DGT Alcohol, Drugs & Impaired Driving 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A driver with a BAC of 0.08% is stopped by police. Under implied consent law, what happens if the driver refuses a breathalyzer test?
- The driver cannot be charged with DUI
- The driver's license is automatically suspended and refusal may be used as evidence (Correct answer)
- The officer must obtain a warrant before any penalty applies
- The driver is only fined but keeps their license
Correct answer: The driver's license is automatically suspended and refusal may be used as evidence
Refusing a chemical test under implied consent typically results in automatic license suspension and the refusal itself can be presented as evidence of guilt in court.
Question 2: Which of the following is a standard field sobriety test (FST) recognized by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)?
- Counting backward from 100
- The one-leg stand test (Correct answer)
- Reading a license plate from 50 feet
- Parallel parking in a cone course
Correct answer: The one-leg stand test
NHTSA has standardized three FSTs: the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus, the Walk-and-Turn, and the One-Leg Stand test.
Question 3: How long does it generally take the liver to metabolize one standard drink (0.6 oz of pure alcohol)?
- 15 minutes
- 30 minutes
- About one hour (Correct answer)
- Two hours
Correct answer: About one hour
The liver metabolizes approximately one standard drink per hour, meaning BAC rises faster than it falls when multiple drinks are consumed quickly.
Question 4: Which of the following prescription medications is most likely to impair driving ability?
- Antacids
- Antihistamines that cause drowsiness (Correct answer)
- Vitamins and supplements
- Topical pain creams
Correct answer: Antihistamines that cause drowsiness
Sedating antihistamines can cause drowsiness, slowed reaction time, and impaired coordination, making them particularly dangerous when driving.
Question 5: What does the term 'aggravated DUI' typically refer to?
- A first-time DUI with a BAC of exactly 0.08%
- A DUI involving a BAC significantly above the legal limit, a minor passenger, or prior convictions (Correct answer)
- Driving under the influence in a school zone only
- Any DUI committed in daylight hours
Correct answer: A DUI involving a BAC significantly above the legal limit, a minor passenger, or prior convictions
Aggravated DUI involves enhanced circumstances such as an extremely high BAC (e.g., 0.16% or more), having a child passenger, causing injury, or having prior DUI convictions.
Question 6: Which effect of marijuana use is most directly relevant to driving safety?
- Increased ability to multitask
- Impaired lane tracking and slower reaction time (Correct answer)
- Better peripheral vision
- Reduced aggressive driving behavior
Correct answer: Impaired lane tracking and slower reaction time
Marijuana impairs the brain regions responsible for motor coordination, lane tracking, and reaction time, all of which are essential for safe driving.
Question 7: In most U.S. states, a second DUI conviction within a specified period results in:
- Only a written warning
- The same penalties as a first offense
- Enhanced penalties including longer license suspension and possible jail time (Correct answer)
- Automatic dismissal if BAC was exactly 0.08%
Correct answer: Enhanced penalties including longer license suspension and possible jail time
Repeat DUI offenses carry escalating penalties including longer license suspensions, mandatory ignition interlock devices, higher fines, and possible imprisonment.
DGT Alcohol, Drugs & Impaired Driving 2
A driver with a BAC of 0.08% is stopped by police.
Under implied consent law, what happens if the driver refuses a breathalyzer test?