Field Sobriety Tests in Bakersfield, CA

Challenging the Accuracy of Field Sobriety Tests

If you are pulled over with probable cause of DUI, you will most likely be given a field sobriety test (FST). FSTs are usually administered by an officer to determine your level of intoxication, if any. These tests include a “walk and turn,” “one-leg stand,” and “horizontal gaze nystagmus.”

Can You Refuse to Take a Field Sobriety Test in California?

In California, you can refuse to take a field sobriety test but you are also giving the police officer grounds to arrest you. If you have been pulled over but not arrested, you can refuse a chemical test. If you are arrested without having taken a sobriety test, hiring a DUI defense lawyer will be crucial as you try to prove why you should not be charged with anything. It would be easy to assume that you can always refuse a sobriety test in California, but that’s not exactly the case. There are some circumstances in which you can be required to perform a chemical test—or face punishments. Technically, you can refuse to take a chemical test after you’ve been arrested in California. However, you will lose your license for at least one year. Refusing to submit to a sobriety test also gives police the right to hold you for forty-eight hours.

Factors That Could Affect the Results of a Field Sobriety Test

Many of the tests that are used by CHP or local officers have been found to not correlate to impairment due to alcohol or drugs.

In fact, there are many issues that go into failed tests that have nothing to do with being intoxicated. These include:

  • Fear or nervousness
  • Your age
  • Difficulty understanding the language
  • Illness
  • Being fatigued
  • Your weight
  • Inner ear problems or bad balance

Brehmer Law Corporation Is Ready to Fight for You

Since field sobriety tests can be used against you, it is critical to contact a Bakersfield DUI lawyer who understands FSTs and their flaws. At Brehmer Law Corporation, our lawyers are well-trained and focus on this aspect of DUI defense. If your arrest was based on FST results, we may be able to fight these findings in court.

Contact a Bakersfield DUI lawyer from Brehmer Law Corporation. We can be reached at (661) 430-0868.

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