According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, field sobriety tests are not as accurate as law enforcement officers would like us to believe. Failing a field sobriety test, even failing all three, does not lead to an automatic DUI conviction. In fact, all three tests combined have only a 91% accuracy.

The Walk and Turn test is the least accurate of the primary field sobriety tests. It is accurate in only 79% of cases. The Walk and Turn test is relatively self-explanatory. When you are pulled over and the officer asks you to perform this test, you will be directed to a hard, dry, and flat surface on which to perform the test. The officer will tell you to take nine steps, heel to toe, in a straight line, and then to turn around and repeat the action. He or she will be watching for signs of instability or poor coordination, such as taking a wrong number of steps, wobbling, swaying, holding out your arms for balance, and turning improperly.

Those who are most likely to fail a Walk and Turn test despite being sober are often those who are fatigued, are elderly, who are more than 50 pounds overweight, and who suffer from some type of injury or disability.

Contact a Chicago DUI Lawyer if you have been charged with driving drunk because of a failed field sobriety test.