SFSTs - Standardized Field Sobriety Test Admissibility in Ohio courts

Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (SFSTs) are used by law enforcement officers as a tool to help them determine if a person is driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. In Ohio, the three standardized field sobriety tests that are most commonly used to determine alcohol impairment are the horizontal gaze nystagmus (HGN), walk and turn, and one leg stand. These tests were developed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to help law enforcement officers assess a person's intoxication level. The results of these tests can be admitted into evidence in court as proof of intoxication in some cases.

Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (SFSTs) are designed to evaluate an individual's physical and mental degree of impairment. The admissibility of these tests in Ohio's courts depends on whether they were administered according to NHTSA protocols and if there was substantial compliance with those protocols.