Field Sobriety Tests are one of the ways for police officers to determine whether or not a suspected individual was drunk driving. If you have already been arrested for DUI before, then you’ll be familiar with the steps of the DUI arrest. First of all, the police officer will observe your driving skills; if he thinks you are not driving properly or suspects drunk driving, then he or she will signal you to pull over which you should do appropriately and in the right place. Next, you must know, that the police officer is trained to listen carefully to your speech, smell your breath, observe the color of your skin and your appearance while he judges whether or not you need to be tested further for drunk driving. If he feels that there is some sort of abnormality in the above mentioned physical attributes, then he or she will ask you to step out of the car. In such a situation it is best to be polite, and not be rude but you should know that you can refuse these field sobriety tests although, doing so might be a further indication of abnormal behavior associated with drunk driving.

Field Sobriety Tests

These are not basically tests but a series of physical exercises meant to test the physical agility of the suspected individual. Some of the more common tests employed by the police officer include:

Nine Step walk and turn: This test will require you to walk heel to toe for nine steps, turn and then walk nine steps back in the same way. The officer will be looking for wobbling, balance control etc.

One leg stand: This test or exercise will require you to stand on one leg and count or recite the alphabet and is supposed to ascertain whether or not you can divide your attention between two tasks. The police officer will look for hopping, swaying and putting your foot down.

Finger to nose: This particular test or exercise will require the suspect to stand straight with their feet clasped together and eyes closed. The suspect is then required to bring their index finger close to their nose. Through this test the police officer will be looking for swaying, body tremors, muscle tension or any such movement that may indicate drunkenness.

The Rhomberg Balance Test: The suspect is required to stand to attention for this test or exercise and close their eyes with their head tilted backward. The test requires you to count to 30 seconds because in case of alcohol, your counting speed will be slow and it will be fast in case of stimulants.

The police officer may also employ certain other field sobriety tests all of which will check for your ability to divide your attention among different tasks as one is normally required to do so during driving a motor vehicle. Remember, there are many people who are innocent and sober but because of many reasons cannot perform these field sobriety tests and are often arrested and charged with DUI. So the best thing for you should be to refrain from performing these Field Sobriety Tests and politely refusing. Do not, in any case be rude to the police officer because this can make things harder for you if you are arrested for DUI and have to face a trial. But still our advice to you about Field Sobriety Tests will remain the same and any experienced and knowledgeable DUI/DWI lawyer will also tell you the same thing. The breath test on the other hand, will be necessary for you and refusing to take the breath test can result in an automatic DUI arrest, as well as driver’s license suspension.

You should also know that although Field Sobriety Tests are not a must but are voluntary, in some States, you can still be required to take them and refusal to do so can result in license revocation. Therefore, drunk driving is a serious crime in all the States of the country and moreover, the DUI arrest can be pretty hard and therefore, you need to know how best to handle the situation with a police officer, before you actually get to face it. Don’t take DUI charges or a DUI arrest lightly because depending upon the facts of your case, you can be penalized severely and that can injure your career and your personal freedom. For more information regarding Field Sobriety Tests or Drunk Driving, visit www.MyDUIAttorney.org or call at 800-DUI-Help.

DUI and Field Sobriety Tests is a post from: BestAttorney.com - BISNAR | CHASE California Personal Injury Lawyers

A woman was critically injured in a Glendale car-bicycle accident the afternoon of May 2, 2009 after she was hit by a driver suspected to have been driving under the influence of a controlled substance, the Glendale News Press reports. The bicycle accident occurred when Herbert Davis, who was driving his sport utility vehicle westbound on West Los Feliz Road veered off, jumped a curb and struck the bicyclist. The woman suffered broken bones and serious personal injuries, but is expected to survive, Glendale police officials say. Davis apparently struck a telephone pole, sideswiped another vehicle and barreled through five newspaper stands before coming to a stop.

Investigators are still trying to figure out when and where Davis struck the cyclist and also whether she was riding the bike, walking or standing next to it at the time of the car collision. Police have arrested Davis on suspicion of driving under the influence of a controlled substance and took him to the hospital for evaluation.

My heart goes out to the woman who was injured in this horrific DUI car accident. At this point it seems as if this could have been a bicycle accident or a pedestrian accident depending on the victim's actions at the time. I trust that the driver, Davis, who officials say was under the influence of a controlled substance, will be held civilly and criminally responsible for causing this bike-car accident and resulting personal injuries.

According to California Highway Patrol's 2007 traffic accident statistics, there were two alcohol-involved fatal car accidents and 60 car accidents involving alcohol or drugs in Glendale.

California law prohibits drivers from operating under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs. California Vehicle Code Section 23152 (a): "It is unlawful for any person who is under the influence of any alcoholic beverage or drug, or under the combined influence of any alcoholic beverage and drug, to drive a vehicle."

The family of this injured bicyclist would be well-advised to consult with a California personal injury lawyer who will pursue the negligent party here and obtain fair compensation for her injuries and loss. Reputed California car accident lawyers who have experience pursuing DUI cases will be able to help this bicycle collision victim. The best California personal injury lawyers will offer a free and comprehensive initial consultation.

Glendale DUI Car Versus Bicycle Accident Injures Woman is a post from: BestAttorney.com - BISNAR | CHASE California Personal Injury Lawyers

A 56-year-old Auburn woman was killed in a King County car accident May 3, 2009 on the Benson Highway after her car was struck head-on by a driver who officials say was speeding and driving under the influence of alcohol. According to this news report in the Renton Reporter, the pickup driver, a 21-year-old man, crossed over from the northbound lanes on 108th Avenue Southeast at Southeast 190th Street and into the southbound lane striking first a car in which the Auburn woman was a passenger. He also struck a second car before coming to a stop, Renton Police Department officials said.

