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Commercial driver’s license (CDL) knowledge tests · California DMV

Alcohol, Drugs and Illness

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Questions and answers

  1. People who drink alcohol are involved in traffic accidents that cause how many deaths every year?

    Over 20,000

    The handbook gives a figure of over 20,000 deaths each year.

    Section 2 · 2.22.1 – Alcohol and Driving ↗

  2. Which abilities does alcohol impair?

    Muscle coordination, reaction time, depth perception and night vision

    Alcohol also affects the parts of the brain that control judgment and inhibition.

    Section 2 · 2.22.1 – Alcohol and Driving ↗

  3. How many drinks can it take for some people to show signs of impairment?

    1 drink

    For some people a single drink is enough to show impairment.

    Section 2 · 2.22.1 – Alcohol and Driving ↗

  4. How long before going on duty must you stop consuming any intoxicating beverage?

    4 hours

    You may never drink on duty, or within 4 hours before going on duty.

    Section 2 · 2.22.1 – Alcohol and Driving ↗

  5. You go on duty in 2 hours. May you have one low-alcohol beer now?

    No, any intoxicating beverage is off limits within 4 hours of duty

    The 4-hour rule applies to any intoxicating beverage, regardless of how much alcohol it contains.

    Section 2 · 2.22.1 – Alcohol and Driving ↗

  6. At what BAC is it illegal to drive a commercial motor vehicle?

    0.04 percent or greater

    The limit for driving a CMV is 0.04 percent.

    Section 2 · 2.22.1 – Alcohol and Driving ↗

  7. What follows at once from driving a CMV with a BAC of 0.04 percent or more?

    An immediate administrative licensing sanction, known as Admin Per Se

    An immediate administrative sanction applies, and you may also be convicted of DUI.

    Section 2 · 2.22.1 – Alcohol and Driving ↗

  8. Your BAC is below 0.04 percent. Does that mean it is safe and legal to drive?

    No, a BAC below 0.04 percent does not mean it is safe or legal

    Being under the limit is no guarantee that driving is safe or legal.

    Section 2 · 2.22.1 – Alcohol and Driving ↗

  9. Where does alcohol go first after you drink it?

    Directly into the blood stream, which carries it to the brain

    Alcohol goes straight into the blood and reaches the brain before the liver deals with it.

    Section 2 · 2.22.1 – Alcohol and Driving ↗

  10. After alcohol passes through the brain, how is a small percentage of it removed?

    In urine, perspiration and breathing

    A small share leaves in urine, sweat and breath. The rest goes to the liver.

    Section 2 · 2.22.1 – Alcohol and Driving ↗

  11. How much alcohol can the liver process per hour?

    1/3 of an ounce

    The liver handles only 1/3 of an ounce an hour, which is considerably less than the alcohol in a standard drink.

    Section 2 · 2.22.1 – Alcohol and Driving ↗

  12. What will sober you up?

    Only time

    The liver works at a fixed rate, so only time helps.

    Section 2 · 2.22.1 – Alcohol and Driving ↗

  13. What happens if you have drinks faster than your body can get rid of them?

    More alcohol stays in your body and your driving is more affected

    The rate of removal is fixed, so faster drinking means more alcohol in the body.

    Section 2 · 2.22.1 – Alcohol and Driving ↗

  14. A 12-ounce glass of 5 percent beer has the same alcohol as how much 12 percent wine?

    A 5-ounce glass

    A 12-ounce beer, a 5-ounce glass of wine and a 1-1/2 ounce shot of liquor contain the same amount of alcohol.

    Section 2 · 2.22.1 – Alcohol and Driving ↗

  15. How much 80 proof liquor has the same alcohol as a 12-ounce glass of 5 percent beer?

    A 1-1/2 ounce shot

    A 1-1/2 ounce shot of 80 proof liquor equals a 12-ounce beer.

    Section 2 · 2.22.1 – Alcohol and Driving ↗

  16. How large a glass of 5 percent beer counts as one drink?

    12 ounces

    One drink is a 12-ounce glass of 5 percent beer.

    Section 2 · 2.22.1 – Alcohol and Driving ↗

  17. Does it matter for your performance whether the alcohol comes from beer, wine or hard liquor?

    No, it is the alcohol itself that affects you

    A couple of beers, 2 glasses of wine or 2 shots of liquor have the same effect.

    Section 2 · WHAT IS A DRINK? ↗

  18. Which three things determine your BAC?

    How much you drink, how fast you drink and your weight

    More alcohol, faster drinking and lower body weight all mean a higher BAC.

    Section 2 · 2.22.1 – Alcohol and Driving ↗

  19. How does body weight affect BAC?

    A small person does not have to drink as much to reach the same BAC

    A lighter person reaches a given BAC with less alcohol.

    Section 2 · 2.22.1 – Alcohol and Driving ↗

  20. Which part of the brain does alcohol affect first?

    The part that controls judgment and self-control

    Judgment and self-control go first.

    Section 2 · 2.22.1 – Alcohol and Driving ↗

  21. Why is it dangerous that alcohol affects judgment first?

    It can keep drinkers from knowing they are getting drunk

    With judgment impaired, people do not realise how drunk they are.

