Impaired Driving & Penalties — New York
New York CDL practice test: 389 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: 16 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 | New York CDL permit (CLP) knowledge tests |
| Topic questions | 16 (4% of 389 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
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Questions (16)
1. Which of the following is not a sign of a person being drowsy?
- Frequent blinking
- Drifting from your lane
- Feeling hungry ✓
- Yawning
Answer: C. Feeling hungry
Feeling hungry is not a sign of drowsiness; the handbook's fatigue warnings include drifting from your lane and feeling restless or irritable. Feeling hungry is not among the fatigue warning signs the Texas CDL Handbook gives. The handbook tells drivers to stop and rest when they notice signs such as drifting from the lane, following too closely, hitting a shoulder rumble strip, trouble remembering the last few miles, missing exits or signs, or feeling restless and irritable. It describes fatigue as physical or mental tiredness that impairs vision and judgment. Hunger is not listed as an alertness warning, while lane drifting is directly named.
2. It is illegal to operate a CMV with a minimum blood alcohol content (BAC) of:
- 0.01 percent.
- 0.02 percent.
- 0.04 percent. ✓
- 0.08 percent.
Answer: C. 0.04 percent.
It is illegal to operate a CMV with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.04 percent or more. The handbook states plainly that driving a CMV with a BAC of .04% or higher is illegal, and it lists that same level as a serious offense. So for a commercial vehicle the line is drawn at 0.04 percent, not at the higher figure that applies to ordinary drivers. The passages also note that by operating a CMV you agree to alcohol testing, which ties back to how that limit is enforced.
3. 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
4. If you identify a distracted driver on the road, you should:
- Follow their vehicle closely.
- Try to get their attention.
- Give them plenty of room. ✓
- Flash your lights at them.
Answer: C. Give them plenty of room.
Give them plenty of room and keep your safe following distance. The handbook's section on watching out for distracted drivers says to give a distracted driver plenty of room and maintain your safe following distance. It also warns you to be very careful when passing, because the distracted driver may not know you are there and may drift in front of you. Keeping space around them means you have time to react if they drift over the lane divider, vary their speed, or move suddenly.
5. When you are driving while drowsy, you should:
- Press on and try to finish the trip.
- Take drugs to keep awake.
- Stop and take a nap. ✓
- Stop for a coffee break.
Answer: C. Stop and take a nap.
When you are driving while drowsy, you should stop and take a nap. The handbook lists stopping driving and getting rest or taking a nap as a way to stay alert. It also says that when you notice signs of fatigue, you should stop driving and either sleep for the night or take a 15–20 minute nap. It warns that trying to push on when tired is far more dangerous than many drivers think and is a major cause of fatal accidents.
6. 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.
7. When driving, you should stop and take a break ____ to avoid becoming too tired.
- Every half hour
- Every hour
- Every two hours ✓
- Every six hours
Answer: C. Every two hours
You should stop and take a break about every two hours during a long trip to keep from getting too tired. The handbook's list of ways to stay alert on the road includes taking periodic breaks, and it puts the timing at roughly every 100 miles or 2 hours on long trips. The same section warns that trying to push on while tired is a major cause of fatal accidents, and it tells you to stop driving and rest or nap once you notice signs of fatigue. So the two-hour mark is the book's own break interval, not a guess.
8. Which of the following is not an activity that causes a distraction?
- Adjusting the radio
- Adjusting the CD player
- Eating
- Checking your mirrors ✓
Answer: D. Checking your mirrors
Checking your mirrors is not a distraction — it is a driving task the handbook tells you to do regularly and quickly. The handbook treats mirror checks as part of normal safe driving. In the tight-maneuver section it says to check your mirrors often and to check them regularly, more often in special situations, and it explains how to use them correctly by looking quickly and understanding what you see. It also mentions using the mirrors to watch for signs of smoke from tires or the vehicle. Since looking in the mirrors is something you are supposed to do on purpose while driving, it counts as a driving task rather than a distraction.
9. How can you avoid becoming drowsy on a trip?
- Get about three hours of sleep beforehand.
- Plan ahead, including stopping points. ✓
- Do not build exercise into your daily routine.
- Schedule the trip at night.
Answer: B. Plan ahead, including stopping points.
10. 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.
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Last checked: 2026-10-17 · Verified from official source
Updated: · Based on the official driver handbook