One Leg Stand Test

The one leg stand test is also designed to test the suspect’s cognitive and physical abilities. The officer will tell the suspect to stand feet together, perfectly still with his hands down at his side. He is told not to start the test until he is told.

According to NHSTA standards, the suspect will stand with one foot, 6 inches off the ground, counting out loud until told to stop. The suspect is told to keep his arms down and not raise them for balance. The officer is trained to look for the following cues:

• Swaying while balancing
• Using arms for balance
• Hopping to maintain balance
• Putting foot down before completion of test

If an officer observes two or more of the above cues, there is a 65% probability that the suspect has a blood alcohol content of .10.