Massachusetts DWI DUI OUI Field Sobriety Test Police Training Manual

DWI DETECTION PHASE ONE:
VEHICLE IN MOTION

Phase One Tasks and Decisions

PHASE ONE:
Vehicle In Motion

SHOULD I
STOP THE VEHICLE?

2. INITIAL OBSERVATIONS: VISUAL CUES TO DWI

Drivers who are impaired frequently exhibit certain effects or symptoms of impairment. These include:

• slowed reactions;

• impaired judgment as evidenced by a willingness to take risks;

• impaired vision; and

• poor coordination

The next page presents common symptoms of alcohol influence. This unit focuses on alcohol impairment because research currently provides more information about the effects of alcohol on driving than it does about the effects of other drugs on driving. Remember that whether the driver is impaired, the law enforcement detection process is the same, and the offense is still DWI.

The common effects, of alcohol on the driver’s mental and physical faculties lead to predictable driving violations and vehicle operating characteristics. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) sponsored research to identify the most common and reliable initial indicators of DWI. This re

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