Dwi detection and standardized field sobriety test sfst nhtsa. Nhtsa alleges that the hgn test is the most reliable field sobriety test when properly administered, 2002 nhtsa student manual, vii5, being 77% reliable. The national highway traffic safety administration nhtsa recognizes that impaired driving is a complicated issue that cannot be addressed with one solution. Any time any test gives a result, the truth is that result could be correct or it could be exactly and completely the opposite of correct. Inside the nhtsa manuals horizontal gaze nystagmus hgn nystagmus mean an involuntary jerking of the eyes.
National highway traffic safety administration abstract. Tests sfsts are to be administered under ideal conditions. Olson traffic safety resource prosecutor idaho prosecuting attorneys association 208 8847325 jared. The three standardized field sobriety tests are the horizontal gaze nystagmus hgn, the walkandturn test and the oneleg stand test. The side pole barrier test simulates a crash into a fixed object like a tree or utility pole. Tidal breath breath from the upper part of the lungs and mouth. During the years 1975 1981, a battery of field sobriety tests was developed under funding by the national highway traffic safety administration nhtsa, u. Standardized field sobriety testing proficiency examination. Some tests make a lot of mistakes, some make hardly any. The walk and turn test is one of the three accepted standardized field sobriety tests. The primary purpose the sfst refresher training program is to improve the overall consistency of administration of. Challenging dwi detection and field sobriety test results. These tests include a horizontal gaze nystagmus test hgn, a one leg stand test, and a walkandturn test.
Dwi detection and standardized field sobriety testing. The rollover resistance test measures the risk of rollover in a singlevehicle, lossofcontrol scenario. The procedures outlined in this manual describe how the standardized field sobriety. Out of the three standardized field sobriety tests, the walk and turn test has proven to be the second most reliable sfst, being 9% less accurate than the hgn.
For a copy of the report, validation of the standardized field sobriety test battery at bacs below 0. Dwi detection and standardized field sobriety testing student manual national highway traffic safety admin. Dwi detection and standardized field sobriety testing student manual. This is the program used to educate all police officers on proper fse administration from february 2006 until the next manual was released in may 20. Chevrolet, the chevrolet emblem, and the name equinox are registered trademarks of. National highway traffic safety administration impaired driving division 400 seventh street, sw. Field sobriety test any one of several roadside tests that can be used to determine. Advanced roadside impaired driving enforcement aride school participant guide.
Standardized field sobriety test aaa dui justice link. Standardized field sobriety test battery a battery of tests, horizontal gaze nystagmus, walkandturn, and oneleg stand, administered and evaluated in a standardized manner to obtain validated indicators of impairment based on nhtsa. A searchable, printable, cdrom version of the entire manual is included in this bound edition. Department of transportation burns and moskowitz, 1977. The standardized field sobriety testing sfst training curriculum collectively, prepares police officers and other qualified persons to conduct the sfsts for use in dwi investigations. The national highway traffic safety administration nhtsa has developed a series of standardized field sobriety tests for police to administer at roadside to assist officers in making decisions whether to arrest for dui.
Original research by southern california research institute scri. The dwi detection and standardized field sobriety testing sfst training curriculum prepares police officers and other qualified persons to conduct the sfsts. The 1981 study, also funded by nhtsa, and given to burns and moskowitz, focused on three field sobriety test exercises. Advanced roadside impaired driving enforcement aride session ii. Its in chapter 5, phase one vehicle in motion immediately after the section on visual cue descriptions for auto motorists.
If an officer suspects drug use during a dui investigation, the aride officer is trained to conduct the national highway traffic safety administration nhtsa standardized field sobriety evaluations sfse prior to conducting drug sobriety testing. Not only do age and weight affect the ability to pass the agility tests but officers are warned about this in the actual training manual that nhtsa publishes and. Dec 30, 2006 standardized field sobriety test battery a battery of tests, horizontal gaze nystagmus, walk and turn, and oneleg stand, administered and evaluated in a standardized manner to obtain validated indicators of impairment on nhtsa research. This is the bound edition of the instructors manual. Failure on the tests will usually lead to arrest and a demand that the suspect take a roadside breath test to seek evidence that alcohol is present and the likely cause of any impairment observed. National highway traffic safety administration, washington, dc. The entire process of identifying and gathering evidence to determine whether or not a suspect should be arrested for a dwi violation.
These centers oversaw the field data collection, maintenance of field. Can a persons age or weight affect their ability to attempt and pass the standardized field sobriety tests. Nhtsa field sobriety test procedures like walk and turn. Dwi detection and standardized field sobriety testing sfst. Dwi detection and standardized field sobriety testing 82. A florida validation study of the standardized field. The standardized field sobriety testing sfst training prepares police officers and. Walk and turn test standardized field sobriety testing.
Original research by southern california research institute scri showed the test was 77% accurate at detecting a bac of 0. The standardized field sobriety test sfst is a battery of 3 tests performed during a traffic stop in order to determine if a driver is impaired by alcohol or drugs. Understanding drug field sobriety evaluations legal. A field sobriety test isnt designed to objectively determine a persons alcohol impairment.
Npsri technical report the use of video in training for standardized field sobriety tests sfst summary d. Overview refresher training for the standardized field sobriety tests e. More specifically, field sobriety testing fst is used to determine if an individual is under the influence of alcohol. Used to describe field sobriety tests that measure a persons ability to perform both mental and physical tasks. Nhtsa training on the hgn test, at the standardized field sobriety test course, is ambiguous. Understand enforcements role in general dwi deterrence. Standardized field sobriety testing the law office of. The bible of dui standardized field sobriety tests sfsts, the manual describes how sfsts are to be administered under ideal conditions and is used nationwide to teach police officers how to. The horizontal gaze nystagmus hgn field sobriety test checks your eyes for involuntary jerking as you gaze to the side. Hs 172b r5 3 of 20 advanced roadside impaired driving enforcement session 1 introduction and overview drugs and highway safety explain course goals and objectives define the term drug highlight us drug problem issues describe impaired driving programs underscore connection to decp emphasize roles of the dre.
