New Mexico: Alcohol and drugs Practice Test
How alcohol and other drugs affect driving, blood alcohol limits, implied consent and the penalties for DWI in New Mexico.
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Questions are original and based on the official manual "New Mexico Driver Manual" (Version 11.19.19), New Mexico Motor Vehicle Division (MVD).
All 30 questions in this practice test
Take the test above first, then use this list to study. Tap “Show answer” to see the correct answer and explanation.
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Which kind of offense during the provisional period keeps a driver from getting an unrestricted license?
- An offense involving an expired registration
- An offense involving the use of alcohol or drugs
- An offense involving a parking meter
- An offense involving a faulty horn
Show answer
Correct answer: An offense involving the use of alcohol or drugs
A driver adjudicated guilty of, or with pending, an offense involving alcohol or drugs during the provisional period cannot get an unrestricted license.
Source: New Mexico Driver Manual (Version 11.19.19), page 2
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How long does it take alcohol to reach your brain after you drink it?
- 1 to 5 minutes
- About 1 hour
- 20 to 40 minutes
- 2 to 3 hours
Show answer
Correct answer: 20 to 40 minutes
The manual says alcohol goes from the stomach into the blood and reaches the brain in 20 to 40 minutes.
Source: New Mexico Driver Manual (Version 11.19.19), page 29
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According to the manual, what does alcohol put on hold?
- Good judgment
- Your sense of hearing
- Your sense of smell
- Your appetite
Show answer
Correct answer: Good judgment
Alcohol affects the parts of the brain that control judgment, so it puts good judgment on hold and you do not know when you have had too much.
Source: New Mexico Driver Manual (Version 11.19.19), page 29
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What does alcohol do to your reflexes and reaction time?
- It speeds them up for a short time
- It has no effect until you have four drinks
- It sharpens them if you have eaten first
- It slows them
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Correct answer: It slows them
Alcohol slows your reflexes and reaction time, reduces your ability to see clearly and makes you less alert.
Source: New Mexico Driver Manual (Version 11.19.19), page 29
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How much alcohol is safe to drink before driving, according to the manual?
- Up to one drink
- There is no safe amount
- Up to two drinks
- Up to one drink per hour
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Correct answer: There is no safe amount
The manual states there is no safe amount of alcohol, because even one drink can affect your driving.
Source: New Mexico Driver Manual (Version 11.19.19), page 29
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With how many drinks in your bloodstream does the manual say you are impaired and could be arrested?
- Two or more
- Three or more
- Four or more
- Five or more
Show answer
Correct answer: Two or more
With two or more drinks in your bloodstream you are impaired and could be arrested.
Source: New Mexico Driver Manual (Version 11.19.19), page 29
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How much 80-proof liquor counts as one alcoholic drink?
- 3 oz. (two shot glasses)
- 5 oz. (a small glass)
- 1 1/2 oz. (one shot glass)
- 12 oz. (a regular glass)
Show answer
Correct answer: 1 1/2 oz. (one shot glass)
An alcohol drink is 1 1/2 oz. of 80-proof liquor, which is one shot glass, straight or with a mixer.
Source: New Mexico Driver Manual (Version 11.19.19), page 29
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How much beer counts as one alcoholic drink?
- 5 oz. (a small stemmed wine glass)
- 12 oz. (a regular can, bottle or glass)
- 20 oz. (a large beer mug or tall can)
- 1 1/2 oz. (one shot glass of beer)
Show answer
Correct answer: 12 oz. (a regular can, bottle or glass)
The manual counts 12 oz. of beer, a regular size can, bottle or glass, as one alcoholic drink.
Source: New Mexico Driver Manual (Version 11.19.19), page 29
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How much wine counts as one alcoholic drink?
- A 12 oz. glass
- An 8 oz. glass
- A 1 1/2 oz. glass
- A 5 oz. glass
Show answer
Correct answer: A 5 oz. glass
The manual counts a 5 oz. glass of wine as one alcoholic drink.
Source: New Mexico Driver Manual (Version 11.19.19), page 29
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How do specialty drinks compare with normal drinks?
