What is the sixth clue of impairment?

• A. Uses arms for balance
• B. Stops while walking
• C. Takes incorrect amount of steps
• D. Performs Improper turn

Answer: (A)

Impairment clues during the walk-and-turn test show how well someone can balance and coordinate their movements. The sixth cue is observing whether the person uses their arms to balance. When someone relies on arm motions to stay upright, it indicates reduced balance control and coordination, which are signs of impairment. That’s why this cue is counted as the sixth clue in the standard list. The other listed cues—stopping while walking, taking an incorrect number of steps, and performing an improper turn—are also signs of impairment, but they occur as different clues in the sequence. So the tendency to use arms for balance is the sixth observable cue.