Law Enforcement Caselaw and Statutes: Participant Manual SFST – Session 8 Concepts and Principles of the Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (SFST) Session 8 - Concepts and Principles of the Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (SFST) DWI Detection and Standardized Field Sobriety Testing Session 8 Concepts and Principles of the Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (SFST)

Participant Manual SFST – Session 8

Concepts and Principles of the Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (SFST)

Session 8 - Concepts and Principles of the Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (SFST)

DWI Detection and Standardized Field Sobriety Testing

Session 8

Concepts and Principles

of the Standardized

Field Sobriety Tests

(SFST)

3 Hours 20 Minutes

Session 8 - Concepts and Principles of the Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (SFST)

DWI Detection and Standardized Field Sobriety Testing

• Discuss the development and validity of

the research and the standardized

elements, clues and interpretation of the

three Standardized Field Sobriety Tests

• Discuss types of nystagmus and their

effects on the Horizontal Gaze

Nystagmus test

Learning Objectives

8-2

Upon successfully completing this session the participant will be able to:

• Discuss the development and validity of the research and the standardized elements,

clues and interpretation of the three Standardized Field Sobriety Tests.

• Discuss the different types of nystagmus and their effects on the Horizontal Gaze

Nystagmus test.

Notes:_______________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

Notes:_______________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

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Session 8 - Concepts and Principles of the Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (SFST)

DWI Detection and Standardized Field Sobriety Testing

• Proper administration of the three

Standardized Field Sobriety Tests

• Recognize clues of the three SFST Tests

• Describe and record results of the three

SFSTs on a standard note taking guide

• Discuss limiting factors of the three SFSTs

Learning Objectives (Cont.)

8-3

• Discuss and properly administer the three Standardized Field Sobriety Tests.

• Discuss and properly recognize the clues of the three Standardized Field Sobriety

Tests.

• Describe in a clear and convincing manner and properly record the results of the

three Standardized Field Sobriety Tests on a standard note taking guide.

• Discuss the limiting factors of the three Standardized Field Sobriety Tests.

CONTENT SEGMENTS LEARNING ACTIVITIES

A. Overview: Development and Validation Instructor Led Demonstration

B. SFST Field Validation Studies Participant Practice Session and

C. Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus Demonstration

D. Vertical Gaze Nystagmus

E. Walk and Turn

F. One Leg Stand

G. Taking Field Notes on the Standardized

Field Sobriety Tests

Notes:_______________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

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Session 8 - Concepts and Principles of the Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (SFST)

DWI Detection and Standardized Field Sobriety Testing

NHTSA research began in 1975 in California

with three final reports being published:

• California: 1977 (lab study only)

• California: 1981 (lab/field study)

• Maryland, Washington, DC, Virginia, North

Carolina: 1983 (field study only)

Overview:

Development and Validation

8-4

A. Overview: Development and Validation

For many years law enforcement officers have utilized field sobriety tests to determine a

driver’s impairment due to alcohol influence. The performance of the driver on those

field sobriety tests was used by the officer to develop probable cause for arrest and as

evidence in court. A wide variety of field sobriety tests existed and there was a need to

develop a battery of standardized valid tests.

Session 8 - Concepts and Principles of the Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (SFST)

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

8-5

The original research objectives were to:

• 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.

Beginning in late 1975, extensive scientific research studies were sponsored by NHTSA

through a contract with the Southern California Research Institute (SCRI) to determine

which roadside field sobriety tests were most accurate. SCRI published the following

three reports:

• California: 1977 (Lab)

• California: 1981 (Lab and Field)

• Maryland, District of Columbia, Virginia, North Carolina: 1983 (Field)

Notes:_______________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

Notes:_______________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

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Session 8 - Concepts and Principles of the Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (SFST)

DWI Detection and Standardized Field Sobriety Testing

• One Leg Stand

• Finger to Nose

• Finger Count

• Walk and Turn

• Tracing (a paper and pencil exercise)

• Nystagmus (called alcohol gaze

nystagmus in final report)

Volunteers Were Subjected

to Six Tests

8-6

SCRI traveled to law enforcement agencies throughout the United States to select the

most commonly used field sobriety tests. Six tests were used in the initial stages of this

study.

