South Dakota driving lesson · Be in Shape to Drive
Alcohol and the law
A 3-minute lesson from the South Dakota course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.
Alcohol and other impairing drugs are involved in approximately 40% of fatal crashes each year. South Dakota's limits are strict, your consent to testing is automatic, and penalties grow fast with each offense.
40%
Approximate share of fatal traffic crashes involving alcohol or other impairing drugs
By driving on a public highway you've consented to a lawfully requested test of your blood, breath, urine or other bodily substance if suspected of impaired driving.
Driving without a license during the loss period means at least 3 days in county jail after a 2nd DWI, or at least 10 days after a 3rd, and the jail time may not be suspended.
You're 19 and had one beer at a party. A test shows 0.03% BAC, over the under-21 limit of 0.02%. As a first zero-tolerance offense, that's a Class 2 misdemeanor with a fine and a 30-day loss of your license.
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 BAC limit for a driver 21 or older in South Dakota?
0.02%
0.10%
0.05%
0.08%
Answer: 0.08%
A Blood Alcohol Concentration of 0.08% or more is evidence of driving under the influence for drivers 21 and older.