Liberty County Georgia DUI and field sobriety defense attorney

Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus and drunk driving in Richmond Hill Georgia

Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN) is an eye test. Nystagmus is means an involuntary jerking of the eyes as the eyes move from the center position off to the side. To obtain an accurate result, HGN must be performed properly. In order to rule out the possibility that HGN has been caused by a medical condition, the eyes of the subject must be observed in a resting position. The officer must be facing the person, with both officer and subject standing. The eyes must first be checked for equal pupil size, resting nystagmus, and equal tracking. Equal tracking means the ability of the eyes to follow an object together. If the pupils are visibly unequal in size, or if the eyes do not track together, there is a chance that the nystagmus is caused by injury or a medical condition.

Officers will check the physical appearance of the alleged intoxicated driver minutely. This is done to determine symptoms of intoxication in order to form the grounds for arrest (probable cause). The symptoms should be included in the arrest report for the use of the prosecuting attorney in the prosecution of the driver for drunk driving. Drunk driving allegations have serious consequences. Those convicted of drunk driving may not only lose their job, but also end up with a jail sentence. A DUI allegation remains on a persons criminal record permanently and will always have an effect on his or her life, perhaps even inhibiting future job aspirations.

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Savannah GA DUI Lawyer – Georgia Criminal Defense Attorney