HORIZONTAL GAZE NYSTAGMUS: THE SCIENCE AND THE LAW - A RESOURCE GUIDE FOR JUDGES, PROSECUTORS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT
Despite its history of use and the endorsement of the Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the horizontal gaze nystagmus (HGN) field sobriety test is not fully understood. What is nystagmus? How does the presence of horizontal gaze nystagmus reflect alcohol impairment? How does the police officer test for HGN? What conclusions can reasonably be drawn from the presence of HGN? In an effort to provide accurate information regarding the use of the HGN test in impaired driving enforcement and dispel the continuing controversy around HGN, the American Prosecutors Research Institute (APRI) is pleased to provide criminal justice practitioners nationwide with this document. Among other things, this guide provides an overview of the science supporting the HGN test as a valid indicator of impairment, distinguishes between HGN and other forms of nystagmus, and provides the necessary tools to establish admissibility of the HGN in court.
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- Record URL:
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Corporate Authors:
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC United States 20590 - Publication Date: 1999-7
Language
- English
Media Info
- Features: Appendices; References;
- Pagination: 131 p.
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Alcohol tests; Drunk drivers; Eye movements; Field tests; Impaired drivers; Jurisprudence and judicial processes; Law; Police; Sobriety checkpoints; Traffic law enforcement
- Uncontrolled Terms: Horizontal gaze nystagmus
- Subject Areas: Highways; Law; Safety and Human Factors; Security and Emergencies; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 00798222
- Record Type: Publication
- Source Agency: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- Report/Paper Numbers: HS-808 938
- Files: HSL, NTL, TRIS, USDOT
- Created Date: Sep 10 2000 12:00AM