New York DWI Walk-and-Turn Test

Have you recently been arrested for driving while intoxicated (DWI) in New York? If so, you more than likely were asked to perform a series of field sobriety tests, including the walk-and-turn. These tests are used by law enforcement agents to establish probable cause for a drunk-driving arrest. You should contact an experienced defense attorney if you were arrested after failing the New York DWI walk-and-turn test.

In order to perform the walk-and-turn test, you will be instructed to walk nine heel-to-toe steps, pivot, and then walk back the same way while looking down at the ground and counting your steps. You may be asked to walk on an imaginary line or a white line on the side of the roadway. The officer will demonstrate the test in the instruction phase.

During the test, the officer will look for six clues: stopping, failing to walk heel to toe, using your arms for balance, losing balance while turning, taking the incorrect number of steps, and not adhering to the test instructions.

The walk-and-turn test should be administered on a hard, level, non-slippery surface. In order to correctly administer the test, the officer must give clear instructions, and you must state that you understand them. If you feel that the test was not administered properly, you should let your DWI attorney know this.

Several factors, other than intoxication, can lead to failing the New York DWI walk-and-turn test such as being more than 50 pounds overweight, being over 65 years old, wearing high heels, having a physical condition that affects your balance, or possessing limited vision in one or both eyes.

Field sobriety tests are subjective, and the officer scoring your test may already believe that you are under the influence of alcohol. Field sobriety tests are not viewed by the scientific community as an accurate way to determine blood alcohol or to prove intoxication.

If you failed the New York DWU walk-and-turn test, there is still hope. An experienced DWI attorney can aggressively fight your charges in order to secure the best possible outcome for your case. To get started, simply enter your information into our convenient online form, and an attorney will be in contact with your shortly.