A 3-minute lesson from the Pennsylvania course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.
Alcohol and many drugs slow your reactions, blur your judgment and make you feel more confident than you should. The only safe amount of alcohol to drink before driving is zero, and under 21 any measurable amount is against the law.
About 40%
Share of all traffic deaths that involve drinking drivers; 30% of PA drivers ages 16 to 20 who died had been drinking
Even the smallest amount of alcohol reduces your concentration, perception, judgment and memory. As alcohol builds up, errors increase, reactions slow and control is lost, while you feel dangerously confident.
Your BAC depends on your age, weight, gender, physical condition, food eaten, and any drugs or medication in your system. Different drinks also hold different amounts of alcohol.
If you're of legal age, drink no more than one drink per hour: an average-weight person needs at least one hour to process each drink. The rule doesn't work for everyone; smaller people and women may reach a higher BAC.
Read medication warning labels before driving and ask your doctor or pharmacist about side effects. If a label says not to operate heavy machinery, that includes your vehicle.
You're 22 and had two beers in the last hour. Waiting 15 minutes and drinking coffee won't sober you up; only time lowers your BAC. Get a ride or wait, and never let a friend who's been drinking drive.
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 percent of all traffic deaths involve drinking drivers, according to the handbook?
About 40 percent
About 10 percent
About 60 percent
About 20 percent
Answer: About 40 percent
Approximately 40 percent of all traffic deaths involve drinking drivers.