The Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus Test- lacks science

 Cops are taught and always claim the horizontal gaze nystagmus test is the most accurate and scientific.  However; what is lacking is the scientific baseline for this.  Dr. Stephen Rauchman, an ophthalmologist, set out to investigate the  government's "eye" test in the context of DWI/DUI.  His findings are neatly summarized in this article.  The basic concerns I found from this erudite analysis are as follows:

1.  There is no baseline.  To prove HGN correlates with alcohol necessitates HGN be ruled out in the beginning.  There are many causes for HGN (some as simple as people with vestibular problems drinking caffeine).   DWI subjects are never given a baseline test (after alcohol metabolizes to zero, or at a driver's license test) to rule out natural or improperly assessed HGN.

2.  Dr. Rauchman points out the obvious: the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA who is responsible for the field tests being given) has no ophthalmologists listed as their expert sources.  This is ridiculous.  Why formulate an eye test without consulting with actual eye physicians to validate the true metrics or efficacy of such a test? Consulting with optometrists does not suffice and is wildly inappropriate.

3.  HGN is actually tested very differently by the actual eye doctors, ophthalmologists.  Dr. Rauchman points out the lack of instrumentation and proper procedures to accurately detect horizontal gaze nystagmus by law enforcement (otherwise for example- one can't rule out the passing eye effects of headlight traffic).

4. Police officers giving a roadside HGN test are using improper screening as an actual test.  There is a huge difference between screening and applying a test properly. The repercussions involve convictions, jail, prison and beyond.  These repercussions necessitate unquestionable scientific integrity.

It is unacceptable for our law enforcement to be so woefully uninformed and uneducated on the serious elements of HGN.  It is beyond traitorous of our government to imprison and convict people on the eye test without proper safeguards, interpretation and administration.  Liberty is not a political cause.  It is a guaranteed  constitutional right, unless the government can prove it should be taken beyond a reasonable doubt. To start out the gate with a test disguised as "scientific" , but not properly implemented,  is gross malfeasance of the government. 



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