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West Virginia driving lesson · Alcohol, Drugs, and Fatigue

Alcohol, BAC limits and zero tolerance

A 3-minute lesson from the West Virginia 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
Alcohol, Drugs, and Fatigue
Checkpoint questions
6
Source pages
9, 31

Alcohol is one of the greatest factors in highway crashes. In recent years about 28% of West Virginia's fatal crashes involved a driver under the influence. West Virginia measures impairment by blood alcohol concentration (BAC), and the limit depends on your age.

Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC)

The amount of alcohol in your bloodstream.

Handbook p. 9 ↗
0.08%

Illegal BAC for drivers 21 and older

Handbook p. 9 ↗
0.02%

Illegal BAC for drivers under 21

Handbook p. 9 ↗
21

Legal drinking age in West Virginia

Handbook p. 31 ↗

Know the rule

Zero tolerance: if you are under 21 and any measurable amount of alcohol is found in your system, you will lose your license.

Handbook p. 31 ↗

What your BAC means in WV

What your BAC means in WV
BACLegal effect
More than 0.05% and less than 0.08%Relevant evidence that your driving is impaired
0.08% or morePresumed to be driving under the influence
Handbook p. 31 ↗

Know the rule

Your license can be revoked even if your BAC is less than 0.08%.

Handbook p. 31 ↗

How alcohol affects you:

  • It reduces alertness, interferes with judgment, and impairs vision
  • It affects you differently at different times: mood, health, other drugs and food all change it
  • Decisions made while drinking reflect impaired judgment
Handbook p. 31 ↗

Know the rule

One 1-ounce shot of 100-proof whiskey, a 6-ounce glass of wine, and a 12-ounce can of beer contain the same amount of alcohol.

Handbook p. 31 ↗

Know the rule

Exercise, black coffee, fresh air and cold showers do not sober you up. Time is the only sobering influence.

Handbook p. 31 ↗

Know the rule

Drinking more than one (1) drink per hour builds up BAC, and it keeps rising after the last drink: someone who stops at 11:30 p.m. can still be above 0.06% at 4 a.m. and be arrested for DUI.

Handbook p. 31 ↗

Designated driver

A companion, appointed before any activity involving alcohol, who does not drink while responsible for driving friends home: the most reasonable, safe and practical way to avoid a DUI.

Handbook p. 31 ↗

Put it into practice

You're 19 and had one beer at a cookout two hours ago. You feel fine, but WV's zero tolerance law means any measurable alcohol can cost you your license. Let a sober designated driver take you home.

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 illegal BAC limit for a driver age 21 or older in West Virginia?
  1. 0.08%
  2. 0.05%
  3. 0.02%
  4. 0.10%

Answer: 0.08%

Drivers 21 and older are legally impaired at a BAC of 0.08% or higher.

Handbook p. 9 ↗
Under the handbook's definition of BAC, drivers under 21 break the law if their BAC is at or above what level?
  1. 0.08%
  2. 0.05%
  3. 0.02%
  4. 0.04%

Answer: 0.02%

The p.9 definition says it is against the law for drivers under 21 to drive with a BAC of 0.02% or higher (and zero tolerance applies to any measurable alcohol).

Handbook p. 9 ↗
A BAC between what two values is relevant evidence that a driver's ability to drive is impaired, without automatically presuming DUI?
  1. More than 0.02% and less than 0.05%
  2. More than 0.05% and less than 0.08%
  3. More than 0.08% and less than 0.10%
  4. More than 0.00% and less than 0.02%

Answer: More than 0.05% and less than 0.08%

A BAC above 0.05% but below 0.08% is relevant evidence of impaired driving ability, short of the presumed DUI threshold.

Handbook p. 31 ↗
According to the handbook, what is the true relationship between a shot of whiskey, a glass of wine, and a can of beer?
  1. Beer has far less alcohol than the other two
  2. Each contains the same amount of alcohol
  3. Wine has the most alcohol of the three
  4. Whiskey has half the alcohol of beer

Answer: Each contains the same amount of alcohol

A one-ounce shot of 100-proof whiskey, a 6-ounce glass of wine, and a 12-ounce beer all contain the same amount of alcohol.

Handbook p. 31 ↗
Which method actually sobers a person up after drinking, according to the handbook?
  1. Black coffee
  2. A cold shower
  3. Physical exercise
  4. Time is the only sobering influence

Answer: Time is the only sobering influence

Coffee, exercise, fresh air, and cold showers do not effectively sober someone up; only time does.

Handbook p. 31 ↗
A driver's license can only be revoked in WV if BAC is 0.08% or higher.
  1. True
  2. False

Answer: False

Under WV law your license can be revoked even if your BAC is less than 0.08%.

Handbook p. 31 ↗
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