Alcohol & Drugs

Study questions with answers

12 sample Alcohol & Drugs questions with the correct answer, a short explanation, and the official handbook reference. Read through them, then take the quiz above.

1. 1. In Tennessee, an adult driver is legally intoxicated when the blood alcohol concentration reaches:

   Correct answer: .08 percent

   A BAC of .08 percent or higher is always illegal for adult drivers in Tennessee.

   Source: Tennessee Comprehensive Driver License Manual — Blood Alcohol Concentration

2. 2. The manual states that at least what share of the knowledge test consists of questions about alcohol and drugs?

   Correct answer: 25 percent

   By law, at least 25 percent of the questions on the knowledge test deal with driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

   Source: Tennessee Comprehensive Driver License Manual — Alcohol, Other Drugs and Driving

3. 3. A driver whose breath test shows .00 percent alcohol:

   Correct answer: Can still be convicted of DUI if impaired by drugs

   A BAC below .08 does not clear a driver; someone impaired by drugs can register .00 alcohol and still be convicted of DUI.

   Source: Tennessee Comprehensive Driver License Manual — Driving Under the Influence of Drugs or Alcohol

4. 4. A driver who is at least 16 but under 21 can be convicted of underage driving while impaired at a BAC as low as:

   Correct answer: .02 percent

   For drivers under 21, a BAC of .02 percent is enough to be convicted of underage driving while impaired.

   Source: Tennessee Comprehensive Driver License Manual — Under 21 Laws

5. 5. As the percentage of alcohol in a person's blood rises, that person becomes:

   Correct answer: More intoxicated

   A higher BAC means greater impairment; the more alcohol in the blood, the more intoxicated the person is.

   Source: Tennessee Comprehensive Driver License Manual — Blood Alcohol Concentration

6. 6. The only thing that will actually sober up a person who has been drinking is:

   Correct answer: The passage of time

   Coffee, cold showers, and exercise do not help; only the passage of time reduces the alcohol in your system.

   Source: Tennessee Comprehensive Driver License Manual — How Does Alcohol Affect the Body

7. 7. Mixing alcohol with another depressant such as a tranquilizer or sedative can be especially dangerous because the effects are:

   Correct answer: Multiplied rather than simply added

   When alcohol is combined with another depressant the effects are not merely added; they are multiplied, making impairment much worse.

   Source: Tennessee Comprehensive Driver License Manual — Every Day Drugs

8. 8. If a person 18, 19, or 20 years old is convicted of possessing alcohol, even without driving, the penalty includes:

   Correct answer: Loss of the driving privilege for one year

   An 18-to-20-year-old convicted of purchasing or possessing alcohol loses their driving privilege for one year, whether or not they were driving.

   Source: Tennessee Comprehensive Driver License Manual — Under 21 Laws

9. 9. Having food in the stomach before drinking alcohol will:

   Correct answer: Slow how quickly the alcohol is absorbed

   Food slows the rate at which alcohol is absorbed, but all the alcohol eventually reaches the blood whether or not you have eaten.

   Source: Tennessee Comprehensive Driver License Manual — Amount of Food in the Stomach

10. 10. Alcohol acts on the body as a:

    Correct answer: Depressant

    Alcohol is a depressant that slows nerve impulses and body functions; the brief feeling of stimulation comes from lowered inhibitions.

    Source: Tennessee Comprehensive Driver License Manual — Alertness and Concentration

11. 11. Approximately how much alcohol can the liver remove from the body in one hour?

    Correct answer: About one drink

    The liver oxidizes only about one drink per hour, and nothing but time can speed up the process.

    Source: Tennessee Comprehensive Driver License Manual — How Does Alcohol Affect the Body

12. 12. According to the manual, the first driving-related ability affected by alcohol is:

    Correct answer: Judgment

    Judgment is the first thing impaired when a person drinks, which is why decisions such as whether to drive get harder after just a drink or two.

    Source: Tennessee Comprehensive Driver License Manual — Alcohol's Effects on Driving Ability