Since the mid 1970s, the national highway traffic safety administration nhtsa has conducted research resulting in the creation of three standardized field sobriety tests. Contrary to popular belief, the field sobriety tests are not designed to determine whether or not a driver is impaired see the appendices in the 2006 student manual to read the comments from marceline burns, who designed the fsts. The primary purpose the sfst refresher training program is to improve the overall consistency of administration of the sfst test battery by individual police officers. Developed in the 1970s, these tests are scientifically validated for alcohol, and are admissible as. The sfst test battery was found to also discriminate at or above 0. Accuracy of the nhtsas standardized field sobriety test sfst fst. Validation of the standardized field sobriety test battery.
This report documents the research activities and presents the results of a study conducted by nhtsa to evaluate the accuracy of the standardized field sobriety test sfst battery to assist officers in making arrest decisions and to discriminate blood alcohol concentrations bacs below. The side barrier test simulates an intersection collision between a standing vehicle and moving barrier at 38. The instructor manual tells officers to ask relevant medical questions about eye conditions and defects, as well as medications that may trigger hgn, but the participant manual used by the police officers being trained lacks a reasonable checklist for. May 20, 2010 if an officer suspects drug use during a dui investigation, the aride officer is trained to conduct the national highway traffic safety administration nhtsa standardized field sobriety evaluations sfse prior to conducting drug sobriety testing. Alcohol definition is the name given to a family of closely related and naturallyoccurring chemicals. The tests include walkandturn wat, oneleg stand ols, and horizontal gaze nystagmus hgn. This training, developed under the auspices and direction of the national highway traffic safety. Field sobriety test sfst participant manual refresher pdf, 24. Standardized field sobriety test battery a battery of tests, horizontal gaze nystagmus, walk and turn, and oneleg stand, administered and evaluated in a standardized manner to obtain validated indicators of impairment on nhtsa research. Dwi detection and standardized field sobriety test sfst participant manual pdf, 86.
Keep this manual in the vehicle for quick reference. This training under the auspices and direction of the international association of chiefs of police iacp and the national highway traffic safety administration nhtsa has. Concepts and principles of the standardized field sobriety tests. Dwi detection and standardized field sobriety testing, 2006. The primary student manual dwi detection and standardized field sobriety testing published in february 2006 by nhtsa spends less than half a page on its subsection visual detection of dwi motorcyclists. One this page, you will find a table outlining the accepted procedures and standards set by the nhtsa for the administration and grading of the walk and turn test. Dwi detection and standardized field sobriety testing student manual paperback january 1, 2006 by national highway traffic safety admin. Dwi detection and standardized field sobriety test sfst curricula guides. As in any educational training program, an instruction manual is considered a.
The sordid history of the nhtsa standardized field. There is a small literature on sobriety testing in general, but the fact that the current standardized hgn, ols and wat tests supposedly measure sobriety, how each test should be administered and scored, how scores should be interpreted, and how accurate those interpretations areall that was invented by nhtsa contractors and validated only. As in any educational training program, an instruction manual is considered. The test begins by the police officer placing the tested person in the instructional stance where the feet are placed together and the arms are kept to the side. Another large group of test subjects, selected by burns and her team, were put through multiple series of testing, and the dosing of these subjects created. Field sobriety testing manuals nhtsa training manuals standardized field sobriety testing prosecutors and police officers love to play a game in court where the prosecutor objects to the defense attorney using the officers training materials to impeach the officer in the procedures the officer followed during a drunk driving investigation. National highway traffic safety administration nhtsa, contracted with the southern california research institute scri to determine whether systematic and standardized field sobriety testing procedures would yield identifiable clues to allow officers to accurately detect impairment at or above a 0. The standardized field sobriety testing sfst training prepares police officers and other qualified persons to administer and interpret the results of the sfst battery. Nmvccs analytical users manual crashstats nhtsa dot. The sordid history of the nhtsa standardized field sobriety tests. Understanding drug field sobriety evaluations legal guides.
Dwi detection and standardized field sobriety testing evaluate currently used physical coordination tests to determine their relationship to intoxication and driving impairment develop more sensitive tests that would provide more reliable evidence of impairment standardize the tests and observations original research objectives 85. Research national highway traffic safety administration nhtsa. Alcoholimpaireddriving1 fatalities are affected by several external factors, including geography, urbanization, road structure and conditions, and economic activity, as well as by a. Ultimate goal to increase deterrence of dwi violations, and thereby reduce the number of crashes, deaths and injuries caused by impaired drivers. The 3 tests that make up the sfst are the horizontal gaze nystagmus hgn, the walkandturn, and the oneleg stand tests. See also pb2009103452 unbound edition, ava21424bb00 and pb96780754. In 1977, the national highway traffic safety administration commissioned the southern california research institute to determine the best method for detecting drunk drivers through the use of field sobriety tests and that study revealed that the hgn test, when used with the walkandturn and oneleg stand tests, is the most accurate and. Accuracy of the nhtsas standardized field sobriety test. Test conducted on those over 65 and those overweight. Research national highway traffic safety administration. Standardized field sobriety test sfst resources nhtsa. Validation of the standardized field sobriety test battery at.
780 840 1308 486 675 171 1342 1181 675 809 88 413 1420 736 791 29 491 533 1204 721 1451 447 1115 107 486 44 1232 876 530 73 953 425 1048 486 873 553 1355 820 939 391 936 1017 574