Impaired Driving & Penalties — Vermont
Vermont CDL practice test: 438 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 | Vermont CDL permit (CLP) knowledge tests |
| Topic questions | 15 (3% of 438 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. Distracted driving can be avoided by:
- Pre-programming radio stations. ✓
- Smoking while driving.
- Eating while driving.
Answer: A. Pre-programming radio stations.
Pre-programming radio stations is a way to avoid distracted driving because it removes the need to adjust the radio while you are driving. The handbook tells drivers to set radio stations before they begin driving and to clear and secure the vehicle. It also says to avoid smoking, eating, and drinking while driving. Another passage lists adjusting the radio, eating, drinking, and smoking as activities inside the vehicle that can take your attention away from the driving task. Setting stations ahead of time means you are not fiddling with the radio once you are moving. The handbook warns that distracted driving can cause collisions with injury, death, or property damage.
2. The effects of alcohol are felt:
- With the first drink. ✓
- Only after several drinks have been consumed.
- At the legal limit.
Answer: A. With the first drink.
The effects of alcohol are felt with the first drink. The handbook ties alcohol's effects to drinking itself, not to a later threshold. It says alcohol changes human performance and that every driver is affected by drinking. It also describes early signs such as a mellow feeling and slight body warmth, followed by weaker coordination and judgment as blood alcohol rises. Nothing in the passages sets a minimum number of drinks before effects appear, and the legal limit is not described as the point where effects start. So the choice that fits the handbook is that the first drink is enough.
3. 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.
4. If you identify a distracted driver on the road, you should:
- Tailgate them.
- Flash your lights at them.
- Give them plenty of space. ✓
Answer: C. Give them plenty of space.
When you spot a distracted driver, give them plenty of space and keep your safe following distance. The handbook says you first need to recognize drivers who are distracted, then give them plenty of room while holding your normal safe following distance. It adds that you should be very careful when passing such a driver, because they may not notice you and may drift in front of you. That guidance points to putting distance between your vehicle and theirs, not staying close or trying to signal them.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. One way to prevent fatigue on long trips is to:
- Take frequent breaks. ✓
- Text while driving.
- Drink caffeine.
Answer: A. Take frequent breaks.
Taking frequent breaks is the recommended way to prevent fatigue on long trips. The handbook lists reducing fatigue risk by taking periodic breaks, roughly every 100 miles or every 2 hours on a long trip. It also tells you to stop driving and rest or nap when you notice signs of tiredness. Caffeine gets its own warning: it may boost awareness for a few hours, but the effect wears off, so the handbook says not to count on it to prevent fatigue. Rest breaks are the method the handbook actually endorses.
8. 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.
9. Texting while driving should:
- Only be done on straightaways.
- Only be done in curves.
- Not be done. ✓
Answer: C. Not be done.
Texting while driving should not be done at all, so the choice that says it should not be done is correct. The handbook prohibits texting by commercial motor vehicle drivers, and it notes that carriers may not require or allow drivers to text. It also explains why: texting pulls your eyes off the road, the odds of a safety-critical event are far higher for drivers who text, and a text takes your eyes away for several seconds, long enough to cover a lot of ground without looking. The rules also carry disqualification and civil penalties, with a narrow exception for contacting law enforcement or emergency services.
10. Distracted driving:
- Can be avoided by eating while driving.
- Can be increased by pre-programming radio stations.
- Can be avoided by not engaging in complex conversations with others. ✓
Answer: C. Can be avoided by not engaging in complex conversations with others.
Distracted driving can be avoided by staying out of complex conversations with other people. The handbook advises drivers not to take part in complex or emotionally intense conversations with others in the vehicle. It places that advice in a list of steps for reducing distraction, together with setting up radio stations and route planning before driving and avoiding eating, drinking, and smoking at the wheel. The common thread is to keep driving from competing with a demanding side activity.
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Last checked: 2026-10-17 · Verified from official source
Updated: · Based on the official driver handbook