In Bucks County, PA, field sobriety tests are usually administered by local Bucks County police officers or the PA State Police on the side of the road. A police officer will utilize field sobriety tests to determine whether a Bucks County driver has been affected by his or her alcohol intake.
Field sobriety tests are unscientific and unreliable psychological tests based on 1950-1960’s psychological theory. Field sobriety tests were originally formatted to determine if a driver’s blood alcohol content was above .10%. Now Bucks County police and Bucks County courts use field sobriety tests for the new .08% B.A.C. level.
Common field sobriety tests in Bucks County include:
1. Portable breath tests (PBTs).
2. One-leg stand.
3. Walk & turn test.
Under current PA DUI law, including Bucks County DUI law, you are not required to perform any field sobriety tests requested by a police officer. Conversely, you are required by PA DUI law to take the blood alcohol test.
If you have any health problems that would affect the results of field sobriety tests, you should politely tell the police officer about your health problem and decline to take the field sobriety tests.