• One Leg Stand

• Finger to Nose

• Finger Count

• Walk and Turn

• Tracing (a paper and pencil exercise)

• Nystagmus (called alcohol gaze nystagmus in final report).

Notes:_______________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

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Session 8 - Concepts and Principles of the Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (SFST)

DWI Detection and Standardized Field Sobriety Testing

• One Leg Stand

• Finger to Nose

• Finger Count

• Walk and Turn

• Tracing (a paper and pencil exercise)

• Nystagmus (called alcohol gaze

nystagmus in final report)

Volunteers Were

Subjected to Six Tests (Cont.)

8-7

Laboratory research indicated that three of these tests, when administered in a

standardized manner, were a highly accurate and reliable battery of tests for

distinguishing BACs at or above 0.10; Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN), Walk and

Turn (WAT), and One Leg Stand (OLS).

The research showed that these three tests were the most accurate and the remaining

tests were merely reassessing the same skills.

While many field sobriety tests are valid tests, the Standardized Field Sobriety Tests

have been validated through numerous research studies.

Session 8 - Concepts and Principles of the Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (SFST)

DWI Detection and Standardized Field Sobriety Testing

• HGN by itself was 77% accurate

•Walk and Turn was 68% accurate

• One Leg Stand was 65% accurate

Laboratory Test

Data Results

8-8

NHTSA analyzed the laboratory test data and found:

• HGN, by itself, was 77% accurate

• WAT, by itself, was 68% accurate

• OLS, by itself, was 65% accurate

Notes:_______________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

Notes:_______________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

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Session 8 - Concepts and Principles of the Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (SFST)

DWI Detection and Standardized Field Sobriety Testing

• Develop standardized, practical and

effective procedures for police officers to

use in reaching arrest/no arrest decisions

• Test the feasibility of the procedures in

enforcement conditions

• Determine if tests discriminate in the field,

as well as in the laboratory

Third Phase: Field Validation and

Standardization Objectives

8-9

B. SFST Field Validation Studies

The final phase of this study was conducted as a field validation.

• Standardized, practical and effective procedures were developed

• Determine the feasibility of the procedures for these tests in actual enforcement

conditions

• The tests were determined to discriminate in the field, as well as in the laboratory.

Session 8 - Concepts and Principles of the Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (SFST)

DWI Detection and Standardized Field Sobriety Testing

• Standardized Administrative Procedures

• Standardized Clues

• Standardized Criteria

Standardized Elements

8-10

The three standardized tests were found to be highly reliable in identifying subjects

whose BACs were at or above 0.10. The results of the study unmistakably validated the

SFSTs.

The “Standardized” elements included:

• Standardized Administrative Procedures

• Standardized Clues

• Standardized Criteria

Notes:_______________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

Notes:_______________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

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Session 8 - Concepts and Principles of the Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (SFST)

DWI Detection and Standardized Field Sobriety Testing

• First significant assessment of the

workability of the standardized tests

under actual enforcement conditions

• First time completely objective clues and

scoring criteria had been defined for the

tests

• Results of the study validated the SFSTs

Importance of Large Scale

Field Validation Study

8-11

The large scale field validation study was the first significant assessment of the

workability of the standardized tests under actual enforcement conditions. It was also

the first time completely objective clues and scoring criteria had been defined for these

tests. The results of this study validated the SFSTs.

Session 8 - Concepts and Principles of the Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (SFST)

DWI Detection and Standardized Field Sobriety Testing

SFST

Field Validation Studies

Colorado

1995

Florida

1997

San Diego, California

1998

8-12

Three SFST validation studies were undertaken between 1995 and 1998:

• Colorado - 1995

• Florida - 1997

• San Diego – 1998

In order to understand the results of the research studies discussed in this course, it is

important to define what is meant by a correct arrest decision. A correct arrest decision

is made when an officer, after completing the third phase of the detection process,

decides to arrest a subject and that subject tested above the illegal per se limit for BAC

or the officer decides to release a subject who is below the illegal per se limit for BAC.

Notes:_______________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

Notes:_______________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

HS 178 R5/13 8 of 62Source: DWI Detection and

Standardized Field

Sobriety Testing

March 2013 Edition

Law Enforcement Caselaw and Statutes

October 29, 2015

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