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. At what BAC level can reaction time and coordination begin to be impaired?

   Correct answer: 0.02 percent

   Reaction time and coordination are impaired by alcohol consumption as low as 0.02 percent BAC.

   Source: Tennessee Motorcycle Operator Manual - Reaction Time and Coordination

2. 2. Alcohol acts on the body as which type of substance?

   Correct answer: A depressant

   Alcohol in any concentration is a depressant, not a stimulant; it slows nerve impulses and body functions, and the feeling of stimulation comes from lowered inhibitions.

   Source: Tennessee Motorcycle Operator Manual - Alertness and Concentration

3. 3. In Tennessee, at what blood alcohol concentration is an adult driver always considered legally intoxicated?

   Correct answer: 0.08 percent

   A BAC of 0.08 percent is the level at which an adult is always considered legally intoxicated in Tennessee.

   Source: Tennessee Motorcycle Operator Manual - Alcohol, Drugs and Impaired Driving (BAC)

4. 4. In Tennessee, what is the BAC threshold for a driver under 21 to be charged with underage driving while impaired?

   Correct answer: 0.02 percent

   A person at least 16 but under 21 found driving with a BAC of 0.02 percent can be convicted of underage driving while impaired.

   Source: Tennessee Motorcycle Operator Manual - Under 21 Laws

5. 5. Which two abilities most important to riding are impaired by even small amounts of alcohol?

   Correct answer: Judgment and vision

   The two abilities most important to the driving task, judgment and vision, are both affected by small amounts of alcohol.

   Source: Tennessee Motorcycle Operator Manual - Alcohol's Effects on Driving Ability

6. 6. About how quickly can the liver oxidize alcohol from the body?

   Correct answer: About one drink per hour

   The liver can oxidize only about one drink per hour, and this rate cannot be sped up by coffee, a cold shower, or exercise.

   Source: Tennessee Motorcycle Operator Manual - Alcohol, Drugs and Impaired Driving (Effects of Alcohol)

7. 7. According to the manual, what is usually the first thing affected after a person drinks alcohol?

   Correct answer: Judgment

   The first thing affected by alcohol is a person's judgment, which is why setting a limit after you start drinking is unreliable.

   Source: Tennessee Motorcycle Operator Manual - Alcohol, Drugs and Impaired Driving (Did You Know)

8. 8. Which program is described as a successful way friends can prevent drinking and driving?

   Correct answer: The designated driver concept

   The designated driver concept, where friends agree ahead of time on someone who stays strictly sober, is described as one of the most successful prevention programs.

   Source: Tennessee Motorcycle Operator Manual - Prevention of Drinking and Driving

9. 9. How does being smaller than your drinking companions affect how alcohol impairs you?

   Correct answer: Your judgment is likely affected before theirs

   The heavier a person is, the more alcohol it takes to raise their BAC, so a smaller person who drinks as much as larger friends will likely be impaired before them.

   Source: Tennessee Motorcycle Operator Manual - Body Weight and Fat

10. 10. How does food in the stomach affect the absorption of alcohol?

    Correct answer: It slows how quickly alcohol is absorbed

    Food in the stomach causes alcohol to be absorbed more slowly, slowing the rate and amount of intoxication, though all the alcohol eventually reaches the blood.

    Source: Tennessee Motorcycle Operator Manual - Amount of Food in the Stomach

11. 11. The best advice the manual gives for combining drinking and riding is what?

    Correct answer: Do not drink when you plan to ride

    The best advice is simply not to drink when you know you are going to ride, and to separate drinking from riding entirely.

    Source: MSF Motorcycle Operator Manual - Being in Shape to Ride (Minimize the Risks)

12. 12. What happens when alcohol is combined with another depressant such as a tranquilizer or sedative?

    Correct answer: The effects are multiplied

    When alcohol is combined with another depressant, the effects are not just added together, they are multiplied, making the combination far more dangerous.

    Source: Tennessee Motorcycle Operator Manual - Every Day Drugs