Roadwise States Wisconsin Driving lessons Alcohol, Drugs & Implied Consent Wisconsin driving lesson · Dangerous Driving Behaviors
Alcohol, Drugs & Implied Consent A 3-minute lesson from the Wisconsin course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.
Read time 3 minutes
Course unit Dangerous Driving Behaviors
Checkpoint questions 6
Source pages 53 Alcohol and drugs change how you think and decide. You'll have trouble judging distances, speed and the movement of other vehicles, and your crash risk goes up.
Know the rule
It is illegal to drive under the influence of any drug, including prescription and non-prescription drugs.
Handbook p. 53 ↗ 0.00% Legal alcohol concentration for drivers under age 21: no alcohol in your system at all
Handbook p. 53 ↗ Know the rule
Any amount of a controlled substance is the same as operating impaired. Studies show people who use marijuana make more mistakes while driving.
Handbook p. 53 ↗ Know the rule
Check medicine warning labels for side effects before driving. If a label says not to operate heavy machinery, that includes motor vehicles.
Handbook p. 53 ↗ Know the rule
Only time will sober you up. Ask a sober friend or family member for a ride, or have a bartender call you a cab.
Handbook p. 53 ↗ Implied Consent If a police officer asks you to take a prohibited alcohol concentration (PAC) test, you must agree to take it.
Handbook p. 53 ↗ PAC test A prohibited alcohol concentration test: a breathalyzer or blood test that finds if you have a measurable amount of alcohol.
Handbook p. 53 ↗ Know the rule
If you refuse, the officer must arrest you for violating the Implied Consent Law.
Handbook p. 53 ↗ At least 1 year Loss of driving privileges for refusing a PAC test, plus other consequences
Handbook p. 53 ↗ Put it into practice
You're 19 and had one beer at a party two hours ago. You feel fine, but for a driver under 21 the legal limit is 0.00%. Don't drive: get a ride from a sober friend. Only time sobers you up.
A useful reminder Under 21, the limit is zero. Refusing a PAC test costs at least a year of driving privileges.
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 for drivers under 21 in Wisconsin? 0.00% 0.02% 0.05% 0.08% Answer: 0.00%
Drivers under 21 must have 0.00% alcohol concentration — none at all.
Handbook p. 53 ↗ What does 'Implied Consent' require you to do if an officer requests a PAC test? Refuse it without penalty Take the test Consult a lawyer before deciding Delay the test until the next day Answer: Take the test
Under Implied Consent, you must agree to take a requested PAC test.
Handbook p. 53 ↗ What happens if you refuse a PAC test under Wisconsin's Implied Consent law? You lose driving privileges for at least a year You lose your license for 30 days You pay a fine but keep your driving privileges You lose your license for 6 months Answer: You lose driving privileges for at least a year
Refusing a PAC test means losing driving privileges for at least one year, plus other consequences.
Handbook p. 53 ↗ What does a PAC test measure? Your balance and coordination The amount of alcohol in your system Your eye movements Your reaction time Answer: The amount of alcohol in your system
A PAC test finds whether you have a measurable amount of alcohol, by a breathalyzer or blood test.
Handbook p. 53 ↗ How much of a controlled substance counts as operating impaired? Only amounts above a set legal limit Only if a lab test confirms intoxication Any measurable amount Only if combined with alcohol Answer: Any measurable amount
Any amount of a controlled substance is the same as operating impaired.
Handbook p. 53 ↗ What should you check on a medication label before driving? Whether it warns against operating heavy machinery Only whether it's a prescription or over-the-counter drug Only the expiration date Only the dosage amount Answer: Whether it warns against operating heavy machinery
If a label warns against operating heavy machinery, that includes motor vehicles.
Handbook p. 53 ↗ Previous lesson Roadside Emergencies Next lesson Distracted & Drowsy Driving More in Dangerous Driving Behaviors About the source Roadwise’s Wisconsin course uses the driver handbook edition supplied with this study pack. This lesson cites source pages 53. The linked PDF is a third-party mirror of the handbook, rather than a government-hosted page.
Open the handbook source PDF · View the source edition
For current application requirements, fees, appointments, and the format that applies to your age or license type, check Wisconsin’s DMV. Roadwise provides study material and does not issue permits or licenses.