DUI is a severe offense that the police treat very seriously. Driving with a blood alcohol concentration, or BAC, of 0.08% or greater is prohibited in North Carolina. Police officers may assume the motorist is drunk when they halt a car for a traffic violation. Officers attempt to determine whether a motorist is over the legal alcohol limit using field sobriety tests. To choose a driver’s degree of intoxication, tests are conducted on them. Many people are curious about the kinds of sobriety tests used and whether they have to cooperate when asked to take one. If you have any doubts, learn more here.
Common Field Sobriety Tests
Three types of regulated field sobriety exams are available. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration acknowledges these. The regulated exams include the one-leg stand, the walk-and-turn test, and the horizontal look nystagmus. The officer guides the driver and monitors how well the driver follows directions and completes the tasks. Everywhere in the nation, students take standardized exams in the same manner. In general, law enforcement personnel have received instructions on how to conduct the tests and analyze the findings.
Tests That Are Not Standard
To identify impairment, police agents may also conduct some non-standardized exams. The head-tilt test, the touch-your-nose test, and letter recitation are frequently used non-standardized tests. These exams are more individualized and not regarded as uniform. This implies that rather than merely evaluating, the cop administering the test may prefer to use the tests to demonstrate disability. Since these evaluations are not considered impartial, the cops should not always depend on them to determine sobriety.
Is a Field Sobriety Test Required?
Field sobriety tests (FSTs) are early exams you take while being stopped for a traffic violation at the side of the road. The detective might ask you to participate in FSTs to assess your level of disability. The officer does not have to insist that you complete these exams because they are not required. However, the police will still be allowed to take you into detention on allegations of DWI if they think you might be impaired.
Do I Have to Take a BAC Test?
To determine your blood alcohol content, law officials may ask you to submit to a breathalyzer test, blood test, or pee test. (BAC). If the authorities request that you submit to a BAC test, you must do so. All licensed drivers are required by the implied agreement legislation to submit to a BAC test upon request. If you decline, you will be charged with a different crime and have your license revoked. Preliminary breath tests, such as those that the police may give at the side of the road, are exempt from the implied permission legislation. To conduct a formal DWI test, the police may then transport you to the station.
