What is the primary purpose of a Field Sobriety Test?

The primary purpose of a Field Sobriety Test is to determine a person's level of intoxication. These tests are specifically designed to assess an individual's physical and cognitive abilities, which can be impaired by alcohol or drugs. Law enforcement officers use a range of tasks in these tests, such as balancing, walking in a straight line, and following a moving object with one's eyes.

These tasks evaluate coordination, balance, and cognitive processing, all of which are affected by intoxication. The results help officers establish probable cause for further actions, such as an arrest for driving under the influence. While evaluating driving skills or response time might be tangentially related to how intoxication affects an individual, the key outcome that determines the need for further legal action is the assessment of impairment due to substances. Vehicle inspections, on the other hand, are unrelated to assessing a driver's condition but rather focus on the mechanical aspects of a vehicle's safety and compliance.