We Are St. Petersburg / Clearwater DUI Defense Lawyers Certified in Field Sobriety Testing

Let Us Carefully Examine the Field Sobriety Tests in Your Case

Having a lawyer in our office review your field sobriety test results could be imperative in uncovering defenses in your case. This is because National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) standards dictate that if the officer deviates from the correct administration of your tests, the validity of the results may be compromised. We can review the video tape of your case field sobriety tests to see if they were properly administered and interpreted fairly. Flawed field sobriety tests could lead to a reduced charge of reckless driving.

We Made It Our Business to Learn Law Enforcement’s Business

DUI Lawyer Tim Sullivan is Certified by NHTSA in the proper administration of field sobriety testing. This means he has completed the same field sobriety test training as that attended by Pinellas County law enforcement officers. Attorney Sullivan completed an intensive twenty-hour prerequisite course of instruction and training and was thereafter certified by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the International Association of Chiefs of Police in the proper methods to be administered in the detection of impaired drivers.

How Accurate are Roadside Field Sobriety Tests?

The Southern California Research Institute, sponsored by NHTSA, conducted extensive research associated with the proper administration and reliability of field sobriety testing in DUI cases. Relying on these studies, the federal government has since concluded:

• The “Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus” test results will be wrong 23% of the time.
• The “Walk & Turn” test results will be wrong 32% of the time.
• The “One Leg Stand” test results will be wrong 35% of the time.

Note: These statistics were secured using “ideal” testing conditions. The SCRI-NHTSA study conceded that not having ideal testing conditions would further reduce the percentage of reliability of results.

What You Should Know About the“Alphabet” and “Finger to Nose” Tests

If the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, the St. Petersburg Police Department, or another local law enforcement agency administered the “Alphabet” or “Finger to Nose” test in your case, it means that they departed from NHTSA standards. The federal government has made it clear that any roadside field sobriety test given to a driver other than “HGN,” “Walk & Turn,” or the “One Leg Stand” clearly lacks scientific reliability to justify any endorsement of use by law enforcement. See Report Number DOT HS-805 864 available from the National Technical Information Service, Springfield, VA 22161. These “alternate tasks” are sometimes requested by law enforcement if the subject is elderly, overweight, or otherwise suffers from a medical condition that would compromise the integrity of the tests.

An Attention to Detail

Our office does far more than a cursory review of the video taken of your field sobriety test performance. That is because we know that the “devil is in the details.” We utilize a dual electronic video display and word processing software system that enables us to carefully review every detail of the videotape taken at the time of your arrest. This process permits us to pause/slow motion/repeat and review the images and sound, while at the same time, transcribing a typewritten report for our client that details all of our observations and findings. Our “DUI VideoTape Analysis Report” is prepared for the purpose of uncovering improprieties in law enforcement’s administration of your field sobriety test exercises. Our clients are encouraged to review our report prior to watching their video tape. This method of review aids them in focusing on and identifying those specific areas of concern or importance. If you were arrested for DUI in St. Petersburg, Clearwater, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Dunedin, Safety Harbor, Tarpon Springs, Palm Harbor, Largo, St. Pete Beach, Treasure Island, Gulfport, Pasadena, Indian Rocks Beach, Indian Shores, Redington Shores, Madeira Beach and Belleair an in-depth review of your video can be critical tool in formulating the appropriate legal strategy in your case.