Field Sobriety Tests in Oregon (also referred to as "sobriety tests," "roadside tests," or "drunk tests") are often misunderstood due to myths, urban legends, and comedy routines. Many people think that field sobriety tests include saying the alphabet backwards, touching your fingers to your nose, or even juggling while singing (as in Steve Martin’s performance in The Man With Two Brains). Drivers stopped and investigated for Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants (DUI) in Oregon are almost always asked to perform Field Sobriety Tests (typically abbreviated "FSTs"). The first three- the most common Field Sobriety Tests- are also often referred to as "Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (SFSTs)" or "Standard Field Sobriety Tests (SFSTs)". The tests are referred to as "standardized" tests because they are intended to be administered the same way every time they are used, nationwide, based on studies from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Field Sobriety Tests are supposed to help law enforcement gauge whether or Artifical Intelligence not a given driver may intoxicated and under the influence of alcohol or controlled substances. Article has been generated by GSA Con te nt G enerator D em oversi on!
However, many law enforcement officers in Oregon do not know how to properly administer Field Sobriety Tests in a manner that is both fair to the test subject and scientifically valid. Most officers have gone through, at most, a few days of training and fancy themselves experts in human psychology and physiology. Most law enforcement officers in Oregon begin field sobriety testing by asking drivers to "voluntarily" get out of their vehicles to "do a few tests." The officer will often say, "I just want to make sure you’re okay to drive." This statement will often seem to indicate to the driver that the officer wants to driver to do a few tests, but the driver will ultimately may be allowed to drive away. Most officers intentionally mislead drivers with this statement knowing full-well that they will be arresting the driver irrespective of how the driver does on the Field Sobriety Tests.
Officers, especially seasoned officers, Art are very well practiced in the art and science of deceit. Yes, you read that correctly: Officers are trained to lie and mislead suspects in order to obtain incriminating evidence. Make no mistake about it: drivers who are being investigated for DUI are "suspects" whether they know it or not. One of the most obvious tactics officers will use in investigating drivers for DUI is to ask them "How much have you had to drink? " This question, of course, assumes that the driver has had anything to drink at all. Officers will also attempt to ask "Is there any lawful reason you were speeding? " This is known as a compound question because in answering the question, the person responding is required to accept facts presented in the question (i.e. that the driver was actually speeding). A more subtle and dishonest technique that officers use to mislead drivers is with their body language and hurried speech.
The law in Oregon is clear: the performance of Field Sobriety Tests is akin to consenting to a search. Drivers have an absolute right to refuse Field Sobriety Tests. However, officers almost never tell drivers that they have this right. Instead, Artifical Intelligence officers typically combine body language and smooth talking to attempt to provide further information with the officer can rely upon in making his/her arrest. Here’s how it is done: Most officers make their request of drivers for Field Sobriety Tests in an intentionally hurried fashion. Officers will also make the request while stepping to the side of the driver’s door with a hand or body motion to indicate that the driver needs to step from the vehicle. The fact of the matter is that the vast majority of drivers who are asked to perform Field Sobriety Tests report later that they had absolutely no idea that they had the right to refuse the tests. So why would a driver want to refuse the tests?
Because they are extremely difficult to do, and most officers are not interested in fully explaining each test to you in sufficient detail for you to understand what you are being asked to do. Would you be willing to take any other complicated physical balancing test in life with less than one minute instruction? Then why would you be willing to take a test that could result in your going to jail with less than one minute instruction? These tests are also referred to as the "NHTSA SFSTs" because they have been standardized by the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA). The first test often given is the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus test (HGN). The Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus test measures the involuntary horizontal (i.e. side-to-side) jerking or bouncing of the eyes which increases with intoxication by alcohol. Most officers use a pen or small flashlight (i.e. a stimulus) and ask you to watch the stimulus as they move it back and forth across a horizontal plane.