PSYCHOPHYSICAL TESTS FOR DWI ARREST

As part of DWI arrest procedures, tests of alcohol impairment may be used by police officers, either at roadside or in the station. Objectives of this study included evaluation of currently-used tests, development of more sensitive and reliable measures, and the standardization of test administration. On the basis of preliminary investigations, six tests were chosen for an evaluation study. Ten officers administered the 6-test battery to 238 participants who were light, moderate and heavy drinkers. Placebo or alcohol treatments produced BACs in the range 0 - .15%. The police officers scored the performance of each test on a 1-10 scale, and on the basis of the entire battery judged whether the person should be arrested or released.

• Corporate Authors:

  Southern California Research Institute

  2033 Pontius Avenue
  Los Angeles, CA  United States  90025

  National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Burns, M
  • Moskowitz, H
• Publication Date: 1977-6

Media Info

• Pagination: 126 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Alcoholism; Arrests; Decision making; Deployment; Drivers; Drunk driving; Evaluation; Police; Psychological tests; Psychophysics; Standardization; Testing
• Old TRIS Terms: Psychomotor tests; Psychophysical methods
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors; Security and Emergencies;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00159368
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: DOT-HS-802-424 Final Rpt., SCRI/TR-77/2
• Contract Numbers: DOT-HS-5-01242
• Files: NTIS, TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Sep 20 1978 12:00AM