Tests Used At DUI Stops To Determine Sobriety

If you are pulled over on police suspicion of DUI, your decisions in the first few moments of that stop can make the difference between a positive outcome for you and a less optimal result. At my firm, the Law Office of Ronald F. Saupe, Esq., I evaluate how sobriety tests were administered to my clients and as their lawyer, I point out weaknesses in the state’s case against them.

Understanding DUI Tests And Their Consequences During Your Arrest

If the police suspect you have been drinking while operating a motor vehicle, they will ask you to perform several field sobriety tests in the field to verify their suspicions. You should always be polite and cooperative at a DUI stop. Do NOT argue with the officer who stops you.

As an attorney, I typically give this advice to clients about DUI tests administered in the field or during the arrest process:

  • Standard field tests — These tests were developed in the 1970s to provide a reliable way to assess intoxication in drivers. However, there is no penalty for refusing to take one of these tests; they are difficult to pass and in most cases will only serve to strengthen the case against you.
  • Chemical tests — If the police officer has strong grounds for believing you are intoxicated and arrests you for DUI, you will be asked to take a blood test. If this is your first offense, you should take the test, because Pennsylvania’s “implied consent” laws allow the state to impose additional penalties for refusing a test. You can also have your driver’s license suspended for up to a year if you refuse.

It is important to ask to speak to an attorney as soon as you can following the stop/arrest process.

Got Questions About DUI? Bring Them To Me.

Call 814-983-0017 or email me to set up a free consultation to assess your DUI situation. I offer reasonable fees to make it easy for us to work together. I work with Penn State students and other residents of State College, Pennsylvania, as well as greater Centre County.

AV | Preeminent | Ronald F. Saupe | 2013