Blood and Breath Tests in New Castle

When a police officer pulls you over, they almost always ask you to take at least one—or maybe several—OVI tests. This is just part of their routine. Most OVI charges are based on the results of these tests. The main goal of these assessments is to figure out if alcohol or drugs have messed with your ability to drive safely.

There are four main ways they check your sobriety:

• Field sobriety tests done on the roadside
• Blood tests
• Urine tests
• Breath tests

The problem is, these tests aren’t perfect. They can say you’re intoxicated when you’re actually sober, or the other way around. But if a test says you’re drunk—even if you’re not—you’re still going to get arrested. That’s where a skilled New Castle DUI lawyer comes in. An experienced attorney knows exactly how to look at the results, who gave the test, and how it was done to spot any mistakes. Finding these errors could be the key to getting your charges dropped or reduced.

Field Sobriety Tests

These are the tests officers make you do on the side of the road. They are designed to check your balance, coordination, and reaction times so the police can guess if you’re intoxicated. The National Highway Safety Administration has set the standards for these tests, and they are used in every state, including all fifty states.

Walk and Turn Test

In this test, the driver has to walk in a straight line, placing one foot directly in front of the other (heel-to-toe), while counting their steps out loud. You have to do all of this without stumbling or losing your balance. If you lose count, use your arms for balance, or don’t follow instructions exactly, the officer might decide you are impaired. If this happens, you might need a New Castle criminal lawyer to help challenge the officer’s subjective observations.

One Leg Stand Test

Here, the driver stands with their feet together, then lifts one leg off the ground while balancing on the other. You also have to count out loud while holding that leg up. This test goes on for 30 seconds. If you hop, put your foot down, lose count, or wobble, the officer can claim you are impaired.

HGN (Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus) Test

For this one, you have to follow an object—like a pen, flashlight, or the officer’s finger—with just your eyes, keeping your head still. The officer is watching for jerky, uncontrolled eye movements, which can be a sign of alcohol or drug use. A knowledgeable New Castle DUI lawyer understands the science behind this and can question the validity of the findings.

Problems with Field Sobriety Tests

There are plenty of issues with these tests. First off, doing them on the side of a road isn’t ideal. You might be dealing with bad weather, darkness, or uneven ground. In Ohio, roads are often slanted for drainage, or full of potholes and narrow spots, which makes balancing incredibly hard.

Your physical condition matters, too. Things like your age, weight, or medical history can make it hard to pass. Being overweight might make the One Leg Stand or Walk and Turn difficult, even if you haven’t had a drop to drink. Older adults often have natural balance issues. Plus, legal medications or specific health conditions can make you fail these tests even when you are completely sober. It is vital to discuss these factors with a New Castle criminal lawyer.

Another big issue is the officer’s training. If the cop wasn’t trained properly, their judgment about your performance could be totally wrong. A New Castle OVI lawyer like Sean Logue, who has spent a decade defending clients against OVI charges, knows exactly what to ask. He knows how to review the test results and spot where things might have gone wrong.

Blood, Breath, and Urine Tests

Ohio is an “implied consent” state. This means that just by getting your driver’s license, you’ve technically already agreed to take chemical OVI tests if asked. If you are driving and get pulled over, you are required to take one or more of these tests if the officer requests it. While field tests happen on the road, chemical tests— especially breath tests— usually happen at a police station, state trooper barracks, or a hospital. If you find yourself in this situation, contacting a New Castle DUI lawyer is a smart move.

You can refuse these tests, but there’s a catch: your license gets suspended immediately if you do.

If you have been asked to take field sobriety or chemical tests to see if you were driving while intoxicated, you need to act fast. Call the Youngstown Criminal Law Group right away at (330) 992-3036. An experienced New Castle criminal lawyer can help you navigate the complex legal landscape and fight for your rights.