Impaired Driving & Penalties — Washington
Washington CDL practice test: 386 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: 8 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 | Washington CDL permit (CLP) knowledge tests |
| Topic questions | 8 (2% of 386 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 (8)
1. 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.
2. A fatigued driver:
- Is usually extra alert.
- Is usually more conscientious than a typical driver.
- May be slower to make critical decisions than a typical driver. ✓
Answer: C. May be slower to make critical decisions than a typical driver.
A fatigued driver may be slower to make critical decisions than a typical driver. The handbook says fatigue is physical or mental tiredness that impairs vision and judgment. It also says fatigue causes errors related to speed and distance, makes it harder to see and react to hazards quickly, and affects the ability to make critical decisions. That directly supports the idea that a tired driver may take longer to make important driving decisions than a typical driver.
3. While still below the legal limit, a driver operating a CMV with a detectable amount of alcohol in their system will:
- Result in an out-of-service order for two hours.
- Result in an out-of-service order for 10 hours.
- Result in an out-of-service order for 24 hours. ✓
Answer: C. Result in an out-of-service order for 24 hours.
Any detectable amount of alcohol under .04% puts you out of service for 24 hours. The handbook states that a CMV driver with any detectable amount of alcohol under .04% is placed out of service for 24 hours. That covers the situation in the question: you are still under the legal limit, but alcohol shows up. The rule ties the length of the out-of-service period to the presence of any alcohol at all, not to how far below the limit you are, so the 24-hour figure is the one that applies.
4. 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.
5. A distracted driver:
- Usually follows the rules of the road.
- Usually has slowed perception. ✓
- Is a good person to follow.
Answer: B. Usually has slowed perception.
A distracted driver usually has slowed perception. The handbook lists slowed perception as one effect of distracted driving. It explains that this can make a driver late to notice, or miss entirely, something important happening in traffic. The same section also mentions delayed decisions and wrong inputs to steering, accelerator, or brakes. Because the manual ties distraction to slowed perception, the statement about slowed perception fits.
6. 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.
7. Which of the following is not a sign of fatigue?
- Difficulty focusing, with frequent blinking
- Yawning repeatedly or rubbing eyes
- Staying in your lane ✓
Answer: C. Staying in your lane
Staying in your lane is not a sign of fatigue — drifting out of your lane is. The handbook lists the warning signs of tired driving, and among them is drifting from your lane, along with trouble remembering the last few miles, missing exits or signs, following too closely, or hitting a shoulder rumble strip. It also mentions feeling restless and irritable. Holding a steady position in your lane is normal driving, not a fatigue signal. The handbook adds that pushing on while tired is more dangerous than most drivers think and is a major cause of fatal crashes, so any sign of fatigue means you should stop and sleep or take a short nap.
8. Which of the following is not a sign of a driver becoming tired?
- Frequent blinking
- Drifting from their lane
- Feeling hungry ✓
Answer: C. Feeling hungry
Feeling hungry is not a sign of a driver becoming tired. The handbook's list of fatigue warning signs includes drifting from your lane, following too closely, hitting a shoulder rumble strip, feeling restless and irritable, and trouble remembering the last few miles. Hunger does not appear on that list. The handbook tells you to treat these warning signs seriously: if you notice any signs of fatigue, stop driving and sleep for the night or take a 15 to 20 minute nap. Feeling hungry is a normal body signal about food, not a fatigue warning.
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Last checked: 2026-10-17 · Verified from official source
Updated: · Based on the official driver handbook