3 Reasons Why You Shouldn"t Participate In Field Sobriety Tests
Although field sobriety tests are highly inaccurate and admissible in court (with the help of a good lawyer like Bradley Johnson Lawyers) they are still performed regularly at traffic stops and “busted” parties. These tests are very archaic means of testing one's level of intoxication, and you do not have to tolerate them. Here are three reasons why you should never take a field sobriety test.
1. You don't have to do everything a police officer asks you to do.
The most helpful piece of information I ever got from my Seattle criminal attorney: know your rights. When pulled over by a police officer or stopped while walking, you have to do one thing: give them your license. Other than that, wait for a lawyer to do your talking for you. Don't answer any questions like “how much have you had to drink tonight?” or “where are you coming from?”, or give them permission for anything including searches. Police officers will try to get information out of you any way they can, including threatening and coercing it out of you. Don't hate them for it, it is their job to uphold the law. However, it is your right to politely resist.
2. Sobriety tests never prove innocence.
When's the last time you heard of someone getting pulled over on suspicion of an alcohol related crime only to pass their field sobriety test and go home freely? If you said “never” then you are like the rest of us. A field sobriety test is a no win situation that hardly ever proves innocence. Contrary to popular belief, if you do take the sobriety tests and complete them with perfect balance and agility it doesn't guarantee anything. The only thing a field sobriety test does is incriminates the person taking it. Truth be told, there are many sober people who wouldn't be able to complete field sobriety tests in a high pressure situation like being pulled over on the side of a busy street.
3. There is no pre-set pass or fail when it comes to field sobriety tests.
Like mentioned earlier, you could walk the straight heel to toe line perfectly, count backwards from 100 without skipping a beat, and stand on one leg for 10 minutes and it doesn't guarantee you pass. This is because there is no set pass/fail for these types of tests. Remember that if an officer asks you to participate...why would you take a test you cannot pass?
If you listen to me, like I listened to my Seattle criminal lawyer, about your rights in these situations, you could avoid some pretty substantial problems in the future. Police officers have years of tips, tricks and methods to get information out of nervous people, and it is important to be able to stand your ground. Be knowledgeable about your rights, and what authority figures are and aren't allowed to do. It might just keep you out of prison.
1. You don't have to do everything a police officer asks you to do.
The most helpful piece of information I ever got from my Seattle criminal attorney: know your rights. When pulled over by a police officer or stopped while walking, you have to do one thing: give them your license. Other than that, wait for a lawyer to do your talking for you. Don't answer any questions like “how much have you had to drink tonight?” or “where are you coming from?”, or give them permission for anything including searches. Police officers will try to get information out of you any way they can, including threatening and coercing it out of you. Don't hate them for it, it is their job to uphold the law. However, it is your right to politely resist.
2. Sobriety tests never prove innocence.
When's the last time you heard of someone getting pulled over on suspicion of an alcohol related crime only to pass their field sobriety test and go home freely? If you said “never” then you are like the rest of us. A field sobriety test is a no win situation that hardly ever proves innocence. Contrary to popular belief, if you do take the sobriety tests and complete them with perfect balance and agility it doesn't guarantee anything. The only thing a field sobriety test does is incriminates the person taking it. Truth be told, there are many sober people who wouldn't be able to complete field sobriety tests in a high pressure situation like being pulled over on the side of a busy street.
3. There is no pre-set pass or fail when it comes to field sobriety tests.
Like mentioned earlier, you could walk the straight heel to toe line perfectly, count backwards from 100 without skipping a beat, and stand on one leg for 10 minutes and it doesn't guarantee you pass. This is because there is no set pass/fail for these types of tests. Remember that if an officer asks you to participate...why would you take a test you cannot pass?
If you listen to me, like I listened to my Seattle criminal lawyer, about your rights in these situations, you could avoid some pretty substantial problems in the future. Police officers have years of tips, tricks and methods to get information out of nervous people, and it is important to be able to stand your ground. Be knowledgeable about your rights, and what authority figures are and aren't allowed to do. It might just keep you out of prison.
