DMV Alcohol Awareness Test
Alcohol-Impaired Driving Kills
Alcohol-impaired driving kills and costs society approximately $300 billion in lost wages, lost quality of life, medical costs, and more (numbers by NHTSA). It is one of the reasons why alcohol and drug awareness is so vital for your driver’s license test.
This alcohol awareness quiz with 15 questions will help you master the most common DUI questions on your DMV test. Make sure you can answer them correctly and understand the answers.
What You Can Do to Prevent Impaired Driving
If you intend to drive, the safest option is not to drink alcohol or use any drugs, including marijuana. Even one drink of alcohol can affect your driving.
Here are some vital reminders if you plan to drink or use any drugs:
- Refrain from driving and remind your friends and family to do the same.
- Assign a trusted designated driver who will not drink or use drugs.
- Use a rideshare service or call a taxi or Uber.
- If available, use your community’s sober ride program.
If a friend has been drinking and plans to drive, you should stop them by taking their keys and arranging a safe ride home.
What should you do if you see a drunk driver on the road? Do not hesitate to contact your local law enforcement.
What Alcohol Does to You
Even a small amount of alcohol can affect your driving. In many states, the DMV will ask you if you can drive safely after one drink of alcohol.
Alcohol and other impairing drugs affect those areas of your brain that control judgment. It is typically the first thing affected by drinking alcohol.
Even after one drink, you will experience some loss of judgment and a slight relaxation with increased reaction time.
After two or three drinks, your judgment is impaired, your alertness is lower, and your coordination worsens.
Your vision helps you to determine how far away an object is and the object’s relationship to your path of travel. Alcohol reduces your ability to judge distance, speed, and the movement of other vehicles.
At the same time, alcohol slows your reactions. It becomes more difficult to process information and respond to critical driving tasks.
Alcohol and impairing drugs make you tired and less alert to what is around you.
Remember these keywords for any alcohol awareness questions:
- Judgment
- Vision
- Reaction time
- Coordination
Driving Under the Influence and the Law
The first thing to remember is that the law makes no distinction between alcohol and drugs. The penalties are the same for alcohol-impaired driving and drugged driving.
All states have a DUI per se law. If your blood alcohol content (BAC) is above the legal limit (typically .08%), a court can automatically convict you of DUI. A lower limit exists in Utah (.05%), and New York has lesser charges for drivers with a BAC between .05% and 0.07%.
If an officer finds that your driving is impaired, you can be charged with DUI even if your BAC is below the legal limit and even without a BAC measurement.
Charges range from misdemeanors to felony offenses, and penalties for DUI often include a driver’s license suspension and harsh fines. A first-time offense can cost you up to $10,000 in fines and legal fees.
The Implied Consent Law
By signing for your driver’s license, you have agreed to submit to chemical tests of your breath, blood, or urine to determine alcohol or drug content if asked to do so by a law enforcement officer.
You cannot refuse a test if the officer has reasonable grounds for believing you are impaired. If you refuse, the DMV will generally suspend or revoke your driving privilege.
The Open Container Law
It is against the law to drink alcohol when you drive.
It is also against the law to have an open container of alcohol in the car. It applies to both the driver and any passengers.
You must keep an open container of alcohol in the trunk or in an area where passengers usually don’t sit. You cannot store the container in a glove compartment, even if it is locked.
Why is judgment affected before balance and vision? Shouldn’t it be the other way?
From the neurobiological point of view, it is complicated. However, studies show that the first effects of alcohol include a feeling of well-being, relaxation, lower inhibitions, and some minor impairment of judgment and memory. Vision and balance are less affected when you first start drinking, but these effects will be more apparent the more you drink.