TAM Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) & Alcohol Absorption 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the legal BAC limit for operating a motor vehicle in Maryland for drivers age 21 and older?
- 0.04%
- 0.06%
- 0.08% (Correct answer)
- 0.10%
Correct answer: 0.08%
Maryland, like all U.S. states, sets the per se DUI BAC limit at 0.08% for non-commercial drivers age 21 and over.
Question 2: Approximately how long does it take for a healthy adult liver to metabolize one standard drink?
- 15–20 minutes
- 30–45 minutes
- About one hour (Correct answer)
- Two to three hours
Correct answer: About one hour
The liver metabolizes alcohol at a fixed rate of roughly one standard drink per hour, regardless of coffee, food, or other remedies.
Question 3: Which organ is primarily responsible for metabolizing alcohol in the body?
- Kidneys
- Stomach
- Liver (Correct answer)
- Small intestine
Correct answer: Liver
The liver breaks down approximately 90–95% of consumed alcohol using the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase.
Question 4: Which of the following counts as ONE standard drink under U.S. guidelines?
- 16 oz of regular beer (5% ABV)
- 5 oz of wine (12% ABV) (Correct answer)
- 2 oz of distilled spirits (40% ABV)
- 12 oz of wine cooler (3% ABV)
Correct answer: 5 oz of wine (12% ABV)
A standard drink contains 0.6 oz of pure alcohol, which equals 5 oz of wine at 12% ABV.
Question 5: Which of the following factors does NOT significantly affect the rate of alcohol absorption into the bloodstream?
- The presence of food in the stomach
- The drinker's eye color (Correct answer)
- Carbonation of the beverage
- The drinker's body weight
Correct answer: The drinker's eye color
Eye color has no physiological effect on how quickly alcohol is absorbed; body weight, food, and carbonation all do.
Question 6: At what BAC level does Maryland define the lesser offense of Driving While Impaired (DWI)?
- 0.04%
- 0.07% (Correct answer)
- 0.08%
- 0.10%
Correct answer: 0.07%
Maryland law defines DWI at a BAC of 0.07%, which carries penalties less severe than the per se DUI threshold of 0.08%.
Question 7: What effect does drinking on an empty stomach have on BAC compared to drinking after a full meal?
- BAC rises more slowly because the stomach is producing more acid
- BAC rises faster because there is no food to slow alcohol absorption (Correct answer)
- BAC is unaffected because the liver metabolizes at the same rate either way
- BAC rises more slowly because the body is more hydrated when fasting
Correct answer: BAC rises faster because there is no food to slow alcohol absorption
Without food present, alcohol passes rapidly into the small intestine where most absorption occurs, causing BAC to spike more quickly.
TAM Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) & Alcohol Absorption 1
What is the legal BAC limit for operating a motor vehicle in Maryland for drivers age 21 and older?