In this post, our Miami attorney explains the HGN roadside exercise. If you are arrested for a DUI in Florida, you should seek counsel from an experienced attorney as soon as possible. If HGN was administered during your stop, a good attorney will examine the specifics of how this exercise was administered as one of a number of factors in your defense case against a DUI.
The HGN (Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus) is a an exercise a driver suspected of being under the influence will be asked to perform. A police officer will ask the individual that is suspected of driving drunk to follow a light with his eyes.
The HGN is designed to detect a lateral jerking in the eyes when the individual’s gaze moves to the side. Alcohol consumption impairs the ability of the brain to accurately control eye muscles, rsulting in a jerk or bounce associated with HGN.
According to the NHTSA manual the HGN Test must be administered in an area that is well lit, away from the lights of traffic, and the flashers on the police vehicle. The HGN test requires an object for subjects to follow with their eyes. Generally the tip of a penlight is used. The officer holds the object approximately 12-15 inches from the subject’s face, just above eye level. The officer instructs the subject to follow the object with their eyes, keeping the head stationary.