NCJ Number
158435
Date Published
1988
Length
0 pages
Annotation
Intended to assist police in detecting and recognizing the physical and behavioral indicators that a driver is intoxicated or impaired, these training videotapes present step-by-step instructions for recognizing driving patterns indicating a drunk driver and administering a variety of field tests.
Abstract
The instructor, a police officer who has made more than 1,000 drunk-driving arrests, notes that 23,000 deaths and far larger numbers of injuries occur each year as a result of alcohol-related traffic crashes. He also notes that obvious signs of intoxication are usually not apparent until the blood alcohol content is well above the legal limit. The guidelines are intended to assist police officers in detection of low-level impairment, in individuals with few or no outward signs of intoxication. Police officers are advised to note and record symptoms such as odor, watery or bloodshot eyes, unkempt appearance, white tongue coating, flushed face, and sleepiness. Numerous field tests are demonstrated, including reciting the alphabet, counting backwards, balancing on one leg, walking and running, and the horizontal gaze. For each test, the signs of impairment are listed. The videotapes also cover arrest procedures, report writing, and other aspects of handling drunk driving cases.