Will I Automatically Be Convicted of DUI if I Failed Field Sobriety Tests in Tennessee?

 Posted on April 23, 2026 in DUI/DWI/BUI

Failing field sobriety tests does not automatically mean you will be convicted of a DUI in Tennessee. Field sobriety tests are not perfect, and there are many legitimate reasons a person can fail them that have nothing to do with being impaired. The results can be challenged, and in some cases, they can be thrown out entirely. If you failed field sobriety tests and are now facing a DUI charge in 2026, Jeffrey Coller, Knoxville Criminal Defense Attorney can help. Our Anderson County, TN DUI defense lawyer can review what happened during your stop and help you build a defense.

What Are Field Sobriety Tests and Why Are They Used?

Field sobriety tests are physical exercises that a police officer asks a driver to perform during a traffic stop when impairment is suspected. The three tests that have been standardized by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration are the horizontal gaze nystagmus test, which involves following a light or object with your eyes, the walk and turn test, and the one-leg stand test.

Officers are trained to look for specific signs of impairment during each test and to score what they observe. The results are then used by officers in deciding whether there is probable cause to arrest a driver for violating Tennessee Code Annotated § 55-10-401, which defines driving under the influence in the state.

Are Field Sobriety Tests Actually Reliable?

Even under ideal conditions, field sobriety tests are not perfectly accurate. Studies have shown that the standardized tests can produce incorrect results a significant percentage of the time, even when administered correctly. When they are not administered correctly, the error rate goes up even more.

The tests are also affected by a wide range of factors that have nothing to do with alcohol or drugs. Things like the surface you are standing on, the lighting at the scene, the weather, your footwear, your age, your weight, and whether you have any physical conditions or injuries can all affect how you perform. Nervousness alone can make someone appear unsteady or confused, even when they are completely sober.

What Makes a Field Sobriety Test Result Challengeable Under TN Law?

There are several specific ways that field sobriety test results can be challenged in a Tennessee DUI case. The most common include:

• The officer did not follow the standardized procedures set out by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration when giving the test.
• The test was given on uneven, sloped, or slippery ground.
• The lighting at the scene was poor.
• The officer did not give clear or complete instructions before the test began.
• The driver has a medical condition, injury, or physical limitation that affects their performance.
• The officer was not properly trained or certified to administer the tests.

Any one of these issues can call the test results into question. If the test was not given correctly, a judge may decide that the results should not be used as evidence against you.

Can Field Sobriety Tests Be Thrown Out Entirely in a Tennessee DUI Case?

If your attorney can show that the officer failed to follow proper procedure, that the conditions at the scene made the test unfair, or that there were other problems with how the stop was handled, a judge may suppress the test results. Suppressed evidence cannot be used by the prosecution, so this can significantly weaken the state's case or even lead to a dismissal.

It is also worth examining whether the officer had a valid reason to pull you over in the first place. Under the Fourth Amendment, a traffic stop must be based on reasonable suspicion. If the stop itself was not legally justified, everything that followed, including the field sobriety tests, may be thrown out.

What if I Failed a Breath Test During a DUI Stop in Tennessee?

Many DUI cases in Tennessee involve both field sobriety tests and a chemical test, commonly a breath test. If the chemical test showed a blood alcohol content of 0.08 percent or higher, the prosecution will likely lean heavily on that result rather than the field sobriety tests alone. However, chemical tests can also be challenged. The reliability of the breathalyzer, whether it was properly calibrated, and whether the blood draw was handled correctly are all areas that a defense attorney will examine closely.

Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Blount County, TN DUI Defense Attorney

Failing a field sobriety test is not the end of the road for you. There is a lot of ground to cover between a failed test and a conviction. An experienced attorney knows where to look for weaknesses in the state's evidence. Call Jeffrey Coller, Knoxville Criminal Defense Attorney at 865-281-1000 to talk to an Anderson County, TN DUI defense lawyer about your case. Attorney Coller brings over 10 years of experience to cases like yours and knows what it takes to fight a DUI charge from every angle.