Which test is used at a traffic stop to determine whether a driver is intoxicated based on coordination and performance?

Which test is used at a traffic stop to determine whether a driver is intoxicated based on coordination and performance?

• A. Breathalyzer
• B. Field Sobriety Test
• C. Alcohol screening
• D. DWI Test

Answer: (B)

Field Sobriety Tests assess impairment by evaluating a driver's balance, coordination, and ability to follow instructions on the spot. These tests are designed to reflect how intoxication can affect real driving tasks, so officers observe performance tasks that reveal cues of impairment. Common components include activities that challenge balance and motor control, such as walking a straight line and maintaining balance on one leg, sometimes supplemented by eye movement checks. The idea is to see whether coordination and attention are sufficiently affected to justify further testing or an arrest. A breathalyzer, by contrast, measures alcohol content in the breath to estimate blood alcohol concentration. It provides chemical evidence rather than directly testing how well someone can coordinate or perform tasks. The other terms aren’t standard labels for the on-the-spot coordination-based assessment used at a stop.

Field Sobriety Tests assess impairment by evaluating a driver's balance, coordination, and ability to follow instructions on the spot. These tests are designed to reflect how intoxication can affect real driving tasks, so officers observe performance tasks that reveal cues of impairment. Common components include activities that challenge balance and motor control, such as walking a straight line and maintaining balance on one leg, sometimes supplemented by eye movement checks. The idea is to see whether coordination and attention are sufficiently affected to justify further testing or an arrest.

A breathalyzer, by contrast, measures alcohol content in the breath to estimate blood alcohol concentration. It provides chemical evidence rather than directly testing how well someone can coordinate or perform tasks. The other terms aren’t standard labels for the on-the-spot coordination-based assessment used at a stop.