o In
a limited field evaluation police officers filled out 3128 data
forms, each represented a driver stopped during a three month
period. Police officers, after training on the administration
and scoring procedures for the test battery, tended to increase
their arrest rates and appeared to be more effective in estimating
breath alcohol content of stopped drivers than they were before
training. Anonymous breath testing of released drivers who were
stopped indicated that many of the drinking drivers were never
given a sobriety test.
· Field
Evaluation of a Behavioral Test Battery for DWI - September 1983
Theodore E. Anderson, Robert M. Schweitz, and Monroe B. Snyder
o Abstract:
This paper presents initial findings from a recently conducted
field evaluation of a sobriety test battery. Police officers from
four jurisdictions were trained in the use of the sobriety test
battery. They then administered the battery to drivers stopped
for suspicion of Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) during the three
month test period. The results indicate that the test battery
can be easily administered in the field and is effective in determining
whether a driver's breath alcohol content is above or below .10%.
· An
Experimental Evaluation of a Field Sobriety Test Battery in the
Marine Environment- June 1990
E. Donald Sussman, Ann Needalman, and Peter H. Mengert
o Abstract:
This report describes an investigation of the accuracy of a FST
(Field Sobriety Test) battery used in the marine environment.
FSTs rely on the observation and measurement of the effect of
alcohol intoxication on coordination, visual tracking and balance.
The purpose of this study was to determine if there was any decrease
in the accuracy of the tests when used under recreational boating
conditions.
o The
overall correlation of the officers' FST based estimates with
breath alcohol content obtained using breath tests was approximately
.70. This level is consistent with similarly obtained correlations
from highway studies. It was concluded that the accuracy of FST
batteries are not degraded in the marine environment.
· Colorado
Validation Study of the SFST Battery - November 1995 Final Report
Dr. Marcelline Burns & Ellen Anderson
o Abstract:
This study was designed to (1) gather data to assign officers'
decisions to the four cells of the decision matrix and to (2)
examine the accuracy of the SFST battery when used in the widely
varying weather conditions of Colorado winter, spring, and summer
months.
· A
Florida Validation Study of the Standardized Field Sobriety Test
(SFST) Battery - 1997
Dr. Marcelline Burns & Teresa Dioquino
o Study
Hypothesis: DUI arrest decisions made by Florida law enforcement
officers
§ who
have been trained under NHTSA guidelines to administer, score,
and interpret the SFSTs
§ who
have developed experience and skill with the SFSTs
§ who
use only the 3-test battery to examine suspected DUI drivers,
and who do not have access to preliminary breath tester (PBT)
will be equal to or greater than 90% correct, as confirmed by
measured breath alcohol content [BAC].
· Validation
of the SFST Battery at BACs Below 0.10 Percent - August 1998
Dr. Jack Stuster and Dr. Marcelline Burns
o Abstract:
This study purported to evaluate the accuracy of the Standardized
Field Sobriety Testing (SFST) Battery to assist officers in making
arrest decisions for DWI at breath alcohol content below 0.10
percent. NHTSA's SFST battery was validated at 0.10 percent breath
alcohol content in 1981. The trend to reduce statutory DWI limits
to 0.08 percent breath alcohol content prompted this research
project.
o The
results of this study allegedly provide evidence of the validity
of the SFST battery to discriminate at 0.08 percent breath alcohol
content, using a slightly modified scoring procedure. However,
study results strongly suggest that the SFSTs also may reveal
symptoms at 0.04 breath alcohol content.