A 3-minute lesson from the Alabama course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.
Alcohol is a major factor in traffic crashes. It slows you down and dulls your judgment, and impairment starts well before the legal limit. Your age and the vehicle you drive set how much counts as illegal.
.05%
BAC that impairs the driving ability of most people to some degree
One bottle of beer holds about the same alcohol as an average shot of whiskey or a glass of wine, and has the same effect. It's the amount of alcohol entering your blood that counts.
Alcohol is absorbed quickly but leaves slowly. The liver must break it down into water and carbon dioxide, eliminated through the kidneys and lungs. Black coffee, food or a cold shower may wake you but won't sober you.
You're 19 and had one beer at a party an hour ago. You feel fine, but your BAC could still be .02% or more, which is illegal for any driver under 21. Only time lowers your BAC, so get a sober ride.
Check your understanding
Read the question, decide on an answer, then open it to check the explanation. These are Roadwise study questions based on the source handbook.
What is the legal blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit for drivers 21 and older in Alabama?
.10%
.08%
.05%
.02%
Answer: .08%
It is unlawful under Alabama law to drive with a BAC of .08 percent or more.
According to the handbook, at what BAC level does research show most individuals' driving ability becomes impaired to some degree?
.08 percent
.05 percent
.10 percent
.02 percent
Answer: .05 percent
Research cited in the handbook shows a BAC of .05 percent impairs the driving ability of most individuals to some degree, with definite impairment for all at .08 percent.