The Auburn woman, whose name has not been released, was pronounced dead on the scene. Two other car crash victims were taken to the hospital, but their personal injuries were not life-threatening. The 21-year-old driver was arrested on suspicion of vehicular homicide and vehicular assault.

My heart goes out to the family of this DUI car accident victim, who was tragically killed because of a young man's negligence and callous disregard for public safety. I offer my deepest sympathies to everyone who knew and loved this woman. Please keep them in your prayers.

I sincerely hope and pray that the driver involved in this car accident is thoroughly investigated and brought to justice. Driving under the influence is not only irresponsible and unethical, it is also against Washington State Law. RCW 46.61.502 states: "A person is guilty of driving while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or any drug if the person drives a vehicle within this state: (a) And the person has within two hours after driving an alcohol concentration of 0.08 or higher… (b) While the person is under the influence of or affected by intoxicating liquor or any drug; or (c) While the person is under the influence of or affected by intoxicating liquor and any drug."

There is no question that this pickup driver must be held criminally and civilly responsible for his actions. The victim's family and the other personally injured victims would be well advised to retain the services of a reputed Seattle car accident attorney who has successfully handled drunk driving cases. A skilled Seattle personal injury attorney will also look into other factors such as whether the drunk driver was on the job or running an errand for someone at the time of the car collision. If that's the case, the employer could also be held liable for the car accident.

King County DUI Car Accident Kills One is a post from: BestAttorney.com - BISNAR | CHASE California Personal Injury Lawyers

A drunk driving suspect injured two women April 26, 2009 while committing several San Diego DUI car accidents on surface streets. The man finally collided head-on into a vehicle with the two women, in the Jamacha area, 10news reports. The car accident injured the drunk driver as well as the women, San Diego police officials said. The 38-year-old suspect and the two women--ages 41 and 58--were all hospitalized with personal injuries following the car collision in the 8600 block of San Vicente Street.

The man was driving east on San Vicente when he failed to negotiate a curve and crossed into the path of the women's westbound vehicle. The man suffered internal injuries. The 58-year-old woman was hospitalized with a broken foot while the 41-year-old female passenger suffered neck injuries.

I hope the two women who were injured in this DUI car accident are recovering from their personal injuries. I wish them both the very best for a speedy and complete recovery.

According to California Highway Patrol's 2007 traffic statistics, there were 41 fatal traffic accidents and 894 personal injury traffic accidents that were alcohol-related in the city of San Diego. In San Diego County as a whole, there were 116 deaths and 2,068 injuries as a result of alcohol-related traffic accidents in 2007.

It is not only irresponsible and unethical to drive drunk on California streets, it is also against the law. California Vehicle Code Section 23152 (a) states: "It is unlawful for any person who is under the influence of any alcoholic beverage or drug, or under the combined influence of any alcoholic beverage and drug, to drive a vehicle." The same code section also states that it is illegal for any person with a blood alcohol content of 0.08 percent or more to drive a vehicle.

The injured victims would be well advised to consult with reputed California car accident lawyers, who are particularly experienced in handling drunk driving cases. If it turns out that this driver did not have auto insurance or sufficient insurance, then the injured victims may be able to recover compensation under the uninsured/underinsured motorist clause in their own motor vehicle insurance policy. A skilled California personal injury lawyer will also look into whether the San Diego Police Department followed proper procedure during their pursuit of this suspected drunk driver--a pursuit that apparently ended in this injury accident.

San Diego DUI Hit-and-Run Car Accident Causes Injuries is a post from: BestAttorney.com - BISNAR | CHASE California Personal Injury Lawyers

Mario R. Santizo, 58, was killed April 24, 2009 in a Los Angeles County car and motorcycle accident as he was riding his motorbike on the 210 Freeway. Five others were injured in the Los Angeles car accident, the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin reports. The injured victims were identified as Timothy G. Lee, 38; Samuel C. Urias, 56; Steve Falcon, 40, and his wife Rafalea Falcon, 39; and Tonisha Muhammad, 30. The multiple car accident began when a Lexus traveling at a high rate of speed, driven by Muhammad rear-ended a Toyota 4Runner driven by Alejandro Velasquez. Minutes later, Lee, the driver of a Toyota Camry, crashed into the disabled Lexus. As a result of the second car collision, the Lexus struck three passing motorcycles, according to California Highway Patrol officials.

Santizo, who was riding a 2004 Harley-Davidson, died from his personal injuries. Urias, who was riding a 2006 Yamaha suffered major motorcycle accident injuries. The Falcons also suffered major injuries. Velasquez was uninjured while Lee and Muhammad suffered minor to moderate injuries.

My heart goes out to the family and friends of Mario Santizo, who was killed in this horrific chain reaction car crash. I also hope and pray that the injured victims will get through this tough time and make a quick and complete recovery. I offer my deepest sympathies to Santizo's family and friends. Please keep Santizo's family and all these injured victims in your prayers.

Based on this newspaper report, it seems to me that the driver of the Lexus -- Tonisha Muhammad -- caused the initial car collision, which had a chain effect resulting in the other car collisions. If the initial report is accurate, Muhammad was speeding and had trouble controlling the Lexus. I trust officials are looking into whether she was driving recklessly or driving under the influence of alcohol.

The family of Mario R. Santizo and the other injured victims would be well-advised to contact experienced California car accident attorneys who can help determine who was negligent and who was at fault for this multiple car accident. The best California personal injury attorneys will not charge any fees for a comprehensive initial consultation.

Los Angeles Car Accident Kills One, Injures Five is a post from: BestAttorney.com - BISNAR | CHASE California Personal Injury Lawyers