What Happens If You Fail HGN but Pass Walk-and-Turn in Ohio?

Nothing automatic happens. Failing the HGN test while passing the Walk-and-Turn does not, by itself, establish impairment under Ohio law. It becomes one factor an officer may rely on, but it does not override contradictory test results.

This question matters because drivers often assume HGN controls the outcome of an OVI investigation. In practice, mixed field sobriety results are common and frequently misunderstood.

What Ohio Law Actually Says About HGN and Walk-and-Turn

Ohio recognizes standardized field sobriety tests as investigative tools, not definitive proof. HGN, Walk-and-Turn, and One-Leg Stand are evaluated together, not in isolation.

HGN testing is designed to detect involuntary eye movements associated with alcohol consumption. Walk-and-Turn is intended to assess divided attention. These tests measure different things and carry different limitations.

Ohio law does not state that failing HGN alone equals impairment. Nor does it state that passing Walk-and-Turn cancels out other observations. Officers are expected to consider the totality of circumstances, not to rely on one test as determinative.

How This Plays Out in Real Ohio OVI Cases

In real cases, officers often give disproportionate weight to HGN. It is viewed as technical, scientific, and objective. That perception can carry into police reports even when other tests show no signs of impairment.

Body camera footage frequently shows drivers performing Walk-and-Turn correctly while officers still document impairment based on HGN results. In some cases, HGN instructions are rushed, improperly explained, or administered under poor lighting or weather conditions.

It is also common to see officers mischaracterize mixed results as overall failure. Reports sometimes gloss over successful performance on Walk-and-Turn while emphasizing eye movement observations.

These discrepancies matter when evidence is reviewed later.

Why Mixed Test Results Matter Practically

Mixed results weaken the reliability of field sobriety testing as a whole. When one test suggests impairment and another does not, the prosecution must explain the inconsistency.

This affects probable cause analysis. It can also affect how much weight a court gives to the officer’s conclusions. In suppression hearings, contradictory test performance is often used to challenge the foundation for arrest.

Failing HGN alone does not establish impairment. Passing Walk-and-Turn provides context that may undermine claims of divided attention failure.

These issues are fact driven and frequently litigated.

Where This Fits in an Ohio OVI Case

This issue most often arises in cases involving Field Sobriety Tests Overview, HGN (Eye Test), and Walk-and-Turn evaluations. It intersects with Probable Cause in Ohio OVI Cases and broader OVI Defense analysis.

In location-specific cases, enforcement practices vary. Some jurisdictions rely heavily on HGN. Others place more emphasis on divided attention testing. See location-specific OVI pages for how these patterns commonly appear.

Mixed test performance is rarely decisive on its own. It becomes significant when combined with stop legality, officer training, and documentation accuracy.

Practical Takeaway

Failing HGN while passing Walk-and-Turn does not automatically mean you are impaired under Ohio law. Mixed results often expose weaknesses in how field sobriety tests are administered and interpreted. In many cases, those inconsistencies become central to how the OVI charge is evaluated and challenged.