- They have less alcohol than a normal drink
- They count the same as a single normal drink
- They do not count as alcoholic drinks at all
- They can equal several normal drinks in alcohol
Show answer
Correct answer: They can equal several normal drinks in alcohol
Specialty drinks can have more alcohol in them and are the same as having several normal drinks.
Source: New Mexico Driver Manual (Version 11.19.19), page 29
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How many alcoholic drinks does your body get rid of per hour?
- Two
- One
- Three
- Half a drink
Show answer
Correct answer: One
The manual says your body gets rid of one alcoholic drink per hour.
Source: New Mexico Driver Manual (Version 11.19.19), page 29
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What is the only thing that will sober you up?
- Coffee
- A cold shower
- Time
- Fresh air and exercise
Show answer
Correct answer: Time
Coffee, fresh air, exercise and cold showers will not help; time is the only thing that will sober you up.
Source: New Mexico Driver Manual (Version 11.19.19), page 29
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If you are going to a social situation where alcohol will be served, what does the manual say to do?
- Use a designated driver, public transportation or a cab
- Drink coffee and wait a while before you drive home
- Wait one hour after your last drink and then drive
- Drive home slowly on quiet back roads after dark
Show answer
Correct answer: Use a designated driver, public transportation or a cab
The manual says to use a designated driver or public transportation or a cab, if available.
Source: New Mexico Driver Manual (Version 11.19.19), page 29
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At what age are you allowed to buy, consume or possess alcohol, according to the manual?
- 18
- 21
- 19
- 20
Show answer
Correct answer: 21
You are not allowed to buy alcohol, consume alcohol or be in possession of alcohol unless you are 21 years of age.
Source: New Mexico Driver Manual (Version 11.19.19), page 29
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You can be arrested for driving with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of at least what percentage?
- 0.04%
- 0.10%
- 0.15%
- 0.08%
Show answer
Correct answer: 0.08%
The manual says you can be arrested for driving with a BAC of .08% or more.
Source: New Mexico Driver Manual (Version 11.19.19), page 29
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In New Mexico, if you are under 21, you also can be arrested for a BAC of at least what percentage?
- 0.02%
- 0.01%
- 0.04%
- 0.05%
Show answer
Correct answer: 0.02%
In New Mexico, a driver under 21 also can be arrested for a BAC at .02%.
Source: New Mexico Driver Manual (Version 11.19.19), page 29
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What is blood alcohol content (BAC)?
- The number of drinks you had in the last hour
- The amount of alcohol in one drink
- The percentage of alcohol in your blood
- The time it takes alcohol to leave your body
Show answer
Correct answer: The percentage of alcohol in your blood
BAC is the percentage of alcohol in your blood.
Source: New Mexico Driver Manual (Version 11.19.19), page 29
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How is BAC usually determined?
- By a balance and walking test
- By a driving test with an examiner
- By a breath, blood or urine test
- By a test of how fast you speak
Show answer
Correct answer: By a breath, blood or urine test
BAC is usually determined by a breath, blood or urine test.
Source: New Mexico Driver Manual (Version 11.19.19), page 29
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If an officer asks you to take a BAC test and you refuse, what can happen?
- You can lose your driver license for one year
- You can lose your driver license for 30 days
- You can lose your driver license for six months
- Nothing, unless you are under 21
Show answer
Correct answer: You can lose your driver license for one year
The manual says that refusing a BAC test can cost you your driver license for one year.
Source: New Mexico Driver Manual (Version 11.19.19), page 29
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After a first DWI conviction, what device will you be ordered to install on your vehicle?
- A GPS tracker that reports your trips
- A speed limiter on the engine
- A dash camera that records driving
- An ignition interlock device
Show answer
Correct answer: An ignition interlock device
After a first conviction you will be ordered to treatment and to install an ignition interlock device on your vehicle.
Source: New Mexico Driver Manual (Version 11.19.19), page 29
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What happens with subsequent DWI convictions?
