NCDMV CDL Handbook

Commercial Driver’s License Manual – 2005 CDL Testing System

What Is a Drink? It is the alcohol in drinks that affects human performance. It doesn't make any difference whether that alcohol comes from "a couple of beers,” or from two glasses of wine, or two shots of hard liquor. Approximate Blood Alcohol Content Drinks Body Weight in Pounds

Subsections 2.20 and 2.21 Test Your Knowledge

1. What are some things to do at an accident scene to prevent another accident? 2. Name two causes of tire fires. 3. What kinds of fires is a B:C extinguisher not good for? 4. When using your extinguisher, should you get as close as possible to the fire? 5. Name some causes of vehicle fires.

Effects

100

120

140

160

180

200

220

240

Only Safe Driving Limit

These questions may be on the test. If you can't answer them all, re-read subsections 2.20 and 2.21.

0

.00 .00 .00 .00 .00 .00 .00 .00

Impairment

Begins

2.22 – Alcohol, Other Drugs, and Driving

1

.04 .03 .03 .02 .02 .02 .02 .02

2.22.1 – Alcohol and Driving

2

.08 .06 .05 .05 .04 .04 .03 .03

Driving Skills Significantly

Drinking alcohol and then driving is very dangerous and a serious problem. People who drink alcohol are involved in traffic accidents resulting in over 20,000 deaths every year. Alcohol impairs muscle coordination, reaction time, depth perception, and night vision. It also affects the parts of the brain that control judgment and inhibition. For some people, one drink is all it takes to show signs of impairment. How Alcohol Works. Alcohol goes directly into the blood stream and is carried to the brain. After passing through the brain, a small percentage is removed in urine, perspiration, and by breathing, while the rest is carried to the liver. The liver can only process one-third an ounce of alcohol per hour, which is considerably less than the alcohol in a standard drink. This is a fixed rate, so only time, not black coffee or a cold shower, will sober you up. If you have drinks faster than your body can get rid of them, you will have more alcohol in your body, and your driving will be more affected. The Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) commonly measures the amount of alcohol in your body. See Figure 2.22.

Criminal Penalties

3

.11 .09 .08 .07 .06 .06 .05 .05

Affected

4

.15 .12 .11 .09 .08 .08 .07 .06

5

.19 .16 .13 .12 .11 .09 .09 .08

6

.23 .19 .16 .14 .13 .11 .10 .09

7

.26 .22 .19 .16 .15 .13 .12 .11

Legally Intoxicated

Criminal Penalties

8

.30 .25 .21 .19 .17 .15 .14 .13

9

.34 .28 .24 .21 .19 .17 .15 .14

1 0

.38 .31 .27 .23 .21 .19 .17 .16

Subtract .01% for each 40 minutes of drinking. One drink is 1.5 oz. of 80 proof liquor, 12 oz. of beer, or 5 oz. of table wine.

Figure 2.22

Section 2 – Driving Safely

Page 2-40

Version: July 2017