If Maryland police pull you over because they suspect you of driving under the influence of alcohol or some other substance, the officer may ask you to participate in a few tests to check for impairment. Field sobriety tests check for physical ability and mental...
Field Sobriety Tests
Conditions during field sobriety tests could affect your case
Seeing flashing blue lights in your rear view mirror may have you immediately feeling anxious. If the stop comes after you had a few drinks with your friends, you may have even more reason to feel as if the situation will not turn out in your best interests....
Don’t expect to pass a Breathalyzer test if you’ve vaped alcohol
If you're the parent of a teen, you no doubt are familiar with the popular practice of vaping. Any number of substances, both legal and illegal, can be vaped -- including alcohol.When alcohol is ingested through a vape device, it takes a different route through the...
Should you do your own field sobriety tests before driving?
You've been at a holiday party or perhaps at a friend's house for an afternoon of watching football. When it comes time to leave, you can't recall how much you've had to drink and have no idea if you're over the legal limit for driving. Can you try to recreate the...
What factors can impact your blood alcohol content (BAC)?
We've all seen the charts that show how many drinks a person of a specific gender and weight needs to consume to reach various blood alcohol content (BAC) levels. Those charts are approximations at best. However, too many people use them to determine when they've had...
How do disabilities factor in to field sobriety tests?
Many of the standard field sobriety tests that police officers administer when they pull someone over for suspected drunk driving require some level of balance, coordination and physical agility. They involve activities including standing on one leg, and walking and...
What is the horizontal gaze nystagmus test?
If you were pulled over for suspected drunk driving and officers administered the standard roadside field sobriety tests, one of them was the horizontal gaze nystagmus (HGN) test. This may have just seemed like an officer was shining a light in your eyes and asking...
How to successfully make it through a Labor Day DUI checkpoint
This Labor Day weekend, Maryland drivers shouldn't be surprised if they encounter a DUI checkpoint. These police encounters can make anyone nervous, even if they haven't had anything to drink. Unfortunately, too many people do foolish things in and near these...
Failing a Breathalyzer test may not lead to a DUI conviction
Whenever Maryland law enforcement officers stop someone for suspected drunk driving, one of the most commonly-administered roadside field sobriety tests is a Breathalyzer. This device measures the amount of alcohol on a person's breath, which correlates to the amount...
Maryland man faces fourth set of drunk driving charges since 2007
A Maryland man arrested for driving under the influence (DUI) last month has a record of drunk driving arrests and convictions going back more than a decade.For his first DWI conviction in 2007, he received a 90-day jail sentence. His second arrest came in 2015 after...