Standardized Field Sobriety Test: False Positive Test Rate among Sober Subjects

Authors

Keith Yoshizuka, Touro University CaliforniaFollow
Paul J. Perry, Touro University CaliforniaFollow
Greta Upton
Ingrid C. Lopes, Touro University CaliforniaFollow
Eric Ip, Touro University CaliforniaFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2014

Abstract

The Standardized Field Sobriety Test (SFST) is a series of exercises that a law enforcement officer gives to a driver suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol. The original research that demonstrated a high correlation between failure of the SFST and a high blood alcohol concentration did not utilize a standard control group to validate that the failure of the SFST was not a characteristic of the population at large. This study examined a series of drug naive subjects to determine the rate of failure of the SFST to accurately distinguish a suspect with high blood alcohol content from the general public. Of the 185 subjects tested, 26% of the drug naïve subjects failed the SFST.

Recommended Citation

Yoshizuka, K., Perry, P. J., Upton, G., & Ip, E. J. (2014). Standardized field sobriety test: False positive test rate among sober subjects. Journal of Forensic Toxicology and Pharmacology, 3(2), [Article 120].

Publisher's Statement

Originally published in Journal of Forensic Toxicology & Pharmacology, 3(2), [Article 120]. The original material can be found here.