New DMV Test Questions
Expect a greater emphasis on understanding your state’s drinking and driving laws on new DMV permit and driver’s license tests.
Drunk driving has been a significant traffic problem in the United States and elsewhere for a long time. Alcohol and drugs are not only a problem for the drunk driver—they increase the risk of severe injuries and death for everyone on the road.
Alcohol is involved in about 30 percent of all vehicle deaths. Although drunk driving and fatalities have declined over the past ten years, the numbers remain high. As many as 20 percent of all drivers admit to having driven after drinking alcohol at least once during the year. Other studies show that nearly one million teens drive while under the influence of alcohol each year.
Ace the DMV Test
Some states require alcohol and drug awareness classes as prerequisites for a learner’s permit. In other states, the Department of Motor Vehicles focuses more on alcohol in the Driver’s Manual or Driver Handbook. Consequently, more questions on this subject have been added to the written DMV test.
This means you should expand your knowledge of alcohol and drunk-driving laws and prepare yourself with more practice questions.
Understand the Physical Effects of Alcohol
Just knowing that drinking and driving are dangerous doesn’t mean you’ll master the DMV test questions. It’s important to understand what happens in your body when you drink. You should know that alcohol is a depressant, not a stimulant—it slows you down. The first things to go are usually your reflexes and judgment.
Understand Blood Alcohol Concentration
Once alcohol enters your body, it goes directly to your brain and bloodstream. There is no way to quickly remove alcohol or reduce your blood alcohol concentration (BAC). Your body and liver can only handle so much alcohol at a time. Cold showers or black coffee won’t help you sober up faster—only time will. (They love that question on the DMV tests, so be ready!)
Know the Law
The legal BAC limit (0.08 percent) is only one way to be convicted of drunk driving. Drugs in your blood or the testimony of the arresting police officer may be enough for a conviction—even if you are below the legal limit. Does that come as a surprise? It does for many people taking the real DMV knowledge test.
You should also understand the Implied Consent Law and what happens if you refuse to take a test to measure the alcohol in your blood or breath.
Other laws to be aware of include open-container and zero-tolerance laws. You’ll find them described in most driver manuals.
Here Are Some Examples of Common DMV Questions About Alcohol
Question 1: How does alcohol affect your driving skills and reaction time?
- A. It helps driving skills but harms your reaction time.
- B. It helps your reaction time but harms driving skills overall.
- C. It harms both driving skills and reaction time.
- D. It does not affect driving skills or reaction time.
ANSWER: C. Alcohol is a depressant. It slows your brain and reactions and harms your driving skills.
Question 2: The Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) depends on each of the following, EXCEPT:
- A. Body weight.
- B. How physically fit a person is.
- C. Time spent drinking.
- D. The amount of alcohol consumed.
ANSWER: B. Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) depends mainly on body weight, time spent drinking, and the amount of alcohol. It doesn’t matter how fit you are.
Question 3: Which of the following is the only thing that will help you sober up after drinking alcohol?
- A. Time.
- B. Vitamins.
- C. Plenty of water.
- D. A cold shower.
ANSWER: A. Because your liver oxidizes alcohol at a constant rate (about one drink per hour), nothing but time will sober you up.
Question 4: Which of the following statements is true about Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC)?
- A. A chemical test for BAC is needed for an alcohol conviction.
- B. BAC levels are quickly reduced by eating or drinking coffee.
- C. Breathalyzers or blood samples can measure BAC levels.
- D. Exercise increases Blood Alcohol Concentration.
ANSWER: C. Breathalyzers indirectly measure Blood Alcohol Concentration by estimating the amount of alcohol on the subject’s breath. A urine sample or blood sample can also measure Blood Alcohol Concentration.
Question 5: What kinds of drugs, other than alcohol, can affect safe driving?
- A. Allergy medicines.
- B. Cold remedies and cough syrups.
- C. Marijuana.
- D. All of the above.
ANSWER: D. Some allergy remedies, cough syrups, and cold pills—which you can buy without a prescription—contain codeine, alcohol, antihistamines, or bromides, which can all affect safe driving. Studies also show that users of marijuana are unsafe drivers and have more arrests for traffic violations than other drivers.
Question 6: What is true about the combined effects of alcohol together with other drugs?
- A. The effects of alcohol are usually eliminated.
- B. The effects are usually less severe than alcohol or drugs used alone.
- C. The effects can be eliminated by plenty of fresh air.
- D. The effects are often multiplied.
ANSWER: D. When alcohol is used together with other drugs, the effects are often multiplied. They can harm the mind and body, sometimes resulting in death.
Question 7: To be convicted of drunk driving in any state when you are 21 years of age or older, your Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) MUST be:
- A. At least 0.08 percent.
- B. At least 0.05 percent.
- C. At least 0.10 percent.
- D. None of the above.
ANSWER: D. The legal limit for adults is 0.08 in all states. However, any amount of alcohol is likely to impair your driving ability. Drugs in your blood or the testimony of the arresting police officer regarding your driving performance may be enough for a conviction.
Question 8: What happens to your driver’s license if you refuse to take a chemical test (breath or blood)?
- A. You will lose your privilege to drive.
- B. Nothing, since you cannot be convicted of drunk driving.
- C. Nothing unless you are later convicted in court.
ANSWER: A. A refusal means your license will be taken away (administrative penalty).
Question 9: Driving under the influence of alcohol or other drugs may result in:
- A. Imprisonment.
- B. A fine.
- C. Loss of driving privilege.
- D. All of the above.
ANSWER: D. In all states, you risk the loss of your driving privilege, mandatory fines, and imprisonment.
Question 10: What is true about drinking coffee after drinking alcohol?
- A. It allows you to sober up more quickly.
- B. It does not affect your Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC).
- C. It cancels out the effects of alcohol.
- D. None of the above.
ANSWER: B. Drinking coffee does not affect your Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC). Because your liver oxidizes alcohol at a constant rate (about one drink per hour), nothing but time will sober you up.
Question 11: A driver who is taking a non-prescription drug should:
- A. Make sure they know the side effects of the drug before driving.
- B. Drive only during daylight hours.
- C. Only drive if they do not mix the drug with alcohol.
- D. Drive slower than other traffic and stay off high-speed roadways.
ANSWER: A. Make sure you know the side effects of any drug before driving. Check labels or talk to a doctor or pharmacist.
Question 12: On average, the human body can dispose of the alcohol in one standard drink in about:
- A. Five minutes.
- B. Three hours.
- C. One hour.
- D. 15 minutes.
ANSWER: C. The human body can dispose of the alcohol in one standard drink in about one hour.
Question 13: What is true about drinking just one drink of alcohol?
- A. It can affect your driving.
- B. It helps you stay awake and active.
- C. It improves your judgment.
- D. It reduces the side effects of drugs.
ANSWER: A. Any amount of alcohol is likely to impair your driving ability. One drink may be enough.
Question 14: Drinking alcohol and driving is:
- A. Only dangerous to the driver who drinks.
- B. Always safe if you only have one or two drinks.
- C. A major traffic safety problem.
- D. Always allowed, as long as your Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) is below 0.08.
ANSWER: C. Alcohol is the most dangerous and widely used drug in the United States today. It is a major traffic safety problem for all drivers—not only dangerous to the driver who drinks.
Question 15: Which of the following is a likely effect of drinking alcohol?
- A. Poor judgment of distances and speed.
- B. Increased concentration and alertness.
- C. Color blindness.
- D. Smoother coordination and driving skills.
ANSWER: A. Alcohol impairs judgment and vision. It becomes harder to judge speed and distances.
Photo credit: Rido
