The Walk and Turn test requires a 97.5 or better for you to Pass! by Plano DWI lawyer Troy Burleson
by Collin, Dallas and Denton county DWI attorney Troy Burleson
Officers administer field sobriety tests o citizens they suspect are guilty of DWI/DUI. According to most officers, these tests give the citizen a chance to prove he or she is not intoxicated. With that in mind, the question should be, “how fair are these tests?” More to the point, “are these tests designed to make a person look bad or look good?” Let’s take a look at the instructions of one of the field sobriety tests, the one leg stand, and the possible errors and see if we can mathematically determine if these test or fair.
Walk and Turn Instructions
1. Stand heel to toe and hands down to your side
2. Maintain stance during instructions
3. If you lose your stance, resume until instructions are complete
4. Take nine heel to toe steps down the line
5. Turn taking a series of small steps
6. Take nine heel to toe steps back down the line
7. Keep arms down to the side during the entire test
8. Keep your eyes on your feet
9. Count your steps out loud
10. Don’t stop walking until the test is complete
Walk and Turn Possible Errors
{Note: an error could be scored at each count during test performance}
1. Loses balance during instructions--1
2. Starts the test before being told to begin--1
3. Stops while walking on the line--18
4. Misses heel/toe (at least ½ inch; not the number of times; one or more=1 clue)—18
5. Raises arms for balance at least six inches; one or more= 1 clue)—18
6. steps off line—18
7. Turns improperly—1
8. Takes wrong number of steps—2
TOTAL POSSIBLE ERRORS--77
NUMBER OF CLUES TO FAIL TEST--2
Let’s Do the Math:
There are 77 possible errors on the One Leg Stand Test. To fail, the officer only needs to observe 2 errors, or clues. A simple mathematical formula will show:
2/77 =X/100
X=200/77
X=2.59
THEREFORE—You MUST score “97.5” to PASS the One Leg Stand Test based on 100 Possible Points.
Question—How many tests have you taken in your life in which a 97 or below was a FAILING GRADE?
Do you still think that the field sobriety tests are designed to make you look good? NO, they are designed to make you fail.
