Key points
Alcohol is a factor in over 18,000, or about 40%, of U.S. fatal crashes every year.
Source: Handbook p. 55
“The use of alcohol is a factor in over 18,000 (about 40%) of the fatal motor vehicle crashes that occur every year in the United States.”
Hawaii Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 55Alcohol is a depressant: it slows reflexes, interferes with judgment, reduces alertness and impairs vision.
Source: Handbook p. 55
“Alcohol is a depressant, not a stimulant. It slows normal reflexes, interferes with judgment, reduces alertness and impairs vision.”
Hawaii Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 55Black coffee, food or a cold shower might wake you up, but they will not sober you up.
Source: Handbook p. 55
“Black coffee, food or a cold shower might wake you up, but they will not sober you up.”
Hawaii Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 55By driving in Hawaii you are deemed to have consented to a test of your blood alcohol.
Source: Handbook p. 55
“is deemed to have given his or her consent to be tested to determine the amount of alcohol in his or her blood.”
Hawaii Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 55A test of .08 or more, or refusing the test, means your license is taken and you get a 30 day temporary permit.
Source: Handbook p. 55
“be given a 30-day temporary driving permit if a test shows that you have a blood alcohol content of .08 or more or if you refuse the test.”
Hawaii Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 55Drivers under 21 may not drive with a blood alcohol content of .02 or more.
Source: Handbook p. 56
“Zero Tolerance. Drivers under 21 are prohibited from operating a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol content level of .02 or more.”
Hawaii Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 56Refusing a test can mean revocation for 1, 2 or 4 years, depending on prior alcohol enforcement contacts.
Source: Handbook p. 56
“Refusal to take the test may result in the revocation of your license for one year, two years or four years depending upon the driver's prior alcohol enforcement contacts.”
Hawaii Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 56A BAC above .05 but below .08 percent can mean impaired; .08 percent or more is under the influence.
Source: Handbook p. 56
“Impaired if the blood alcohol content is more than .05 percent but less than .08 percent. Under the influence of alcohol if the blood alcohol content is .08 percent or more.”
Hawaii Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 56An open alcoholic beverage container may not be stored where the driver or passengers sit.
Source: Handbook p. 56
“Storing an opened alcoholic beverage container in the area of a motor vehicle normally occupied by the driver or passengers is prohibited on any public road.”
Hawaii Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 56
Numbers to know
| Number | What it means | Manual |
|---|---|---|
| 18,000 (40%) | yearly U.S. fatal crashes in which alcohol is a factor | Handbook p. 55 |
| .08 | BAC at which a driver is under the influence and loses the license | Handbook p. 55 |
| 30 days | temporary permit after a failed or refused test | Handbook p. 55 |
| .02 | zero tolerance limit for drivers under 21 | Handbook p. 56 |
| 21 | age below which the zero tolerance rule applies | Handbook p. 56 |
| 1, 2 or 4 years | possible revocation for refusing a test | Handbook p. 56 |
| .05 | BAC above which a driver may be considered impaired | Handbook p. 56 |
3 questions from the Hawaii practice test
1. For a driver who is 21 or older, which BAC reading is identified as the per se level for driving under the influence?
- 0.05 percent
- 0.02 percent
- 0.08 percent
- 0.10 percent
Show answer
0.08 percent. For adults at least 21, Hawaii identifies .08 percent BAC as the per se threshold described in the alcohol chapter. The .02 figure belongs to the under 21 zero tolerance rule, so importing it into an adult question is a category error. A .05 reading is lower than the printed adult threshold, and .10 is higher, not the stated trigger. Keep the age condition attached to the number: adult threshold .08, under 21 threshold .02.
2. What temporary permit does Hawaii describe for a driver who tests at .08 percent BAC or higher?
- A 7 day permit with no restrictions
- A 30 day temporary driving permit
- A 90 day commercial permit
- No temporary permit is issued
Show answer
A 30 day temporary driving permit. The administrative process described by the manual gives the driver a 30 day temporary driving permit when the BAC test reaches .08 percent or above. The period is not seven or 90 days, and the manual does not say that no temporary document is provided. This temporary status should not be confused with a final court outcome or permanent license action. The number to retain is 30 days, tied to the initial BAC based administrative step.
3. What is the lowest BAC threshold for Hawaii's under-21 alcohol driving rule?
- .10 percent or more
- .08 percent or more
- .02 percent or more
- Only a BAC above .15 percent
Show answer
.02 percent or more. For a driver under 21, Hawaii's Zero Tolerance law prohibits a BAC of .02 percent or more. The adult .08 threshold cannot be substituted because the age condition changes the rule. The .10 and .15 choices set levels even farther above the under 21 standard. Treat .02 as a very low threshold: any measurable drinking that reaches it can create a legal problem for a young driver, so the safe decision is not to drink and drive.
Practice this topic
Lock it in with alcohol and dui questions from the free Hawaii practice test. Every answer comes with a plain English explanation.
Source: the Hawaii Driver's Manual, Chapter IX: Alcohol and Other Drugs. 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.