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Walk & Turn

The walk and turn has two phases;  instructional and walking.  During the instruction phase, you must awkwardly stand with the right foot directly in front of the left foot with the heel and toes touching, keeping your arms at their side, while listening to the instructions. Law enforcement is intentionally making you concentrate on odd instructions at the same time you're standing in a precarious position! The officer usually takes 45 seconds to 2 minutes to explain the test while you standing there one foot in front of the other: use your arms for balance in this awkward position or step out of position, and they'll use it against you!

During the walking phase, you will take 9 heel-to-toe steps in a straight line, turn in a series of small heel-to-toe steps, and then return taking 9 heel-to-toe steps back, all the while counting the steps out loud.  The officer is now making you count, walk, focus, and think all at the same time under enormous pressure!

The officer is looking for 8 specific clues:

1. can't balance during instructions;
    
2. starts too soon;
    
3. stops while walking;
    
4. doesn't touch heel-to-toe;
    
5. steps off line;
    
6. uses arms for balance;
    
7. loses balance on turn or turns incorrectly; and
    
8. takes the wrong number of steps.

This test is 32 percent inaccurate! Why?