In our many years building defenses for drivers charged with DUI in and around Orlando, the lawyers at Finebloom and Haenel have taken the experience gained from each case in an effort to educate the drivers in Orlando and throughout the state of Florida. As DUI Defense attorneys, we feel that drivers in Orlando should understand the law and know as much about their rights as possible.
Our DUI lawyers and legal professionals get asked 1 popular question time and time again, “Should I submit to the field sobriety test?”
Know the Difference Between the Field Sobriety Test and the Chemical Test!
In Orlando, the field sobriety test occurs when an officer pulls someone over and perceives signs of impairment (DUI). The officer is likely to ask the driver to perform a field sobriety test. This is the physical coordination test that can include:
- Touching your finger to your nose
- Balancing on 1 foot
- Walking a straight line
- Saying the alphabet backwards
All drivers have the right to refuse the field sobriety test. This test is used by officers to build evidence against you in order to prove that you were guilty of DUI. If you refuse the test, the officer cannot claim that you failed it. However, the officer is likely to arrest you and administer a chemical test at the police station.
The field sobriety test and chemical test are two separate tests! Refusing the chemical test carries automatic, stiff consequences!
Under Florida’s implied consent laws, any licensed driver automatically consents to a chemical (breath or blood) test when he or she elects to operate a motor vehicle. Refusal of the chemical test results in automatic penalties; an automatic 1-year license suspension and hefty fines. You may have refused the field sobriety test, but think twice about refusing the chemical test.
If you’ve been drinking and this is your first time being pulled over and facing a possible DUI, the odds are that the consequences of failing the chemical test are much less severe than those associated with a chemical test refusal.
Orlando’s DUI Defense Lawyers
If you or someone you know has been arrested for DUI, call the defense lawyers at Finebloom and Haenel today. Whether you’ve refused the field sobriety test or failed it, we can help. Whatever your results were on the subsequent chemical test…we can help! The DUI Defense lawyers at Finebloom and Haenel have helped those charged with DUI in and around Orlando to build solid case defenses. We know DUI law and we’re here to help you! Speak to an Orlando DUI Lawyer Today!
