Impaired Driving & Penalties — Maryland
Maryland CDL practice test: 460 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: 15 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 | Maryland CDL permit (CLP) knowledge tests |
| Topic questions | 15 (3% of 460 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 (15)
1. Alcohol evaporators are:
- Illegal.
- Used to introduce alcohol into air brake systems. ✓
- Only allowed in the northern parts of the state.
Answer: B. Used to introduce alcohol into air brake systems.
2. Which of the following determines your blood alcohol concentration (BAC)?
- How much you drink ✓
- How frequently you drink
- The temperature of the drink
- The color of the drink
Answer: A. How much you drink
Your blood alcohol concentration is determined by how much you drink, along with how fast you drink and your weight. The handbook says BAC depends on the amount of alcohol consumed: more alcohol raises BAC. It also lists drinking speed and body weight as factors, because a smaller person can reach the same BAC with less alcohol. Among the choices, only the quantity you drink is one of those stated factors. The handbook does not list how often you drink, drink temperature, or drink color as things that set BAC.
3. Which of the following is not a type of distraction?
- Physical
- Mental
- Obtuse ✓
Answer: C. Obtuse
Obtuse is not a type of distraction. The handbook says a distraction is anything that takes your attention away from driving, and it gives examples such as talking to passengers, adjusting controls, eating or drinking, texting, and daydreaming or being occupied with other mental distractions. Those examples include physical actions and mental attention. The handbook never lists obtuse as a distraction category, and nothing in the passage ties that word to something that pulls your attention from driving.
4. If asked by a law enforcement officer to take a test to determine your blood alcohol concentration (BAC):
- You can refuse to take the test without a penalty.
- You can refuse taking the test but will be required to pay a $50 fine.
- You will lose your CDL if you refuse to take the test. ✓
Answer: C. You will lose your CDL if you refuse to take the test.
If an officer asks you to take a BAC test, refusing will cost you your CDL. The handbook explains that driving a commercial motor vehicle in the state means you have already agreed to submit to a chemical test of breath, blood, or urine to measure BAC or detect drugs. Because that consent is implied by the act of driving, saying no to the test is treated as a serious matter: the handbook states plainly that refusing a BAC test while operating a CMV results in losing your CDL for a period set by law. The length of that loss is not given here, only that it happens.
5. If a driver begins to feel fatigued while driving, they should:
- Continue driving.
- Drink coffee.
- Stop and rest. ✓
- Drive faster to finish the trip more quickly.
Answer: C. Stop and rest.
If you begin to feel fatigued while driving, you should stop and rest. The handbook's fatigue section says that when you feel tired, you should stop driving and get some rest or take a nap. It also says caffeine can increase awareness for only a few hours, then wears off, so you should not rely on it to prevent fatigue. The signs of fatigue should tell you to stop and rest. That supports stopping to rest rather than continuing, using coffee, or trying to finish faster.
6. 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.
7. What eliminates alcohol from the bloodstream?
- Coffee
- Exercise
- Time ✓
Answer: C. Time
Time is what eliminates alcohol from the bloodstream. The handbook explains that alcohol goes into the bloodstream and the liver processes it at a fixed rate—only one-third of an ounce per hour, less than a standard drink. Because that rate cannot be sped up, the passage says only time, not black coffee or a cold shower, will sober you up. That directly supports choosing time as what eliminates alcohol from the bloodstream.
8. Which of the following is not an example of a distracted person that motorists should be worried about?
- A driver talking to a passenger in their vehicle
- A child on the side of the road
- A construction worker on the side of the road
- A person sitting on a bench waiting for a bus ✓
Answer: D. A person sitting on a bench waiting for a bus
9. Distracted driving:
- Always comes as a result of physical distraction, not mental distraction.
- Can be elevated by pre-programming radio stations.
- Can be avoided by eating while driving.
- Can be avoided by not engaging in complex conversations while driving. ✓
Answer: D. Can be avoided by not engaging in complex conversations while driving.
You can avoid distracted driving by not engaging in complex conversations while driving. The handbook's driving-safely section lists ways to reduce distraction before and during a trip. It says to pre-program radio stations, review maps, and plan your route before you begin driving. While driving, it says not to read or write, to avoid smoking, eating, and drinking, and not to engage in complex or emotionally intense conversations with other occupants. Choosing not to have complex conversations removes one of the distractions the handbook specifically names, so it is a valid way to help avoid distracted driving.
10. When experiencing cold weather, be sure to check your vehicle's alcohol evaporator:
- Every three hours.
- Every day. ✓
- Every other week.
Answer: B. Every day.
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Source
Last checked: 2026-10-17 · Verified from official source
Updated: · Based on the official driver handbook