DUI Dictionary

Drunk driving arrests, DUI / DWI arrests, cases involving driving under the influence of drugs (DUID), or the combination of alcohol and drugs, all seem to have their own language. Indeed, DUI / DWI criminal defense lawyers seem to have their own language as well. As any criminal defense attorney who concentrates on defending drinking and driving cases will admit, there are special terms which are not readily understood. The following are often-used (and not often easily understood) terms relating to DWI / DUI, drunk driving, drinking and driving, DUID (driving under the influence of drugs) and other related criminal arrests:

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Saccadic - Movement of the eye from one fixation point to another.

Sobriety Checkpoints - The practice of law enforcement agencies selecting a particular location for a particular time period and systematically stopping vehicles at pre-determined intervals (for example, every fifth car) to investigate drivers for possible DUI / DWI.

Smooth Pursuit - The eye's course as it tracks a moving image.

Southern California Research Institute (SCRI) - A research organization that conducted the first two research studies that eventually produced the Standardized Field Sobriety Test battery. SCRI has conducted subsequent field sobriety test validation studies as well as drug recognition evaluation studies.

Standardized Field Sobriety Test (SFST) - A group of tests selected as the best field sobriety tests to increase the ability of law enforcement officers to detect driver impairment. The results of this battery, usually administered by the side of the road or highway, contributes extensively to a law enforcement officer's decision to arrest a person for impaired driving.