Disturbing new figures have been released as part of a study conducted by researchers at Rutgers University's Alcohol Behavior Research Laboratory. The study was conducted in order to compare the ability of Los Angeles DUI officers to accurately gauge a suspects' intoxication level with the ability of regularly citizens and bartenders. Forty-nine citizens and 12 bartenders were asked to judge the state of sobriety or intoxication of DUI "suspects" that had consumed varying amounts of alcohol or had consumed nothing at all. Then, a group of 30 experienced DUI officers were asked to judge similar suspects; 15 officers were asked to study the suspects under the similar laboratory conditions as the citizens and bartenders, the other 15 were asked to study the suspects under conditions similar to those encountered in a drunk driving traffic stop.
The study found that there was no difference in accuracy between the group of citizens/bartenders and the group of experienced DUI officers under laboratory conditions. The second group of officers that tested under conditions similar to a drunk driving traffic stop were somewhat more accurate, but there still wasn't a significant difference. Even more disturbing, however, were the concluding results in the study that said that all three groups; officers, citizens, bartenders, only accurately judged the suspects' intoxication levels 25 percent of the time.
As you know, a Los Angeles DUI carries a list of serious consequences that can adversely affect your life. A Los Angeles DUI charge can have severe penalties including community service, probation, fines, and even jail time. The disturbing findings of the Rutgers University study serve as a form of proof that even experienced Los Angeles DUI officers can make conclusions that are far from accurate. A DUI arrest can be affected by the officer's own subjective opinions on the various forms of assessing DUI symptoms of intoxication, including, driving, appearance, behavior, answers to questions, and performance on sobriety tests. Add to that the officers' testimony at the DUI trial, which largely decides a suspects' guilt or innocence, and you're left in an uphill battle to prove your innocence.
The Los Angeles DUI defense team at Kestenbaum, Eisner & Gorin, LLP are aware of the inaccuracies in many DUI arrests and charges. This dedicated team of professionals will work on your behalf to sift through those inaccuracies in order to prove your innocence or reduce the penalties associated with your arrest. With over 50 years of in-court experience, the Los Angeles DUI defense team has successfully fought countless DUI charges and will inform you on everything you need to know when defending yourself against a DUI charge. If you are facing a DUI charge and feel as though there may have been inaccuracies when the arrest was made, contact the Los Angeles DUI defense team at Kestenbaum, Eisner & Gorin, LLP. Be sure to visit our site at www.laduidefenseteam.com or call us at 1-877-781-1570 for more information.
