influence. An officer, trained in the standardized manner for administering the tests, administers the tests to the driver and uses his observations as a factor in deciding whether to arrest the driver for DUI.
The three SFST are:
- Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN) Test
- One-Leg Stand Test
- Walk-and-Turn Test