Blood and Breath Tests in Warren, Trumbull County, Ohio

Police officers often ask drivers to undergo one or more OVI tests as part of their standard operating procedure. The results of these tests are the main basis for many OVI charges, as they are designed to determine if drug or alcohol use has impaired your driving ability.

Types of Sobriety Tests

There are four main types of tests used to assess sobriety:

• Field Sobriety Tests performed at the roadside
• Blood Tests
• Urine Tests
• Breath Tests

All of these tests have the potential to incorrectly show that you are intoxicated when you are not, and vice versa. If a test falsely indicates that you are drunk, you can still be arrested. A highly trained and experienced Warren criminal lawyer can examine the test results, the examiner, and the administration of the tests to identify any errors that may have been made, which could lead to your charges being reduced or dismissed.

Field Sobriety Tests

Field sobriety tests are conducted at the side of the road to demonstrate your balance, coordination, and response times, helping police decide if you are intoxicated. These tests have been standardized by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and are used in all fifty states.

Walk and Turn Test

In this test, you are asked to walk in a straight line, heel-to-toe, while counting your steps. You must do this without losing your balance or stumbling. The officer may consider you intoxicated if you lose count, fail to follow instructions perfectly, or use your arms to balance.

One Leg Stand Test

For this test, you are told to stand with your feet together and lift one leg while balancing on the other. You also need to count out loud while holding your leg up for 30 seconds. The officer may declare you impaired if you lose count, hop, lower your foot, or cannot maintain your balance.

Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN) Test

In the HGN test, you are asked to follow the police officer’s pen, flashlight, or finger with only your eyes, without moving your head. The officer looks for jerky, involuntary eye movements, which can indicate drug or alcohol use.

Issues with Field Sobriety Tests

There are several problems with field sobriety tests:

• Environmental Factors: They are performed at the roadside, often in poor weather conditions and in the dark. Road surfaces can be uneven, banked, or pitted with holes.
• Physical Factors: Medical conditions, weight, and age can affect your ability to perform these tests. Being overweight or having balance issues can prevent you from performing the Walk and Turn or One Leg Stand tests to the officer’s satisfaction. Legal prescriptions and certain medical conditions can also affect your performance, even if you are sober.
• Officer Training: The accuracy of the test results depends on the officer’s training. If the officer was not adequately trained, their conclusions could be faulty.

A Warren criminal lawyer like Sean Logue, who has been defending clients facing OVI charges for a decade, knows what questions to ask and what to look for when reviewing the results of field sobriety tests.

Blood, Breath, and Urine Tests

Ohio operates under an implied consent law, as stated in the Ohio Revised Code, which means that by signing for a driver’s license, you give your implied consent to chemical OVI testing. If you are pulled over by police, you are required to submit to one or more of these tests upon request. These tests, especially breath tests, can be conducted at police stations, state trooper barracks, or hospitals.

You are allowed to refuse these tests, but refusal results in an automatic suspension of your driver’s license.

If you have been asked to perform field sobriety or chemical tests to determine if you were intoxicated while driving, contact Warren OVI lawyer immediately or call us at (330) 992-3036.