If you have driven for any length of time in West Virginia or even in any other state you are likely aware that police officers might ask drivers to perform certain tasks if they suspect that the drivers might be drunk. These are generally referred to as field sobriety tests even though they are not able to or even meant to conclusively prove that a person is either drunk or sober. They are used to provide enough evidence to suggest that a person might be drunk so that an officer can legitimately place them under arrest.
As explained by FieldSobrietyTests.org, there are three different tests that are approved for use by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. None of these three tests have been found to be 100-percent accurate. Individually the accuracy rates vary from 65 to 77 percent. Combined the accuracy rate is said to be 82 percent. Many health conditions may impair your ability to perform the tasks as requested.
People who suffer from anxiety may find the request to perform tests extremely stressful which may make their anxiety symptoms worse. In this situation, balance or even the ability to fully comprehend instructions may be hindered. Injuries or disabilities impacting a person's foot, leg, hip or back might also make one-leg balancing or walking along a specific line difficult. Weight, age and neurological conditions are also identified as potential issues for people required to take these tests.
This information is not intended to provide West Virginia residents an overview of just a few of the things that may logically and naturally interfere with their ability to successfully pass one or more of the standardized field sobriety tests used in a drunk driving investigation.