Key South Carolina facts: Alcohol & Drugs
Alcohol and other impairing drugs play a part in about 40 percent of traffic collisions in which someone is killed each year. Section 3, Be in Shape to Drive, Alcohol, Other Drugs, and Driving, p. 3-6 (PDF p. 37) Under 21 it is illegal to buy, possess or drink alcoholic beverages. Section 3, Be in Shape to Drive, If You are Under 21, p. 3-6 (PDF p. 37) Alcohol and other impairing drugs reduce judgment, vision, color distinction and reaction time. Section 3, Be in Shape to Drive, Effects of Alcohol and Other Impairing Drugs, pp. 3-6-3-7 (PDF pp. 37-38) Vision is affected at a BAC of 0.02 percent for all drivers. Section 3, Be in Shape to Drive, Effects of Alcohol and Other Impairing Drugs, p. 3-6 (PDF p. 37) Impairment begins with the first drink, and with one or more drinks in the blood a person could be arrested for DUI. Section 3, Be in Shape to Drive, Effects of Alcohol and Other Impairing Drugs, p. 3-7 (PDF p. 38) Sample Alcohol & Drugs questions
A 19-year-old driver registers a BAC of 0.03 percent. What happens to the driving privilege?
Nothing, since it is under the 0.08 limit Suspended at once for at least three months Suspended for 30 days after a court date A warning letter but no suspension Show the answer
Suspended at once for at least three months
Under 21, a BAC of 0.02 percent or more brings an immediate suspension of at least three months.
Source: South Carolina Driver's Manual, Section 3, Be in Shape to Drive, Alcohol and the Law, p. 3-7 (PDF p. 38)
Besides judgment, vision and reaction time, which ability does alcohol reduce?
Your muscle strength Your sense of smell Hearing your phone ring Telling colors apart Show the answer
Telling colors apart
Alcohol makes it harder to distinguish colors, along with its effects on judgment, vision and reaction time.
Source: South Carolina Driver's Manual, Section 3, Be in Shape to Drive, Effects of Alcohol and Other Impairing Drugs, pp. 3-6-3-7 (PDF pp. 37-38)
A BAC of 0.15 percent or more is one of the grounds the manual lists for suspending your driver's license.
Show the answer
True
The manual lists a DUI or DUAC conviction, a BAC of 0.15 percent or more, and refusing implied consent testing as grounds for suspension.
Source: South Carolina Driver's Manual, Section 3, Be in Shape to Drive, Alcohol and the Law, p. 3-7 (PDF p. 38)
Which of these pills can make you nervous, dizzy and unable to concentrate?
Calcium supplements Diet pills Vitamin C tablets Saline nasal spray Show the answer
Diet pills
Pep pills, uppers and diet pills can cause nervousness, dizziness and poor concentration, and can affect vision.
Source: South Carolina Driver's Manual, Section 3, Be in Shape to Drive, Over-the-Counter Drugs, p. 3-9 (PDF p. 40)
Is it legal for a 20-year-old to possess alcohol in South Carolina?
Yes, if a parent bought it Yes, if they do not drink it No, it is illegal under 21 Yes, at home only Show the answer
No, it is illegal under 21
Under 21 it is against the law to buy, possess or drink alcoholic beverages.
Source: South Carolina Driver's Manual, Section 3, Be in Shape to Drive, If You are Under 21, p. 3-6 (PDF p. 37)
You have a South Carolina license and are arrested for impaired driving in another state. Whose implied consent law applies?
South Carolina's, where you are licensed The state where you were arrested Federal law only Neither state's law applies Show the answer
The state where you were arrested
Implied consent laws vary, and the one that applies is the law of the state where the arrest happens.
Source: South Carolina Driver's Manual, Section 3, Be in Shape to Drive, Alcohol and the Law, p. 3-8 (PDF p. 39)
According to the manual, when does impairment from alcohol start?
Only after an hour of drinking After three drinks At the legal limit With the first drink Show the answer
With the first drink
Even one drink can affect your driving, and with one or more drinks in your blood you could be arrested.
Source: South Carolina Driver's Manual, Section 3, Be in Shape to Drive, Effects of Alcohol and Other Impairing Drugs, p. 3-7 (PDF p. 38)
What is the lowest blood alcohol level at which the manual says every driver's vision is affected?
0.02 percent 0.15 percent 0.10 percent 0.08 percent Show the answer
0.02 percent
Vision is affected at 0.02 percent BAC for every driver, well below the adult limit.
Source: South Carolina Driver's Manual, Section 3, Be in Shape to Drive, Effects of Alcohol and Other Impairing Drugs, p. 3-6 (PDF p. 37)
Does a DUI-related suspension come from points on your record?
No, it carries a mandatory suspension instead Yes, but only for drivers under age 21 Yes, a DUI adds 12 points to your record No, a DUI brings only a fine, no suspension Show the answer
No, it carries a mandatory suspension instead
Violations such as DUI carry mandatory suspensions that are not handled under the point system.
Source: South Carolina Driver's Manual, Section 1, The Driver's License, Driver's License Suspension for Excessive Points, p. 1-19 (PDF p. 23)
A friend who has been drinking wants to drive home. What does the manual advise?
Do not let them drive Follow them in your car Let them drive slowly Let them drive if they feel fine Show the answer
Do not let them drive
Never let a friend or relative drive after drinking.
Source: South Carolina Driver's Manual, Section 3, Be in Shape to Drive, Effects of Alcohol and Other Impairing Drugs, p. 3-7 (PDF p. 38)
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About these questions
We wrote these practice questions from the facts in the South Carolina Driver's Manual (Edition linked from SCDMV's Beginner's Permit page; no revision date is printed (the cover page of the 06/2024 edition is gone) and the file was last modified 2026-04-01 (server date), read 2026-11-09. Compared with the 06/2024 edition it adds the South Carolina Hands-Free and Distracted Driving Act (pp. 3-4 to 3-5), a 30-day permit holding period for applicants 18 or older (p. 1-5) and shorter route-restricted license lists; the rest of the text is the same, with some pages shifted. Pages are cited as printed (section-page, e.g. 1-4) with the PDF page. Where the manual gives no value, the South Carolina Code of Laws, Title 56, Chapter 5 (scstatehouse.gov, read 2026-11-09) and SCDMV web pages are the source. edition) and from official sources on road signs. Every answer links to its source, so you can check it and read more.
DMV Decoded is an independent guide, not a government agency. This practice test is not connected to the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles (SCDMV), and your actual test will have different questions. Study the handbook, and check the agency's website for current rules.
