SAAQ Alcohol, Drugs, and Driving 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: At what blood alcohol concentration does the risk of a fatal crash increase approximately 7 times compared to a sober driver?
- 0.02%
- 0.05%
- 0.08% (Correct answer)
- 0.15%
Correct answer: 0.08%
Research shows that at 0.08% BAC, crash risk is roughly 7 times higher than at 0% BAC.
Question 2: Which factor does NOT significantly affect how quickly alcohol is absorbed into the bloodstream?
- Whether food is in the stomach
- The colour of the alcoholic beverage (Correct answer)
- Body weight of the person
- Rate of alcohol consumption
Correct answer: The colour of the alcoholic beverage
The colour of a drink has no effect on alcohol absorption; food, body weight, and drinking speed all do.
Question 3: A driver who refuses to provide a breath sample when lawfully demanded by police will face:
- A small fine and no licence suspension
- The same or greater penalties as a drunk driving conviction (Correct answer)
- Only a verbal warning on the first refusal
- A mandatory driving course
Correct answer: The same or greater penalties as a drunk driving conviction
Refusing a lawful breath demand carries penalties equal to or greater than those for a conviction at 0.08% BAC.
Question 4: How does fatigue interact with alcohol consumption when driving?
- Fatigue cancels out alcohol's impairing effects
- Fatigue and alcohol together multiply impairment beyond each effect alone (Correct answer)
- Only one of the two impairs driving at a time
- A fatigued driver is always more impaired than a drunk driver
Correct answer: Fatigue and alcohol together multiply impairment beyond each effect alone
Fatigue and alcohol have a synergistic effect, causing combined impairment that exceeds either factor alone.
Question 5: Under Quebec's Administrative Licence Suspension (ALS) program, how long is the first suspension for a BAC at or above 0.08%?
- 24 hours
- 72 hours
- 90 days (Correct answer)
- 1 year
Correct answer: 90 days
A first ALS for a BAC of 0.08% or more results in an immediate 90-day administrative licence suspension.
Question 6: Which of the following drugs is most commonly detected in fatally injured drivers after alcohol?
- Heroin
- Cannabis (THC) (Correct answer)
- Cocaine
- LSD
Correct answer: Cannabis (THC)
Cannabis is the second most commonly detected drug in fatally injured drivers, after alcohol.
Question 7: A friend insists he is fine to drive after three drinks because he 'doesn't feel drunk.' What is the most accurate response?
- He is correct; feeling fine means he is below the legal limit
- Tolerance to alcohol's effects does not reduce its actual impairing impact on driving skills (Correct answer)
- Feeling fine proves his liver is processing the alcohol faster
- Eating beforehand means the alcohol did not enter his bloodstream
Correct answer: Tolerance to alcohol's effects does not reduce its actual impairing impact on driving skills
Tolerance makes a person feel less drunk but does not reduce the neurological impairment alcohol causes to driving-related skills.
SAAQ Alcohol, Drugs, and Driving 3
At what blood alcohol concentration does the risk of a fatal crash increase approximately 7 times compared to a sober driver?