NHTSA has released a 2013 version of its manual on field sobriety training. Law enforcement will soon be trained from it.

Interesting to note: language that has been in the manuals since the beginning has been deleted. The language is:

"If any one of the standardized field sobriety test elements is changed, the validity is compromised."

These are "standardized" tests, right? But an officer now doesn't have to follow them? Can an officer perform a test to his/her satisfaction, but not in the standardized manner? How does one determine if probable cause exists when tests aren't done properly? What is the standard?

More to come...