    Section 2 · 2.22.1 – Alcohol and Driving ↗

  22. As BAC continues to build up, what is affected more and more?

    Muscle control, vision and coordination

    After judgment, alcohol affects muscle control, vision and coordination.

    Section 2 · 2.22.1 – Alcohol and Driving ↗

  23. Which of these is listed as an effect of alcohol on driving?

    Straddling lanes and quick, jerky starts

    Other effects include not signalling, running stop signs and red lights, and improper passing.

    Section 2 · 2.22.1 – Alcohol and Driving ↗

  24. How does alcohol change your reaction time to hazards?

    It increases it

    Drinking drivers take longer to react, and they also weave, run over curbs and drive in the wrong lane.

    Section 2 · 2.22.1 – Alcohol and Driving ↗

  25. How does the chance of an accident compare for drivers who have been drinking?

    It is much greater than for drivers who have not

    Accident statistics show a much greater chance of an accident for drinking drivers.

    Section 2 · 2.22.1 – Alcohol and Driving ↗

  26. According to the BAC chart, how much should you subtract for each 40 minutes of drinking?

    .01%

    The chart says to subtract .01% for each 40 minutes of drinking.

    Section 2 · WHAT IS A DRINK? ↗

  27. In the BAC chart, the instruction to subtract .01% applies to each period of how long?

    40 minutes of drinking

    The adjustment is .01% for every 40 minutes.

    Section 2 · WHAT IS A DRINK? ↗

  28. How is blood alcohol content recorded?

    In milligrams of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood

    BAC is the amount of alcohol in your blood, in milligrams per 100 milliliters.

    Section 2 · EFFECTS OF INCREASING BLOOD ALCOHOL CONTENT ↗

  29. What does a BAC of .10 mean?

    1/10 of 1 percent of your total blood content is alcohol

    A BAC of .10 means 1/10 of 1 percent, or 1/1000, of your blood is alcohol.

    Section 2 · EFFECTS OF INCREASING BLOOD ALCOHOL CONTENT ↗

  30. According to the chart of BAC effects, what happens to many people at a BAC of .30?

    They lose consciousness

    At .30 many lose consciousness. At .40 most do and some die.

    Section 2 · EFFECTS OF INCREASING BLOOD ALCOHOL CONTENT ↗

  31. According to the chart of BAC effects, what happens at a BAC of .50?

    Breathing stops and many die

    A BAC of .50 stops breathing, and many people die.

    Section 2 · EFFECTS OF INCREASING BLOOD ALCOHOL CONTENT ↗

  32. Which substances do laws prohibit a driver from being under the influence of?

    Any controlled substance, amphetamines, narcotics or other substance that can make the driver unsafe

    The prohibition covers anything that can make the driver unsafe, including “pep pills”, “uppers” and “bennies”.

    Section 2 · 2.22.2 – Other Drugs ↗

  33. Can prescription and over-the-counter drugs make you unsafe to drive?

    Yes, for example cold medicines that make you drowsy

    Many legal drugs, such as cold medicines, can cause drowsiness or otherwise affect driving.

    Section 2 · 2.22.2 – Other Drugs ↗

  34. When is it permitted to possess and use a drug given to you by a doctor while on duty?

    When the doctor informs you that it will not affect safe driving ability

    A prescribed drug is allowed only if the doctor says it will not affect your ability to drive safely.

    Section 2 · 2.22.2 – Other Drugs ↗

  35. What should you pay attention to when taking legitimate drugs and medicines?

    Warning labels and the doctor’s orders about possible effects

    Read warning labels and follow the doctor’s orders about possible effects.

    Section 2 · 2.22.2 – Other Drugs ↗

  36. What does the handbook say about drugs that hide fatigue?

    Do not use them, because the only cure for fatigue is rest

    A drug that masks tiredness does not remove it. Only rest does.

    Section 2 · 2.22.2 – Other Drugs ↗

  37. What can alcohol do to the effects of other drugs?

    Make them much worse

    Alcohol combined with other drugs makes their effects much worse.

    Section 2 · 2.22.2 – Other Drugs ↗

  38. What is the safest rule about drugs and driving?

    Do not mix drugs with driving at all

    The safest rule is to keep drugs and driving completely apart.

    Section 2 · 2.22.2 – Other Drugs ↗

  39. Besides accidents, what can drug use lead to for a driver?

    Arrest, fines, jail sentences and the end of a driving career

    Drug use can bring arrest, fines and jail, and can end a driving career.

    Section 2 · 2.22.2 – Other Drugs ↗

  40. You become so ill that you cannot operate a motor vehicle safely. What must you do?

    You must not drive

    If illness makes you unsafe, you must not drive.

    Section 2 · 2.22.3 – Illness ↗

  41. You become too ill to drive safely while on the road in an emergency. How far may you drive?

    To the nearest place where you can safely stop

    In an emergency you may drive only as far as the nearest place where you can stop safely.

    Section 2 · 2.22.3 – Illness ↗

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