If you are pulled over and detained on suspicion of DUI, the police officer may well ask you to perform a field sobriety test.  Field sobriety tests are physical tests designed to assess your ability to drive safely.  In theory, it is supposed to be able to accurately determine the likelihood of a driver being under the influence of alcohol or other substances.  The idea behind field sobriety tests is to measure how well a person performs with divided attention.  Since driving requires multitasking, an individual who is under the influence of alcohol or drugs usually will not be able to perform tasks which require divided attention. While there are several types of field sobriety tests, three are recognized as standard: the walk and turn, the one leg stand, and the horizontal gaze nystagmus.

Field sobriety tests, unlike the breath and blood tests, are not covered under implied consent laws. You have the right to refuse to take field sobriety tests when pulled under suspicion of DUI, with no impact to your driving record or other consequence to you.  The police officer pulling you over might not mention the fact that these tests are optional (and often, they don't), leaving you uninformed of your rights.  A skilled Santa Clara DUI lawyer will scrutinize every detail of your case to make certain that you were thoroughly informed of your rights with regards to this.  In addition, an experienced Santa Clara DUI lawyer will also closely examine the conditions under which you were tested, including the location, the instructions given, and any other key evidence that might be helpful to your case.  If you have been arrested for DUI in Santa Clara, it is important to hire a good Santa Clara DUI attorney.  You need to have the best representation possible, particularly if field sobriety tests were performed.