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New York permit test: alcohol and DWI questions

The New York permit test has 20 questions. You need 14 right to pass (70%). Test format source

The real New York test also has 4 road-sign questions, and you need 2 of them right. This practice covers the written rules.

These 10 questions come from FirstTry's New York bank, written from the New York State Driver's Manual. Pick your answer, then open "Show the answer". Each answer links to the handbook section it comes from.

10 alcohol and DWI questions

What is the lowest blood alcohol content (BAC) that New York treats as evidence of intoxication?

  1. .02 percent
  2. .05 percent
  3. .08 percent
Show the answer

.08 percent. Above .05 percent is evidence of impairment, .08 percent or higher is evidence of intoxication, and .18 percent or more supports a charge of aggravated DWI.

From the handbook: Chapter 9: Alcohol and Other Drugs > Alcohol, Other Drugs and the Law (page 55)

A driver under 21 has a measurable BAC between .02 and .07. Under the Zero Tolerance Law, what happens to the license?

  1. Nothing, because the BAC is under .08
  2. The driver gets a warning letter only
  3. It is suspended for six months
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It is suspended for six months. Zero Tolerance applies to drivers under 21: a BAC from .02 to .07, which one drink can produce, brings a six-month suspension. A second violation means revocation for one year or until age 21, whichever is longer.

From the handbook: Chapter 2: How to Keep Your License > Mandatory Suspension or Revocation > Drivers Under Age 21 (page 21)

A driver over 21 refuses a chemical test after an arrest, and a DMV hearing confirms the refusal. What is the minimum license penalty for a first refusal?

  1. A one-year revocation
  2. A 30-day suspension
  3. A written warning
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A one-year revocation. A first chemical test refusal by a driver over 21 brings a revocation of at least one year. If the refusal comes within five years of an earlier refusal or alcohol-related violation, the minimum rises to 18 months.

From the handbook: Chapter 2: How to Keep Your License > Mandatory Suspension or Revocation > Chemical Test Refusals (page 21)

How does alcohol affect your driving skills?

  1. It slows your reactions and distorts your sense of speed and distance
  2. It sharpens your reflexes, though it can make you a little sleepy later
  3. It affects only drivers who feel drunk or who are over the legal limit
Show the answer

It slows your reactions and distorts your sense of speed and distance. Alcohol slows reactions, blurs vision, distorts how you judge speed and distance, and makes risk-taking more likely. These effects start with the first drink, before you feel or look drunk.

From the handbook: Chapter 9: Alcohol and Other Drugs > What Alcohol Does (page 54)

Can you be charged with an offense for driving while impaired by a prescription drug?

  1. No, prescription drugs are always legal to drive on as directed
  2. Yes, impairment by some prescription drugs can be a crime
  3. Only if you also drank alcohol
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Yes, impairment by some prescription drugs can be a crime. Driving while impaired by drugs can be a crime, whether the drug is cannabis, an illegal drug like cocaine, or some prescription medicines. Mixing alcohol with other drugs severely reduces your ability to drive.

From the handbook: Chapter 9: Alcohol and Other Drugs > Other Drugs (page 54)

Which of these affects your blood alcohol content (BAC)?

  1. Whether you drink beer, wine or liquor, since some drinks are stronger
  2. How much you drink and the time between drinks
  3. How physically fit you are and how often you exercise
Show the answer

How much you drink and the time between drinks. Your BAC depends on how much alcohol you drink, the time between drinks, and your weight. The type of drink, your fitness and how well you think you hold your liquor do not change it.

From the handbook: Chapter 9: Alcohol and Other Drugs > Your BAC (page 55)

A 12-ounce beer, a 5-ounce glass of wine and a 1-1/2-ounce shot of liquor: which has the most alcohol?

  1. The beer, because the serving is the largest
  2. The liquor, because it is the strongest
  3. They have about the same amount
Show the answer

They have about the same amount. These standard drinks hold about the same amount of alcohol. What raises your BAC is how much alcohol you take in, not whether it comes in beer, wine or liquor.

From the handbook: Chapter 9: Alcohol and Other Drugs > Your BAC (page 55)

On average, about how long does the body take to remove the alcohol in one standard drink, such as a can of beer?

  1. About one hour
  2. About 15 minutes
  3. About three hours in all
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About one hour. Each standard drink raises a 150-pound man's BAC by about .02 percent, and the body needs roughly one hour on average to clear that much alcohol. Women may take longer.

From the handbook: Chapter 9: Alcohol and Other Drugs > Your BAC (page 55)

After drinking, what is the only effective way to lower your BAC?

  1. Drink several cups of strong coffee
  2. Take a cold shower and get some exercise
  3. Stop drinking and let time pass
Show the answer

Stop drinking and let time pass. Coffee, exercise and cold showers may help you stay awake, but they do not lower your BAC or make you sober. Only time without drinking does.

From the handbook: Chapter 9: Alcohol and Other Drugs > Your BAC (page 56)

What does New York's Implied Consent law mean?

  1. Driving in New York counts as agreeing to a chemical test
  2. You may refuse any chemical test without any penalty at all
  3. Police need a court order before they can give you a breath test
Show the answer

Driving in New York counts as agreeing to a chemical test. Driving in New York counts as consent to a chemical test for alcohol or drugs. If a DMV hearing confirms you refused one after arrest, your license is revoked, even with a not-guilty verdict on the alcohol charge.

From the handbook: Chapter 9: Alcohol and Other Drugs > Chemical Tests (page 56)

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