SHOULD I REFUSE TO TAKE FIELD SOBRIETY TESTS?

What are Field Sobriety Tests?

There are three standardized field sobriety tests approved by National

Highway Traffic Safety Administration

There are also other tests used by officers that are not standardized

Standardized Field Sobriety Tests

HGN (Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus) Test

The One-Leg Stand Test

The Walk-and-Turn Test

All three tests have specific instructions and directions for giving

the test

They are set forth in the NHTSA handbook for field sobriety tests

Other Field Tests

Other field tests that are used by some officers include but are not

limited to:

Broken alphabet test – Saying the alphabet by beginning with a letter somewhere in the

alphabet and stopping short of “Z”

Say the alphabet backwards

Count backwards from an odd number (i.e. 72) and stop at a random number (i.e. 56)

Finger to nose test – Place hands out to side and then bring one hand at a time to your

face and touch your nose with the tip of your finger

REFUSING FIELD SOBRIETY

TESTS

In Kentucky, if you refuse to give a breath or blood sample, your

license may be suspended with no hardship privileges

Will I Be Arrested For Refusing To Take Field Sobriety Tests?

If you refuse to take the field sobriety tests and the officer feels he has probable cause, you will be arrested under suspicion of driving

under the influence

However, if you take the field sobriety tests and fail, you will still

be arrested

If you have had more than a drink, refusing the field sobriety tests may be in your best interest as you are likely to be arrested regardless of

whether you take them

refusing to take them means you are not giving the officer additional

evidence of your impairment

How Do I Refuse Field Sobriety Tests?

Very respectfully decline to take the field sobriety tests

The less you speak the better because your speech may be slurred

Respectfully decline to take the tests

Use your right to remain silent other than answering questions about your identity

If arrested, you should immediately request an attorney and invoke your right to remain silent except for that

request

Contact Our Office Immediately!

Contact our office as soon as possible if you are arrested on a

DUI charge

We need to begin working with you and advising you as soon as

possible to decrease the damage and increase your chance of

dismissing the charge or receiving a reduced sentence

Contact an Experienced Elizabethtown DUI Attorney

Contact us at our Radcliff Office in Hardin County at (270) 351-6032

or at 1-800-754-HELP to schedule a free consultation with one of our

attorneys

You may also contact our office through our convenient online

contact form

We’ve Helped Thousands of Kentucky Families, we can help

you!

The DUI attorneys of Musselwhite Meinhart & Staples, PSC have over

50 years of combined legal experience

If you have been arrested on a DUI charge, we can help you!

We represent clients throughout Hardin County and Central Kentucky

We care about your case and we will work diligently to achieve the

best outcome possible for you

Learn More About Refusing Field Sobriety Tests In Kentucky

Click to visit:

www.mmslawonline.com

Content provided by: Best Legal Practices