STANDARDIZED FIELD SOBRIETY TESTS (SFSTs) PROCEDURAL VERBIAGE - Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus - Walk and Turn - One-Leg-Stand - Modified Romberg Balance - Finger-to-Nose

Sep 25, 2026

Uploaded by Sarah

Provides procedural verbiage and scoring cues for administering standardized field sobriety tests (SFSTs), including Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus, Walk and Turn, One-Leg-Stand, Modified Romberg Balance, and Finger-to-Nose. Defines step-by-step instructions to officers for positioning, stimulus presentation, timing, and subject prompts, plus observable clues used to validate performance. Includes accuracy benchmarks tied to validated clue counts at a .08% BAC and important points addressing limitations from age, weight, footwear, and test termination documentation.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages5

Reading Time13 min

AccessFree to download

STANDARDIZED FIELD SOBRIETY TESTS (SFSTs) PROCEDURAL VERBIAGE

“HORIZONTAL GAZE NYSTAGMUS” - A. Instructions - B. Clues

“WALK AND TURN” - A. Instructions - B. Clues

“ONE-LEG-STAND” - A. Instructions - B. Clues

“NON-VALIDATED” FST’s - PROCEDURAL VERBIAGE

“MODIFIED ROMBERG BALANCE” - A. Instructions - B. Indicators - C. Important points

“FINGER-TO-NOSE” - A. Instructions

STANDARDIZED FIELD SOBRIETY TESTS (SFSTs) PROCEDURAL VERBIAGE “HORIZONTAL GAZE NYSTAGMUS” A. Instructions (1) Instruct the subject to stand with their feet together and arms to side. (2) Have subject remove eyeglasses and ask about contact lenses. (3) Position stimulus 12 to 15 inches in front of nose and slightly elevated. (4) Instruct subject to follow tip of stimulus with their eyes only. Keep head still. (5) Check for Equal Pupil Size and resting Nystagmus. (6) Check eyes for equal tracking (4 second pass from extreme sides) * (7) Check for Lack of Smooth Pursuit (2 seconds from forward gaze to side)(Repeat) * (8) Check for Distinct and Sustained Nystagmus at Maximum Deviation (hold for minimum of 4 sec.) (Repeat) * (9) Check for Nystagmus prior to a 45 degree angle (Hold for minimum of 4 sec.) (Repeat) (10) Check for Vertical Gaze Nystagmus. (Repeat) B. Clues (1) Lack of Smooth Pursuit. (x2) (2) Distinct and Sustained Nystagmus at Maximum Deviation. (x2) (3) Nystagmus prior to 45 degrees. (x2) Accuracy: 4 or more of the 6 validated clues indicate 88% accuracy at a .08% BAC. “WALK AND TURN” A. Instructions (1) Put your left foot on the line. (Demonstrate placement of left foot) (2) Put your right foot on the line, in front of your left foot with the heel of the right against the toe of the left foot. (Demonstrate placement of both feet) (3) Place your arms down at your sides. (Demonstrate placement of arms down at your sides) Maintain this position until I have completed the instructions. Do not start to walk until told to do so. Do you understand the instructions? (4) When I tell you to start, take nine heel-to-toe steps on the line, turn, and take nine heel-to-toe steps down the line. (Demonstrate a minimum of 3 heel-to-toe steps) (5) When you turn, leave your front foot on the line and turn by taking a series of small steps with your other foot, like this. Then return by taking nine heel-to-toe steps.(Demonstrate a minimum of 3 heel-to-toe return steps) (6) While you are walking, keep your arms at your sides, watch your feet at all times, and count your steps out loud. Once you start walking, don’t stop until you have completed the test. Do you understand the instructions? B. Clues – BS-SOWHAT (1) Can’t Balance during instructions (INSTRUCTION STAGE) (2) Starts too soon (INSTRUCTION STAGE) (3) Stops while walking (WALKING STAGE) (4) Steps Off the line (WALKING STAGE) (5) Wrong number of steps (WALKING STAGE) (6) Misses Heel to toe (WALKING STAGE) (7) Uses Arms to balance (WALKING STAGE) (8) Loses balance while turning or makes an improper Turn (WALKING STAGE) *** If subject cannot do test, score clues seen to termination and describe in report *** Accuracy: 2 or more of the 8 validated clues indicate 79% accuracy at a .08% BAC. Important Points The original SCRI research indicated that individuals over 65 years of age or 50 pounds or more overweight may have difficulty performing this test. Suggest subject remove undesired shoes. 8/19/14 (Reviewed by IACP) “ONE-LEG-STAND” A. Instructions (1) Stand with your feet together and arms at your sides like this. Do not start the test until told to do so. Do you understand the instructions? (2) When I tell you to start, raise one leg, either leg, with your foot approximately six inches off the ground, keeping the raised foot parallel to the ground. (Demonstrate) . (3) Keep both legs straight with your arms at your sides. (4) Holding that position, count out loud in the following manner, 1001, 1002, 1003 and so on, until told to stop. Do you understand the instructions? (Officer, demonstrates but do not look at your foot. ) (5) Keep your arms at your side at all times and keep watching your raised foot. Do you understand? (Officer times subject and discontinues test after 30 seconds) B. Clues-PUSH (1) Putting the foot down (2) Uses arms to balance (3) Swaying (4) Hopping Ac

FAQs

What is the purpose of the SFST procedural verbiage in this document?

It provides standardized instructions officers can read to subjects, along with observable clues used to evaluate test performance for multiple SFSTs.

How are clues used to determine validation accuracy for Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus and Walk and Turn?

Each test lists specific validated clues and gives accuracy thresholds based on meeting a minimum number of those clues at a .08% BAC.

What should an officer do if a subject cannot complete a test?

Score the clues seen to termination and describe the situation in the report, as stated for the Walk and Turn and One-Leg-Stand sections.

Sep 25, 2026

Uploaded by Sarah