ARIDE for Legal Professionals

The Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement (ARIDE) program was developed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) with input from the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Technical Advisory Panel (TAP) and the Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police. ARIDE was created to address the gap in training between the Standardized Field Sobriety Testing (SFST) and the Drug Evaluation and Classification (DEC) Program.

Important Note

This course is intended to bridge the gap between the SFST and DRE course and to provide a level of awareness to the participants in the area of drug impairment in the context of traffic safety.

Based on that premise, the ARIDE course was developed with the following goals in mind.

Overall Course Goal

This course will train legal professionals to:

• Understand the signs of impairment related to drugs, alcohol, or a combination of both.
• Enable them to effectively work with law enforcement in order to reduce the number of impaired driving incidents, significant injury, and fatal crashes.

Background: High Visibility Enforcement Efforts

Legal professionals must also understand the impaired driving detection process in order to support enforcement efforts, which will increase the probability of successful prosecution and adjudication.

Overall Course Objectives

In order to meet these goals, this course will train participants to:

• Demonstrate, articulate, and properly administer the SFSTs proficiently.
• Define and describe the relationship of drugs to impaired driving incidents.
• Observe, identify, and articulate the observable signs of drug impairment with the established seven drug categories associated with the DEC program.
• Identify, document, and describe indicators observed and information obtained related to impairment which leads to the arrest/release decision.
• Articulate, through testimony, impairment related to alcohol, drugs, or a combination of both based on a complete investigation.

Session I: Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement (ARIDE) [55 Minutes]

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this session, the participant will be able to:

• Explain the goals and objectives of this course.
• Identify the elements of the drug problem.
• Define and describe impaired driving enforcement programs.
• Understand the roles and responsibilities of the Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) and how this course supports the Drug Evaluation and Classification Program (DECP).
• Define the term drug in the context of traffic safety and impaired driving enforcement as referenced in the DECP.

Content Segments

A. Describe the course to the class

Goal of the course

B. What is a drug?

C. Statistics and research

• US and other countries
• General alcohol and drug use
• Prevalence of impaired driving1

D. Impaired driving enforcement programs

E. Roles and responsibilities of the DRE

Session II: Standardized Field Sobriety Testing Review (90 Minutes)

Learning Objectives

Upon successfully completing this session, the participant will be able to:

• Understand the results of selected SFST validation studies.
• Define and describe the Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (SFSTs).
• Define nystagmus and distinguish between the different types.
• Describe and properly administer the three SFSTs.
• Recognize, document, and articulate the indicators and clues of the three SFSTs.
• Identify the limitations of the three SFSTs

Content Segments

A. SFST Validation Studies

B. Overview of Selected Types of Nystagmus

Standardized Field Sobriety Tests

C. Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus

D. Practice HGN

E. Walk-and-Turn

F. Practice Walk-and-Turn

G. One-Leg Stand

H. Practice One-Leg Stand

Session III: Standardized Field Sobriety Testing Proficiency Examination (1 Hour 10 Minutes)

Learning Objectives

Upon successful completion of this session the participant will be better able to:

• Demonstrate knowledge and proficiency in administering the SFST battery.

Session IV: Drugs in the Human Body (55 Minutes)

Learning Objectives

Upon successfully completing this session, the participant will be able to:

• Describe, in general terms, the basic purpose and functions of selected major systems in the human body as they relate to observable signs.
• Identify methods of ingestion and general effects of drugs.
• Identify medical conditions which may mimic alcohol and drug impairment.
• Identify the seven drug categories as referenced in the DECP and the basis for dividing drugs into these specific groups.

Content Segments

A. Drugs in the Human Body

B. Overview of selected major systems of the human body:

• Basic purpose and function,
• Muscular, Urinary, Respiratory, Digestive, Nervous, Circulatory Systems

C. Homeostasis

D. Identify methods of ingestion and general effects of drugs

E. Medical conditions which may mimic alcohol and drug impairment

F. Seven drug categories and the basis for dividing drugs into these specific groups

G. Blank Drug Indicator Matrix

Session V Observation of the Eyes and Additional Tests for Drug Impairment (90 Minutes)

Learning Objectives

Upon successfully completing this session, the participant will be able to:

• State the purpose of various eye examinations used in the ARIDE Curriculum, which includes Vertical Gaze Nystagmus (VGN), and Lack of Convergence (LOC)
• Discuss Vertical Gaze Nystagmus: How to administer properly and describe what the results indicate.
• Discuss Lack of Convergence: How to administer properly and describe what the results indicate.
• Describe the difference in pupil size.
• Discuss Modified Romberg Balance test: How to administer properly and describe what the results indicate.
• Explain the relationship between eye examinations and the seven drug categories.

Content Segments

A. Discuss Vertical Gaze Nystagmus

How to administer properly

Describe what the results indicate

Practice VGN

B. Describe the difference in pupil size

C. Discuss Lack of Convergence

How to administer properly

Describe what the results indicate

Practice LOC

D. Modified Romberg Balance test

How to administer properly

Describe what the results indicate

Practice Modified Romberg Balance Test

E. Relationship between eye examinations and the seven categories

F. Frame the discussion for the seven drug categories

G. Blank Drug Indicator Matrix

Session VI: Seven Drug Categories (3.5 Hours)

Learning Objectives

Upon successfully completing this session, the participant will be able to:

• Identify common drug names and terms associated with the seven drug categories.
• Identify the common methods of ingestion for each category.
• Describe the indicators of impairment associated with each category.
• Describe conditions which may mimic the signs and symptoms associated with each drug category.
• List the indicators which may emerge during the three phases of the DWI detection process (vehicle in motion, personal contact, and pre-arrest screening) which may indicate the subject is under the influence of a drug(s).

Content Segments

A. Overview of the Drug Categories

B. For each Drug Category, identification of:

• Drugs
• Indicators
• Eye indicators
• Other conditions which mimic indicators
• Expected results from the detection process

Session VII: The Effects of Drug Combinations (30 Minutes)

Learning Objectives

Upon successful completion of this Session the participant will be able to:

• Describe the prevalence of drug and alcohol use (individually and in combination) as well as poly drug use.
• Define poly drug use.
• Articulate possible effects of poly drug use related to the general indicators of alcohol and drugs.

Content Segments

A. Prevalence of drug and alcohol use

B. Research on poly drug use

C. Potential effects of poly drug

D. Types of drug combinations

E. Combinations including alcohol

Session VIII: Pre and Post Arrest Procedures (2 Hours)

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this session participants will be able to:

• Describe the three phases of the detection process: Vehicle in Motion, Personal Contact and Pre-Arrest Screening
• Describe effective roadside interview techniques
• List the elements of the offense of DUID
• Identify the indicators of impairment observed during the three phases of the detection process
• Accurately document, in the proper event sequence order, observed impairment in each of the three phases of the detection process
• Identify additional resources to support prosecution
• Articulate relevant evidence as it relates to case preparation and prosecution

Content Segments

A. What is DWI Detection?

B. Three phases of the detection process

C. Effective roadside interview techniques

D. Identifying and documenting observed indicators of impairment

E. Case studies and scenarios

F. Case preparation and prosecution

Materials Distributed to Each Attendee:

• Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement 2018 Participant Manual

This course is divided into sessions, which are designed to provide the participant with an overview of drug impaired driving.

Participants will receive a certificate of completion, 2018 Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement Participant Manual (hard copy), flash drive with additional drug-related materials, and 11.25 hours of CLE credits (optional).