If you or someone you know has been arrested for suspected driving under the influence in Wisconsin, you will want to learn about the different elements of the arrest process and options for a defense. Prior to being arrested for drunk driving, a person is generally asked to perform certain actions at the location where an officer first stopped them. One of these tests is called the one-leg stand test.
As explained by FieldSobrietyTests.org, none of the tests used in this portion of a drunk driving arrest are completely accurate. In fact, the one-leg stand test has an accuracy rate of only 65 percent. Health conditions that may adversely affect a person’s balance as well as the shoes a person is wearing are just some of the factors that may lead to inaccurate results or even unfair testing.
In this test, an officer is required to first give verbal instructions with a visual demonstration of what the driver will be required to do. Only then should the driver be asked to lift one leg roughly six inches high and count until told to stop. It only takes the observation of two things for an officer to declare that a person has failed this test. These include touching a foot to the ground, swaying, hopping or movement of the arms that may be an effort to aid balance.
This information is not intended to provide legal advice but is instead meant to give residents in Wisconsin an overview of what the one-leg stand field sobriety test is and what types of things may interfere with the accuracy of its results.
