Impaired Driving & Penalties — Alabama
Alabama CDL practice test: 447 free practice questions (Based on the official driver handbook). The official format is not yet verified; check the official site before your test. Impaired Driving & Penalties: 14 questions.
Blood alcohol limits, drugs and fatigue, licence suspensions, demerit points and fines.
This topic page is still being reviewed against the official handbook. Until review is finished it is hidden from search engines.
| Topic / Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Topic | Impaired Driving & Penalties |
| License test | Alabama CDL permit (CLP) knowledge tests |
| Topic questions | 14 (3% of 447 total) |
| Review status | This topic page is still being reviewed against the official handbook. Until review is finished it is hidden from search engines. |
Official handbook
Not yet verified
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Questions (14)
1. Which of the following determines your blood alcohol concentration (BAC)?
- How much you drink ✓
- How frequently you drink
- The temperature of the drink
Answer: A. How much you drink
The amount you drink determines your blood alcohol concentration (BAC). Your blood alcohol concentration goes up with the amount of alcohol you drink. The handbook lists the amount consumed, how fast you drink, and your weight as the things that set BAC, with more alcohol producing a higher BAC. It also says the source of the alcohol does not matter, so whether it comes from beer, wine, or liquor, what counts is the alcohol itself. Nothing in the passages says the temperature of a drink changes BAC. That is why the amount you drink is the listed factor among these choices.
2. Sending text messages while driving:
- May be done if the messages are short.
- Is encouraged.
- Is permitted if you are asking a question of your employer.
- Is not permitted. ✓
Answer: D. Is not permitted.
Sending text messages while driving is not permitted. The handbook states plainly that you may not send or read text messages while driving. It treats texting as a serious distraction: you take your eyes off the road to look at a screen and use your hands, and the risk of a safety-critical event rises sharply. The rule is written as a flat prohibition, not as something that depends on message length or who the message is for. That is why the correct choice is that texting is not permitted.
3. A fatigued driver:
- Is extra alert.
- Should take over-the-counter remedies to wake them up.
- May make critical decisions too slowly. ✓
- Is usually more conscientious than a typical driver.
Answer: C. May make critical decisions too slowly.
A fatigued driver may make critical decisions too slowly. The handbook describes fatigue as physical or mental tiredness from strain, repetitive tasks, illness, or lack of sleep. It says fatigue impairs your vision and judgment much like alcohol and drugs, and that it affects your ability to make critical decisions. It also slows how quickly you see and react to hazards and makes you more likely to misjudge speed and distance. So a tired driver does not simply feel sleepy; the thinking behind driving choices gets worse.
4. Which of the following indicates drowsy driving?
- Eyes going out of focus by themselves
- Having trouble keeping your head up
- Drifting from lane to lane
- All of the above ✓
Answer: D. All of the above
5. If feeling drowsy while driving, you should:
- Press on and finish the trip.
- Drive faster to reach your destination more quickly.
- Safely leave the road and take a nap. ✓
Answer: C. Safely leave the road and take a nap.
The correct move is to safely leave the road and take a nap. If you feel drowsy, the handbook's alertness guidance says to pull over and rest or nap. It also warns that trying to push on while tired is more dangerous than many drivers realize and is a major cause of fatal crashes. When fatigue signs appear, it tells you to stop and sleep for the night or take a short nap. That makes leaving the road safely the proper response.
6. Over-the-counter medication:
- Poses no safety risks to a driver.
- Is not referenced by any laws regarding driving under the influence.
- Cannot impair a driver.
- Can affect a person’s ability to drive safely. ✓
Answer: D. Can affect a person’s ability to drive safely.
Over-the-counter medication can affect a person’s ability to drive safely. The handbook lists prescription and over-the-counter drugs, such as cold medicines, among substances that can make a driver unsafe. It says these medicines may make you drowsy or otherwise affect your ability to drive safely. It also tells drivers to pay attention to warning labels and doctor's orders about possible effects. That is why the bank answer treats OTC medication as something that can change how safely you drive, not as a harmless product.
7. Texting while driving is especially dangerous because:
- It is both a mental and physical distraction. ✓
- A message may be upsetting to the driver.
- People like to read and may become too engaged in their phones.
Answer: A. It is both a mental and physical distraction.
Texting while driving is especially dangerous because it is both a mental and physical distraction. The handbook says texting makes you look at a small screen and work the keypad with your hands. That takes your eyes and hands away from driving, while your mind is also busy with the message. The handbook calls this a physical and mental distraction happening at the same time. It also says texting is riskier than talking on a cell phone for this reason. That combination is what makes texting especially dangerous, so the answer that names both kinds of distraction fits the handbook.
8. Compared to talking on a cell phone while driving, texting while driving is:
- Much safer.
- Just as safe.
- More dangerous. ✓
Answer: C. More dangerous.
Texting while driving is more dangerous than talking on a cell phone. The handbook states that text messaging is even riskier than a phone conversation. It explains that texting pulls your eyes to a small screen and ties up your hands on the keypad, and it distracts you physically and mentally at the same time. That combination is why the handbook treats texting as the most alarming distraction. Talking on a phone can also distract you, but the passage puts texting in a higher-risk category, so the correct choice is the one saying it is more dangerous.
9. A distracted driver:
- Usually reacts well to hazards.
- Usually has slowed perception. ✓
- Is usually aware of what is happening around them.
- Is a good person to follow.
Answer: B. Usually has slowed perception.
A distracted driver usually has slowed perception, so they may notice hazards late or miss them entirely. The handbook lists slowed perception as an effect of distracted driving. It says this can delay you in perceiving an important traffic event or make you fail to perceive it at all. The same section also mentions delayed decision making and improper action, which means distraction affects how you take in and respond to what is happening. Because the handbook ties distracted driving to slowed perception and increased risk, the answer that says perception is usually slowed fits directly.
10. The more alcohol in the body:
- The quicker the liver will digest the alcohol.
- The less effect the alcohol will have on the individual.
- The longer it will take to remove the alcohol from the body. ✓
Answer: C. The longer it will take to remove the alcohol from the body.
The more alcohol in the body, the longer it will take to remove it, so choose the answer saying removal takes longer. The handbook explains that the liver handles alcohol at a fixed rate — only about one-third of an ounce per hour, which is less than what a standard drink contains. Because that rate does not speed up, drinking faster than the body can clear alcohol means more of it builds up in your blood. The handbook states plainly that only time, not black coffee or a cold shower, sobers you up. So a larger amount of alcohol in the body simply means a longer wait before it is gone.
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Last checked: 2026-10-17 · Not yet verified
Updated: · Based on the official driver handbook