- The same penalties as for the first conviction
- Higher fines, more jail time, longer revocation
- Higher fines only, with no added jail time
- A shorter revocation if you finish treatment
Show answer
Correct answer: Higher fines, more jail time, longer revocation
Subsequent DWI convictions result in increased fines, more jail time, and a longer license revocation.
Source: New Mexico Driver Manual (Version 11.19.19), page 29
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How long does any DWI conviction remain on your driving record?
- Twenty-five years
- Five years
- Seven years
- Ten years
Show answer
Correct answer: Twenty-five years
Any DWI conviction remains on your driving record for twenty-five years.
Source: New Mexico Driver Manual (Version 11.19.19), page 29
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Who has the authority to revoke a driver's license after a DWI conviction, according to the manual?
- The arresting officer's department
- The county court clerk
- MVD
- The state insurance office
Show answer
Correct answer: MVD
The manual states that MVD has the authority to revoke your driver's license after a DWI conviction.
Source: New Mexico Driver Manual (Version 11.19.19), page 29
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Driving under the influence of which kind of drug is against the law?
- Only when the drug is an illegal drug
- Any drug that makes you drive unsafely
- Only when the drug needs a prescription
- Only when it is taken together with alcohol
Show answer
Correct answer: Any drug that makes you drive unsafely
Driving under the influence of any drug that makes you drive unsafely is against the law, including many prescription and non-prescription drugs.
Source: New Mexico Driver Manual (Version 11.19.19), page 29
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How can drugs taken for headaches, colds, hay fever or other allergies affect your driving?
- They can sharpen your reflexes
- They can improve your night vision
- They have no effect because you can buy them without a prescription
- They can make you drowsy
Show answer
Correct answer: They can make you drowsy
Drugs taken for headaches, colds, hay fever or other allergies, or to calm nerves, can make a person drowsy and affect driving.
Source: New Mexico Driver Manual (Version 11.19.19), page 29
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What can pep pills, "uppers" and diet pills do to a driver?
- Keep you alert and focused for the whole trip
- Make you drowsy at once but improve your vision
- Have no effect on driving if the dose is small
- Make you feel alert briefly, then nervous and dizzy
Show answer
Correct answer: Make you feel alert briefly, then nervous and dizzy
These drugs can make a driver feel more alert for a short time, but later they can cause nervousness, dizziness, trouble concentrating and vision problems.
Source: New Mexico Driver Manual (Version 11.19.19), page 29
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If you are driving, what should you check before you take a drug?
- The expiration date only
- The label, for warnings about its effect
- Whether it was bought without a prescription
- The price printed on the package
Show answer
Correct answer: The label, for warnings about its effect
If you are driving, check the label before you take a drug for warnings about its effect.
Source: New Mexico Driver Manual (Version 11.19.19), page 30
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If you are not sure it is safe to take a drug and drive, whom does the manual say to ask?
- A police officer
- A driver license examiner
- Your doctor or pharmacist
- A friend who has taken the same drug
Show answer
Correct answer: Your doctor or pharmacist
The manual says to ask your doctor or pharmacist about any side effects if you are not sure it is safe to take the drug and drive.
Source: New Mexico Driver Manual (Version 11.19.19), page 30
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Why should you never drink alcohol while you are taking other drugs?
- They could multiply alcohol's effects or add their own
- Alcohol makes the drugs wear off much sooner than usual
- Alcohol cancels out all of the effects of the drugs
- The drugs make alcohol leave your body much faster
Show answer
Correct answer: They could multiply alcohol's effects or add their own
The drugs could multiply the effects of alcohol or have additional effects of their own, which can even cause death.
Source: New Mexico Driver Manual (Version 11.19.19), page 30
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How does the manual say drivers who use marijuana compare with other drivers?
- They make fewer mistakes but drive much more slowly
- They make more mistakes and have more trouble with glare
- They adjust to glare better than all other drivers
- They are arrested for traffic violations less often
Show answer
Correct answer: They make more mistakes and have more trouble with glare
Studies cited in the manual show people who use marijuana make more mistakes, have more trouble adjusting to glare and get arrested for traffic violations more than other drivers.
Source: New Mexico Driver Manual (Version 11.19.19), page 30