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How Is Impairment Determined for Drugged Driving?

How Is Impairment Determined for Drugged Driving?

Answer

Officers may use the standard field sobriety battery along with additional tests, such as modified Romberg balance and lack of convergence. The video also discusses specialized drug recognition expert training, which supports a broader evaluation but is not routinely used in every investigation.

Officers investigating drug impairment often begin with the same three standardized tests used in alcohol cases: horizontal gaze nystagmus, walk and turn, and one-leg stand.

Additional tests may include modified Romberg balance, in which a person estimates when thirty seconds have passed with eyes closed, and lack of convergence, which examines whether the eyes follow an object inward together.

Drug recognition expert training includes further evaluation methods. The video explains that these methods require additional training beyond the basic academy curriculum and are less commonly seen in practice. Reviewing how tests were used is part of a DUI drugs defense.