The one-legged stand is a test that is administered during the field sobriety test, and is used primarily to test balance. During the administration of this exam, the officer should instruct the driver to life one leg off the ground approximately six-inches, pointing his heel up, and hands down to his side. Thereafter, the officer will instruct the driver to count to a certain number, which may vary depending on the officer, until the test is completed.
As the driver is completing this test, the officer is looking down to see how stable the driver can hold himself up. If the driver can keep his hands down by his side while maintaining balance, keep his foot up in the air, while counting to the number assigned by the officer, he will pass this portion of the field-sobriety test.
Typical officers understand that this is not a comfortable position and will not expect the driver to perform flawlessly. However, if the driver is having obvious difficulty maintaining balance, while keeping his hands down by his side, this test will usually be considered a failure. The key is typically the driver’s ability to keep his hands down by his side.
