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. It is illegal to operate a commercial motor vehicle if your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is at least what level?

   Correct answer: .04%

   Driving a CMV with a BAC of .04% or higher is illegal and carries a loss of the CDL for at least one year on a first offense.

   Source: Massachusetts CDL Manual — Section 1.3: CDL Disqualifications

2. 2. Besides the amount and speed of drinking, what else determines a person's blood alcohol concentration?

   Correct answer: The person's body weight

   BAC depends on how much you drink, how fast you drink it, and your body weight — a smaller person reaches the same BAC on less alcohol.

   Source: Massachusetts CDL Manual — Section 2.22: Alcohol, Other Drugs, and Driving

3. 3. What is the safest rule regarding mixing other drugs with driving?

   Correct answer: Don't mix any drugs with driving at all

   The safest rule is not to mix any drugs with driving at all, since alcohol can worsen the effects of other drugs and even some cold medicines can make a driver drowsy.

   Source: Massachusetts CDL Manual — Section 2.22: Alcohol, Other Drugs, and Driving

4. 4. How does alcohol enter the body and reach the brain?

   Correct answer: It goes straight into the bloodstream and travels to the brain

   Alcohol passes directly into the bloodstream and is carried to the brain; a small amount leaves through urine, sweat, and breath, while the rest goes to the liver.

   Source: Massachusetts CDL Manual — Section 2.22: Alcohol, Other Drugs, and Driving

5. 5. By driving a CMV, what have you agreed to regarding alcohol testing?

   Correct answer: You have consented to alcohol testing

   Operating a CMV means you are deemed to have given consent to alcohol testing; refusing a test brings the same one-year disqualification as driving over the limit.

   Source: Massachusetts CDL Manual — Section 1.3: CDL Disqualifications

6. 6. A 12-ounce glass of 5% beer contains about the same amount of alcohol as which of the following?

   Correct answer: A 1.5-ounce shot of 80-proof liquor

   A 12-ounce beer, a 5-ounce pour of 12% wine, and a 1.5-ounce shot of 80-proof liquor each hold about an equal quantity of alcohol.

   Source: Massachusetts CDL Manual — Section 2.22: Alcohol, Other Drugs, and Driving

7. 7. The liver processes alcohol at a fixed rate. What does this mean for sobering up?

   Correct answer: Only time will lower your BAC

   Because the liver removes alcohol at a fixed rate, only the passage of time will sober you up — black coffee, a cold shower, or fresh air will not speed it along.

   Source: Massachusetts CDL Manual — Section 2.22: Alcohol, Other Drugs, and Driving

8. 8. Which of these driving effects is commonly caused by drinking alcohol before driving?

   Correct answer: Increased reaction time to hazards

   Alcohol lengthens reaction time and impairs coordination and judgment, leading to errors such as weaving, driving in the wrong lane, and driving too fast or too slow.

   Source: Massachusetts CDL Manual — Section 2.22: Alcohol, Other Drugs, and Driving

9. 9. Which part of a person's abilities does alcohol affect first as the BAC rises?

   Correct answer: Judgment and self-control

   Alcohol first affects the part of the brain controlling judgment and self-control, which can keep drinkers from realizing they are becoming impaired.

   Source: Massachusetts CDL Manual — Section 2.22: Alcohol, Other Drugs, and Driving

10. 10. What happens if you are found operating a CMV with a detectable amount of alcohol below .04%?

    Correct answer: You are placed out of service for 24 hours

    Any detectable alcohol under .04% will place you out of service for 24 hours, even though it is below the level that triggers a longer disqualification.

    Source: Massachusetts CDL Manual — Section 1.3: CDL Disqualifications

11. 11. When is possession and use of a prescription drug permitted while driving a CMV?

    Correct answer: When a doctor says it will not affect safe driving

    A prescription drug is permitted only when the prescribing physician tells the driver it will not impair safe driving.

    Source: Massachusetts CDL Manual — Section 2.22: Alcohol, Other Drugs, and Driving

12. 12. How long will you lose your CDL for a first alcohol offense while driving a CMV placarded for hazardous materials?

    Correct answer: At least 3 years

    A first alcohol offense normally costs the CDL for at least one year, but if it happens while operating a placarded hazmat vehicle the loss is at least three years.

    Source: Massachusetts CDL Manual — Section 1.3: CDL Disqualifications