Drinking and Driving

Key points

1. Alcohol is involved in about 38 percent of fatal crashes.

   Source: Handbook p. 73

   “Alcohol is involved in approximately thirty-eight (38) percent of traffic crashes in which someone is killed.”
   Arkansas Driver License Study Guide, Handbook p. 73

2. Alcohol in the bloodstream reaches the brain in 15 to 40 minutes.

   Source: Handbook p. 73

   “Alcohol in the bloodstream reaches the brain in fifteen (15) to forty (40) minutes.”
   Arkansas Driver License Study Guide, Handbook p. 73

3. One drink is 1.5 ounces of 80 proof liquor, a 6 ounce glass of wine or a 12 ounce beer.

   Source: Handbook p. 74

   “A single drink is considered 1.5 ounces of (80) proof liquor (one shot glass) straight or with a mixer; a 6-ounce glass of wine or a 12-ounce container of beer.”
   Arkansas Driver License Study Guide, Handbook p. 74

4. The body rids itself of alcohol at about 1 drink per hour.

   Source: Handbook p. 74

   “The body rids itself of alcohol at a rate of one (1) drink per hour.”
   Arkansas Driver License Study Guide, Handbook p. 74

5. You will be arrested for DWI at an alcohol concentration of 0.08% or more.

   Source: Handbook p. 74

   “You will be arrested for driving while intoxicated with an alcohol concentration of 0.08% or more”
   Arkansas Driver License Study Guide, Handbook p. 74

6. After a crash or serious traffic offense, you can be charged with DWI between 0.04% and 0.08%.

   Source: Handbook p. 74

   “if involved in a traffic crash or involved in a serious traffic offense, you can be charged with DWI with a blood alcohol content between 0.08% and 0.04%.”
   Arkansas Driver License Study Guide, Handbook p. 74

7. If an officer instructs you to take an alcohol test you must; refusing can cost your license.

   Source: Handbook p. 74

   “If a law enforcement officer instructs you to take an alcohol test you are compelled by law to do so. You can lose your driver’s license if you refuse to take an alcohol test.”
   Arkansas Driver License Study Guide, Handbook p. 74

8. A first alcohol conviction: $150 to $1000 fine, up to 1 year in jail and a 120 day suspension.

   Source: Handbook p. 74

   “you will be fined from $150 to $1000, in addition to court costs. You could also be sentenced to one (1) year in jail, and your license could be suspended for 120 days.”
   Arkansas Driver License Study Guide, Handbook p. 74

Numbers to know

3 questions from the Arkansas practice test

1. 1. At what alcohol concentration can an Arkansas driver be arrested for driving while intoxicated?

   1. 0.08 percent or more in breath or blood
   2. 0.04 percent or more in breath or blood in every case
   3. 0.02 percent or more in breath or blood
   4. 0.10 percent or more in breath only
   Show answer

   0.08 percent or more in breath or blood. The guide identifies 0.08 percent in breath or blood as the concentration for arrest for driving while intoxicated. The 0.02 figure belongs to the under-twenty-one rule, and 0.04 can support a DWI charge when a driver is involved in a crash or serious traffic offense. The option “0.10 percent or more in breath only” changes both the threshold and the accepted testing source. Separate the general DWI threshold from the special underage and incident-related figures before choosing.

2. 2. What penalties can a first alcohol conviction bring in Arkansas?

   1. A $50 fine only
   2. A fine of $150 to $1,000 plus court costs, up to one year in jail, and a six month license suspension
   3. A lifetime license revocation
   4. A warning
   Show answer

   A fine of $150 to $1,000 plus court costs, up to one year in jail, and a six month license suspension. The manual says a first alcohol conviction brings a fine of $150 to $1,000 in addition to court costs and a possible sentence of one year in jail. The license suspension is now six months: the Department of Finance and Administration lists a 6 month suspension for a first DWI alcohol offense, with an ignition interlock required for the same period, so the older 120 day figure in the manual is out of date. A $50 fine, a warning, and lifetime revocation do not match a first offense.

3. 3. What can happen when an Arkansas law enforcement officer instructs a driver to take an alcohol test?

   1. The driver may refuse without any licensing consequence
   2. The driver may delay testing until after consulting a passenger
   3. The driver must provide only a urine sample
   4. The driver is compelled by law, and refusal can cost the driver license
   Show answer

   The driver is compelled by law, and refusal can cost the driver license. Arkansas requires a driver to submit when a law enforcement officer instructs the driver to take an alcohol test. Refusal can result in loss of the driver's license, so treating the request as optional is dangerous. The guide does not limit the officer to urine; it lists breath, urine, or saliva as possible tests. A passenger cannot postpone the legal duty. The key cue is compelled testing paired with a licensing consequence for refusal.

Source: the Arkansas Driver License Study Guide, Chapter 8: Drinking and Driving. This lesson is a plain English summary, not the law itself; where it differs, the manual and the statute govern. Last checked 2026-09-27.