Field Sobriety Tests & DUI in Florida
Miami DUI Lawyer
When a driver is pulled over by Florida law enforcement for suspected DUI (driving under the influence) the arresting officer will typically ask the driver to step out of the vehicle and perform one or more tests. These are referred to as field sobriety tests and are used to determine whether a driver's normal physical or mental abilities are impaired due to alcohol and/or drugs. Although most DUI charges are based upon breath or blood test results, it is possible for a driver to be convicted on the grounds that he or she was unable to safely operate a motor vehicle due to alcohol and/or drugs even when the outcome of a breath test was inconclusive or if a chemical test was not performed.
Defense against Field Sobriety Tests in Miami, Florida
Did you submit to and fail field sobriety testing in conjunction with a Miami, Florida DUI arrest? Attorney Michael Mirer can help. He is experienced in challenging clients' results on field sobriety tests and can bring these into question based off various different grounds, depending on the case.
In essence, field sobriety tests are subjective. How did the officer know what the driver's "normal" abilities may have been? A driver may have natural problems with balance or with following instructions. The driver may also have been injured, ill or simply nervous, and this may have affected his or her outcome of the test. Age, weight and even the shoes a driver was wearing at the time of testing may affect his or her ability to perform to an officer's standards on a field sobriety test. When you take into consideration that the driver may be asked to undergo a "Walk and Turn" or "One Leg Stand" test, it is easy to see why physical conditions entirely unrelated to intoxication may affect a test outcome.
Contact the Law Office of Michael Mirer today to talk to an experienced Miami DUI lawyer about your rights and options in challenging your field sobriety test results.