No. Field sobriety tests in Rhode Island are voluntary and you can politely decline to perform the walk-and-turn, one-leg stand, or horizontal gaze nystagmus tests. Your refusal cannot be used to convict you of DUI on its own and does not trigger automatic license suspension the way a breathalyzer refusal does. Field sobriety tests are designed to produce evidence the prosecution can use against you, and even sober people frequently fail them due to medical conditions, footwear, road surface, or anxiety. Most experienced defense lawyers advise politely declining field sobriety tests at the roadside.
