If a police officer suspects impaired driving in Wisconsin, they may pull you over and ask you to take part in field sobriety tests. The clothes and shoes you wear can affect how well you perform these tests. Knowing how clothing influences the results helps explain why field sobriety tests do not always tell the whole story.
Footwear can make testing harder
Your shoes can affect how well you perform field sobriety tests, especially the walk-and-turn and one-leg stand. High heels make balancing difficult, even if you are completely sober. They shift your center of gravity and make heel-to-toe steps much harder.
Platform shoes, wedges and thick-soled boots can create similar problems. They make it harder to feel the ground and keep your balance. Flip-flops and loose sandals can slip off your feet and cause you to stumble. Worn-out shoes with smooth soles can also make you slip on wet pavement or gravel.
Officers may allow you to remove certain footwear, such as heels more than two inches high, before conducting these tests. However, performing the tests barefoot on cold pavement, rough asphalt or wet surfaces creates its own set of challenges that can affect your performance.
Restrictive clothing hinders your movement
Tight clothing can make field sobriety tests harder. A tight skirt or dress may limit your movement during the walk-and-turn test. You may struggle to turn around or hold the required position without adjusting your clothing.
Heavy coats and bulky jackets can affect your balance. Long coats or dresses that drag on the ground may cause you to trip. Baggy pants that hang too low can also make heel-to-toe walking more difficult.
Understanding your rights during testing
Weather conditions combined with inappropriate clothing create additional complications. Performing these tests in freezing temperatures while wearing light clothing can cause shivering and muscle tension that affect your balance. Strong winds can push against heavy coats or loose clothing, making it harder to stand steady on one leg.
Officers should consider these conditions when they evaluate field sobriety tests. If your clothing affected your performance, it may become one factor in deciding how reliable the results are. If you can, write down what you wore and the conditions during the tests.
Protecting your interests during a traffic stop
Field sobriety tests can feel intimidating, especially when outside factors affect your performance. Knowing how your clothing, shoes and the weather can influence these tests helps you better understand what happened during the traffic stop.
If you think your clothing affected the results, write down what happened as soon as you can. Understanding these factors can help you make informed decisions and better protect yourself from wrongful charges.