Impaired Driving & Penalties — Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania permit practice test: 355 free practice questions (140 official sample questions · Official driver handbook). Official test format: 18 Q, pass 15. Impaired Driving & Penalties: 33 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 | Pennsylvania Car learner's permit test |
| Topic questions | 33 (9% of 355 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
pa.gov ✓ Verified from official source
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Questions (33)
1. FOR A FIRST CONVICTION FOR DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE AT ANY BLOOD ALCOHOL CONCENTRATION LEVEL, YOU COULD:
- Lose your license for up to 5 years
- Be required to conduct a public education class on the dangers of drunk driving
- Be required to drive with a restricted occupational license
- Pay a fine of at least $300 ✓
Answer: D. Pay a fine of at least $300
For a first DUI conviction at any blood alcohol level, you could be required to pay a fine of at least $300. The handbook's penalty summary says a person convicted of driving under the influence must pay a fine of between $300 and $5,000, plus related fees and other costs. It also lists alcohol and drug treatment if needed and 12 1/2 hours of Alcohol Highway Safety School, and notes that safety school is required for first or second offenses at any impairment level. A fine of at least $300 fits that range, so it is the listed consequence among the choices.
2. IT IS AGAINST THE LAW FOR ANYONE UNDER THE AGE OF 21 TO ______ ALCOHOL.
- Serve
- Wear clothing advertising
- Be in the presence of
- Transport ✓
Answer: D. Transport
For anyone under 21, Pennsylvania law makes it illegal to transport alcohol. The handbook's underage drinking section says a person under 21 may not buy, consume, possess, or have alcohol in the vehicle they are driving, and it summarizes the rule as no consuming, possessing, or transporting alcohol. That summary matches transport in the question. The same chapter's review questions also test this exact wording, with transport listed as the choice. So the answer is the act of transporting alcohol, not serving it or merely being around someone who has it.
3. THE ZERO TOLERANCE LAW REDUCED THE BLOOD ALCOHOL CONTENT (BAC) FROM .08% TO ____ FOR DRIVERS UNDER 21 TO BE CHARGED WITH DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE.
- .02% ✓
- .05%
- .07%
- .00%
Answer: A. .02%
The Zero Tolerance law reduced the BAC level from .08% to .02% for drivers under 21 charged with driving under the influence. The Pennsylvania manual states that the Zero Tolerance law lowered the BAC level from .08 to .02 for drivers under 21 who are charged with DUI. The chapter review repeats the same rule: a driver under 21 is considered under the influence at .02% or higher. So the blank is filled by .02%, not the adult .08% level. The manual also explains that alcohol impairs driving skills, and that even a small amount affects concentration, perception, judgment and memory.
4. PEOPLE UNDER 16 YEARS OF AGE WHO USE A FALSE IDENTIFICATION CARD TO BUY ALCOHOL WILL:
- Receive a driving suspension that starts on their 16th birthday ✓
- Not be able to take the driver’s exam until their 21st birthday
- Receive a driving suspension that starts on their 21st birthday
- Be sent to an alcohol safety education class
Answer: A. Receive a driving suspension that starts on their 16th birthday
5. ONE OF THE PENALTIES FOR DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL IS A(N):
- 5 – year driver’s license suspension
- $100.00 fine
- Attendance to Alcohol Highway Safety School ✓
- 12 – hour sentence in jail
Answer: C. Attendance to Alcohol Highway Safety School
6. IT IS AGAINST THE LAW FOR ANYONE UNDER THE AGE OF 21 TO ______ ALCOHOL.
- Wear clothing advertising
- Possess ✓
- Serve
- Be in the presence of
Answer: B. Possess
In Pennsylvania, anyone under 21 is not allowed to possess alcohol. The handbook's underage drinking section says that if you are under 21 it is against the law to buy alcohol, consume it, have it in your possession, or have it in the vehicle you are driving. It repeats the point plainly: for anyone under 21, consuming, possessing or transporting alcohol is illegal. Possessing alcohol is one of the acts the manual names directly, so it fits the blank in the question.
7. DRIVERS WHO EAT AND DRINK WHILE DRIVING:
- Have no driving errors
- Have trouble driving slow
- Are better drivers because they are not hungry
- Have trouble controlling their vehicles ✓
Answer: D. Have trouble controlling their vehicles
Drivers who eat and drink while driving have trouble controlling their vehicles. The Pennsylvania manual lists eating, drinking, and smoking as distractions because they can take your attention off the road, your eyes off the road, and your hands off the wheel. It specifically says drivers who eat or drink while driving have trouble controlling the vehicle, staying in their lane, and braking more often. That matches the choice about having trouble controlling their vehicles.
8. IF UNDER 21 YEARS OF AGE YOU ARE CONSIDERED TO BE DRIVING WHILE UNDER THE INFLUENCE IF YOUR BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVEL IS:
- .08% or higher
- .10% or higher
- .05% or higher
- .02% or higher ✓
Answer: D. .02% or higher
For drivers under 21, you are considered driving while under the influence if your blood alcohol level is .02% or higher. The handbook states that Pennsylvania law does not allow drivers under 21 to have any measurable alcohol in their system. It specifically says that if you are under 21, you are considered driving under the influence if your blood alcohol level is .02 or greater. This zero-tolerance standard is lower than the .08 threshold that applies to drivers 21 and older. So the correct choice is .02% or higher.
9. IF YOU BEGIN TO FEEL TIRED WHILE DRIVING, THE BEST THING TO DO IS:
- Get some coffee
- Open your window
- Stop driving ✓
- Turn on the radio
Answer: C. Stop driving
If you begin to feel tired while driving, the best thing to do is stop driving. The Pennsylvania Driver's Manual says directly that the best response to feeling tired behind the wheel is to stop driving. It explains that fatigue affects you much like alcohol and that you may fall asleep without realizing it, even for just a few seconds. Because the manual names stopping driving as the best action, that is the answer to choose rather than trying to stay alert with coffee, fresh air, or the radio.
10. __________ LIMIT(S) YOUR CONCENTRATION, PERCEPTION, JUDGMENT, AND MEMORY.
- Only a blood alcohol level greater than the legal limit
- Alcohol does not
- Even the smallest amount of alcohol ✓
- Only a blood alcohol level greater than .05
Answer: C. Even the smallest amount of alcohol
Even the smallest amount of alcohol limits your concentration, perception, judgment, and memory. The handbook says plainly that even a tiny amount of alcohol reduces concentration, perception, judgment, and memory, and that no one can drink and drive safely. It also explains that as alcohol builds up, vision and judgment are affected, reactions slow down, and driving errors increase. The warning is not limited to heavy drinking or to a particular blood alcohol level. Because the effect begins with any amount, the statement about even the smallest amount is the one that fits.
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Last checked: 2026-10-17 · Verified from official source
Updated: · 140 official sample questions · Official driver handbook