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Maryland driving lesson · Dangerous Driving Behaviors

Alcohol, drugs & driving

A 3-minute lesson from the Maryland course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.

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Read time
3 minutes
Course unit
Dangerous Driving Behaviors
Checkpoint questions
6
Source pages
33, 34, 36, 50

Alcohol and drugs impair your ability to drive: they make safe driving very difficult or impossible. Maryland's legal limit is .08, but judgment and coordination suffer well before that, and you can't tell your own level by counting drinks.

Blood alcohol concentration (BAC)

A measurement of the amount of alcohol in your blood.

Handbook p. 33 ↗
.08

BAC at or above which Maryland considers you driving under the influence of alcohol

Handbook p. 33 ↗

Know the rule

Any amount of alcohol can affect your driving. Your vision, simple movements and reaction time may be affected by just one drink, and a BAC well under .08 could still result in criminal charges.

Handbook p. 33 ↗

How alcohol affects you depends on:

  • Your weight and body fat
  • How long ago you ate, and how much
  • How tired you are
  • Your mood
  • Medications
Handbook p. 33 ↗

Know the rule

If you are under 21, it is against the law to drink any alcohol. If you're stopped after drinking, your license will be suspended or revoked, and you could be charged with violating your license's alcohol restriction.

Handbook p. 33 ↗

Know the rule

It is illegal to drive with an open container of alcohol in the passenger area: the driver and passenger seats, and any place people can easily reach from their seats.

Handbook p. 33 ↗

Open container

Any open can, bottle, other container or package. A six-pack with open, empty or missing bottles/cans can count.

Handbook p. 33 ↗

Know the rule

Illegal drugs, some prescription medicines and chemical inhalants can severely affect alertness, concentration, coordination and reaction time. Your license can be suspended or revoked for driving on controlled dangerous substances (CDS).

Handbook p. 33 ↗

Know the rule

Read prescription and over-the-counter labels. Driving after a medicine that warns you not to, if it impairs your driving, could bring a criminal charge.

Handbook p. 33 ↗

Know the rule

If you are convicted of drunk or drugged driving with a child in the vehicle, the judge can double your fine and jail time.

Handbook p. 34 ↗

Know the rule

If you are caught drinking and driving, you will have to install a breathalyzer car lock that prevents starting the vehicle if alcohol is detected.

Handbook p. 50 ↗

An impaired-driving arrest can bring:

  • Big fines
  • Possible jail time
  • Thousands of dollars in court costs
Handbook p. 36 ↗

Put it into practice

You're 19 and had one beer at a friend's house, and you feel fine. Don't drive: under 21, any drinking is illegal, and a stop could mean your license is suspended or revoked. 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.

At what blood alcohol concentration (BAC) does Maryland consider a driver to be driving under the influence of alcohol?
  1. .08 or higher
  2. .05 or higher
  3. .10 or higher
  4. .12 or higher

Answer: .08 or higher

Maryland considers drivers to be driving under the influence of alcohol at a BAC of .08 or higher.

Handbook p. 33 ↗
How much alcohol is legally allowed for a driver under 21 in Maryland?
  1. Up to .02 BAC
  2. None; it's illegal to drink
  3. Up to .05 BAC
  4. The same .08 limit as adults

Answer: None; it's illegal to drink

If you are not yet 21, it is against the law for you to drink any alcohol.

Handbook p. 33 ↗
Can your judgment and coordination be impaired below the legal .08 BAC limit?
  1. No, impairment only begins at .08
  2. No, only illegal drugs cause impairment below .08
  3. Yes, even one drink can impair you
  4. Yes, but only for drivers under 21

Answer: Yes, even one drink can impair you

Even though .08 is the legal limit, judgment and coordination may be impaired at a much lower BAC, even after one drink.

Handbook p. 33 ↗
What is considered the passenger area of a vehicle for the open container law?
  1. Only the driver's seat
  2. Only the trunk and back seat
  3. The entire vehicle including the trunk
  4. Seats and anywhere within easy reach

Answer: Seats and anywhere within easy reach

The passenger area includes the driver and passenger seats and anywhere the driver or passengers can easily reach.

Handbook p. 33 ↗
What extra penalty can a judge impose if you are convicted of drunk or drugged driving with a child in the vehicle?
  1. A warning only, no extra penalty
  2. Double the fine and jail time
  3. Triple the fine and jail time
  4. Double the fine, but no added jail time

Answer: Double the fine and jail time

If convicted of drunk or drugged driving with a child in the vehicle, a judge can double your fine and jail time.

Handbook p. 34 ↗
You can accurately determine your own BAC just by counting how many drinks you've had.
  1. True
  2. False

Answer: False

The handbook states it is very difficult to know your own BAC just from counting drinks, since many factors affect alcohol digestion.

Handbook p. 33 ↗
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