CHP DUI Detection and Enforcement 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In California, the legal blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit for non-commercial drivers aged 21 and older is:
- 0.05%
- 0.08% (Correct answer)
- 0.10%
- 0.15%
Correct answer: 0.08%
California Vehicle Code 23152 sets the legal BAC limit at 0.08% for drivers 21 and older.
Question 2: Which of the following is a Standard Field Sobriety Test (SFST) approved by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)?
- Finger-to-nose test
- Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN) (Correct answer)
- Counting backwards
- Reciting the alphabet
Correct answer: Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN)
NHTSA has approved three SFSTs: Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus, Walk-and-Turn, and One-Leg Stand.
Question 3: Under California's implied consent law, a driver lawfully arrested for DUI who refuses a chemical test will face:
- A $500 fine only
- Mandatory jail time
- A one-year driver's license suspension for a first offense (Correct answer)
- Criminal charges for refusal
Correct answer: A one-year driver's license suspension for a first offense
California Vehicle Code 23612 imposes a one-year administrative suspension for first-time chemical test refusal after a lawful DUI arrest.
Question 4: During the Walk-and-Turn (WAT) test, how many steps must the suspect take along the line in each direction?
- 7 steps
- 9 steps (Correct answer)
- 10 steps
- 12 steps
Correct answer: 9 steps
The standardized WAT test requires nine heel-to-toe steps in each direction along a real or imaginary line.
Question 5: The BAC limit for a driver under 21 years of age in California is:
- 0.01% (Correct answer)
- 0.04%
- 0.05%
- 0.08%
Correct answer: 0.01%
California has a zero-tolerance policy for minors; Vehicle Code 23136 sets the limit at 0.01% BAC.
Question 6: Which clue observed during vehicle operation is most associated with DUI detection according to NHTSA research?
- Speeding excessively
- Turning with a wide radius (Correct answer)
- Driving 10 mph over the limit
- Following too closely
Correct answer: Turning with a wide radius
NHTSA research identifies 'turning with a wide radius' as one of the highest-probability cues for DUI detection.
Question 7: A preliminary alcohol screening (PAS) device is typically used:
- After arrest as the mandatory chemical test
- Only at sobriety checkpoints
- Before arrest as an investigative tool (Correct answer)
- Only for commercial drivers
Correct answer: Before arrest as an investigative tool
A PAS device is a pre-arrest investigative tool used voluntarily to help establish probable cause; it does not satisfy the post-arrest implied consent requirement.
CHP DUI Detection and Enforcement 1
In California, the legal blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit for non-commercial drivers aged 21 and older is: