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. After you drink alcohol, where does it go in the body?

   Correct answer: It goes directly into the bloodstream and to the brain

   Alcohol passes straight into the bloodstream and is carried to the brain, where it affects driving abilities.

   Source: Wisconsin CDL Manual, Section 2.22.1 — How Alcohol Works

2. 2. Which pairing contains the same amount of alcohol as a 1.5-ounce shot of 80-proof liquor?

   Correct answer: A 12-ounce glass of 5% beer

   A 12-ounce glass of 5 percent beer holds the same amount of alcohol as that shot or a 5-ounce glass of wine.

   Source: Wisconsin CDL Manual, Section 2.22.1 — How Alcohol Works

3. 3. Which driving-related abilities does alcohol impair?

   Correct answer: Coordination, reactions, depth perception, and seeing at night

   Alcohol weakens coordination, slows reactions, and harms depth perception as well as vision after dark, all vital to driving.

   Source: Wisconsin CDL Manual, Section 2.22.1 — Alcohol and Driving

4. 4. What is the only thing that will actually sober up a person who has been drinking?

   Correct answer: The passage of time

   Because the body eliminates alcohol at a fixed rate, only the passage of time will sober someone up.

   Source: Wisconsin CDL Manual, Section 2.22.1 — How Alcohol Works

5. 5. Which factors determine a person's blood alcohol concentration?

   Correct answer: Amount consumed, how fast, and body weight

   BAC depends on how much you drink, how fast you drink it and your body weight.

   Source: Wisconsin CDL Manual, Section 2.22.1 — What Determines Blood Alcohol Concentration

6. 6. What is the only real cure for fatigue, according to the manual?

   Correct answer: Rest

   No drug can substitute for sleep; the only genuine cure for fatigue is rest.

   Source: Wisconsin CDL Manual, Section 2.22.2 — Other Drugs

7. 7. Why should a driver be cautious about ordinary cold medicines?

   Correct answer: They can cause drowsiness that affects driving

   Many over-the-counter cold remedies can make you drowsy and affect your ability to drive safely.

   Source: Wisconsin CDL Manual, Section 2.22.2 — Other Drugs

8. 8. About how much alcohol can the liver process in one hour?

   Correct answer: About one third of an ounce

   The liver clears only about one third of an ounce of alcohol per hour, a fixed rate that cannot be sped up.

   Source: Wisconsin CDL Manual, Section 2.22.1 — How Alcohol Works

9. 9. Under Wisconsin's Implied Consent law, what happens if you refuse a requested test for alcohol or drugs?

   Correct answer: Your operating privilege is revoked for at least a year

   Refusing the officer's test revokes your operating privilege for at least one year, along with other penalties.

   Source: Wisconsin CDL Manual, Warnings and Penalties — Implied Consent Law

10. 10. How does alcohol interact with other drugs a driver may have taken?

    Correct answer: It can make their effects much worse

    Mixing alcohol with other drugs can intensify their effects, so pairing either with driving is especially risky.

    Source: Wisconsin CDL Manual, Section 2.22.2 — Other Drugs

11. 11. What does the law say about amphetamines such as 'pep pills' or 'uppers' for a commercial driver on duty?

    Correct answer: They are prohibited while on duty

    Being under the influence of amphetamines or similar controlled substances while on duty is prohibited.

    Source: Wisconsin CDL Manual, Section 2.22.2 — Other Drugs

12. 12. When is it acceptable for a driver to use a drug a doctor has prescribed?

    Correct answer: If the doctor says it won't affect safe driving

    It is allowed when the prescribing physician tells the driver the medication will not hurt safe driving ability.

    Source: Wisconsin CDL Manual, Section 2.22.2 — Other Drugs