This test involves the officer asking the driver to focus on a fixed object, usually his finger or a pen, and asking the driver to follow the objects movement using only his eyes without turning his hand. The officer is observing when the driver’s pupil starts to shake or quiver. It is said that the sooner the pupil starts to quiver while tracking the object the more intoxicated the driver is. This test is not one that is commonly administered anymore because it does require more skill and practice in order to be able to detect the intoxication of the driver.
As a former police officer, I only administered this test a couple times in my career and never did it without performing other field sobriety tests. In my experience it held true that the more intoxicated the driver was the sooner I would observe the quiver of the pupil. I would also observe if the driver ever turned his hand while completing this test and if so I would carefully note that as a factor in determining whether or not to arrest.
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