Blood and Breath Tests in Youngstown

Police officers almost always request that you participate in at least one—and frequently more—OVI tests during a traffic stop. This is a normal part of their standard operating procedure. The outcomes of these assessments are the foundation for the vast majority of OVI charges. Ultimately, the primary purpose of these tests, and the very reason they were originally created, is to evaluate whether the use of drugs or alcohol has impaired a person’s capability to safely operate a motor vehicle.

Four Main Types of Sobriety Tests

There are four distinct categories of tests utilized by law enforcement to gauge your level of sobriety. They include the following:

• Field sobriety tests, which are typically performed directly at the side of the road
• Blood tests
• Urine tests
• Breath tests

All of these examination methods have the potential to falsely indicate that you are intoxicated when you are entirely sober, and conversely, they can show a sober result when you are not. If a test falsely determines you to be under the influence, you will still face an arrest. This is why a highly trained and experienced Youngstown OVI attorney will know exactly how to scrutinize the test results. They will carefully examine the individual who administered the assessment and the specific methods used during the administration of the tests to pinpoint any procedural errors that were made. Identifying these critical mistakes can be the key to getting your charges significantly lowered or completely dismissed.

Field Sobriety Tests Explained

These physical tests are administered right there at the side of the road. Their main objective is to demonstrate your capability to balance, evaluate your physical coordination, and measure your reaction times so the police can conclude if you are intoxicated. These evaluations have been formally standardized by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and are actively utilized in all fifty states across the country, including Ohio.

In the Walk and Turn Test, a driver is instructed to walk in a perfectly straight line, placing one foot heel-to-toe, all while counting their steps aloud. You are required to accomplish all of this without losing your balance or stumbling. The officer might conclude that you are intoxicated if you happen to lose count of your steps, fail to follow the provided directions perfectly, or use your arms to balance yourself.

During the One Leg Stand Test, a driver is directed to stand upright with their feet positioned closely together. The individual is then told to lift one leg off the ground and balance solely on the remaining leg. The person must also count out loud while holding their foot in the air. This test endures for exactly 30 seconds. The law enforcement officer can declare you impaired if you lose your count, start hopping, place your foot back down, or simply cannot maintain your physical equilibrium. A skilled Youngstown criminal lawyer understands how easily completely sober individuals can fail this specific test.

In the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN) Test, you are asked to visually track the police officer’s pen, flashlight, or finger using only your eyes, entirely without moving your head. The officer is specifically searching for any jerky, involuntary movements—particularly within the eyes—that can serve as an indication of drug and alcohol usage.

Common Problems with Field Sobriety Tests

There are numerous inherent issues with Field Sobriety Tests. For one thing, they are conducted on the side of the road, in whatever unpredictable weather happens to be present at the time, and very often in total darkness. The specific conditions of the road surface itself play a huge part in how well the physical tests are completed. The sides of Ohio’s roadways are frequently banked or sloped to allow rainwater to drain effectively off the street. They are also often pitted with hazardous potholes and can be quite narrow, as well.

Pre-existing medical conditions, your body weight, and your age are significant factors in the successful completion of these physical tests. Being overweight can physically prevent you from performing the Walk and Turn, or the One Leg Stand tests to the strict satisfaction of the arresting officer. Senior citizens frequently struggle with balance issues naturally. Legal prescription medications and certain health conditions can actively prevent you from performing the tests adequately, even when you are stone-cold sober. A dedicated Youngstown OVI attorney can highlight these medical discrepancies and environmental factors in a court of law.

Yet another major problem with FSTs is the training background of the specific officer administering the test. If he or she was not adequately or properly trained, their subjective conclusions regarding the results of the physical test could be entirely faulty. A knowledgeable Youngstown criminal lawyer, who has spent years defending clients facing OVI charges, knows exactly what critical questions to ask and what specific details to look for when reviewing the documented results of field sobriety tests.

Blood, Breath, and Urine Tests

Ohio is recognized as one of those states in which a person gives their implied consent to chemical OVI testing simply by signing their name on the dotted line to receive a valid driver’s license. When you are operating a motor vehicle and are pulled over by the police, you are legally required to submit to one or more of these chemical assessments if the officer explicitly asks you to. These examinations, especially the breath tests, can be performed at the local police station or the state trooper barracks, but they are also frequently conducted at medical hospitals. A qualified Youngstown criminal lawyer can challenge the calibration, maintenance, and administration of these testing machines.

You are legally allowed to refuse to submit to these chemical tests, but if you choose to do so, your driver’s license will be automatically suspended as an administrative penalty.

Contact Youngstown Criminal Law Group

If you have been asked to perform field sobriety or chemical testing to definitively determine if you were intoxicated while driving, you need to act quickly to protect your fundamental rights. Reach out to an experienced Youngstown OVI attorney for immediate and strategic assistance. Call Youngstown Criminal Law Group today at (330) 791-8104.