Kansas City Field Sobriety Tests

DUI / DWI defense in Kansas and Missouri

Were you charged with drunk driving after a field sobriety test? Did you fail the Horizontal Gaze? The Walk and Turn? The One Leg Stand? City cops, sheriff's deputies, and state troopers arrest drivers based on these alcohol screening tests everyday. These tests are frequently inaccurate. At the Burmaster Law Firm, our lawyer, Paul Burmaster, persistently challenges these tests in court.

Our Overland Park law office concentrates on drunk driving defense. We assist people from all walks of life in DUI / DWI matters throughout the Kansas City metro area. Mr. Burmaster has represented doctors, lawyers, police officers, and federal agents, and he would be happy to help you. To learn more about your rights and your legal options after taking a field sobriety test, contact our Kansas City drunk driving defense attorney, Paul Burmaster.

Field Sobriety Tests

Field sobriety tests give officers immediate information regarding a person's ability to safely drive a car. These tests can be used to show that a person is incapable of driving safely. They also give the officer probable cause to arrest the driver, so that a breath test or blood test can be done.

Three field sobriety tests are approved by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). These tests are the ones most commonly used by law enforcement officers. They are supported by some scientific data, but they are far from accurate.

• Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN)
  This is an eye test and is extremely unreliable. This test is given using a pen or some other stimulus. You will be asked to follow it with your eyes. Again, this test is highly unreliable and is not even admissible in Kansas.
• Walk and Turn (WAT)
  This test is considered 68% accurate. In other words, it is 32% inaccurate. You will be asked to walk a line with your arms at your sides. You will be critically graded on a number of factors. Two mistakes is a failure. In our experience, most people fail this test even under ideal circumstances.
• One Leg Stand (OLS)
  This is a balancing test. It is considered 65% accurate. In other words, it is 35% inaccurate. You will be asked to stand on one leg with your arms at your sides. You will be critically graded, and in our experience, most people fail this test.

If you were charged with DUI / DWI after a field sobriety test, you may be able to successfully challenge the charge. Contact a DUI attorney  who has fought these cases in court. Arrange a free initial consultation and learn more about Kansas City field sobriety tests.