Key points
Alcohol and other impairing drugs are involved in about 40% of fatal crashes.
Source: Handbook p. 8
“Alcohol and other impairing drugs are involved in approximately 40% of all traffic crashes in which someone is killed each year.”
New Hampshire Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 8A BAC as low as .02% can affect your ability to drive.
Source: Handbook p. 8
“A Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) level as low as .02% can affect a driver's ability to drive.”
New Hampshire Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 8Alcohol and drugs reduce judgment, vision and reaction time.
Source: Handbook p. 8
“Alcohol and other impairing drugs reduce a driver's judgment, vision, and reaction time.”
New Hampshire Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 8Impairment starts with the first drink.
Source: Handbook p. 9
“Impairment starts with the first drink. Even one drink of alcohol can affect a person's ability to operate a motor vehicle.”
New Hampshire Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 9Only time reduces the effects of alcohol; coffee, food, fresh air or cold showers will not.
Source: Handbook p. 9
“After drinking there is nothing that will reduce the effects of alcohol except TIME. Coffee, food, fresh air, exercise, or cold showers might make a person more alert, but will not counter the effects of alcohol.”
New Hampshire Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 9Each ounce of alcohol takes about an hour to go through the body.
Source: Handbook p. 9
“Each ounce of alcohol consumed takes about an hour to go through the body.”
New Hampshire Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 9Before taking an over the counter drug, check the label for warnings about its effect.
Source: Handbook p. 9
“Before taking an over-the-counter drug, drivers should check the label on the product for warnings about its effect.”
New Hampshire Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 9Never drink alcohol while taking other drugs; they can multiply its effects.
Source: Handbook p. 9
“A driver should never drink alcohol while taking other drugs. These drugs could multiply the effects of alcohol”
New Hampshire Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 9
Numbers to know
| Number | What it means | Manual |
|---|---|---|
| 40% | share of fatal crashes involving alcohol or impairing drugs | Handbook p. 8 |
| .02% | BAC that can already affect driving | Handbook p. 8 |
3 questions from the New Hampshire practice test
1. According to the New Hampshire manual, in roughly what share of fatal traffic crashes are alcohol and other impairing drugs involved?
- About 10%
- About 75%
- About 90%
- About 40%
Show answer
About 40%. The manual reports that alcohol and other impairing drugs are involved in approximately 40% of all traffic crashes in which someone is killed each year. That is a large share but not a majority, so the 75% and 90% choices overstate it and 10% understates it. The same passage warns that a blood alcohol concentration as low as .02% can affect a driver's ability, which is the level at which vision is impacted for every driver.
2. Which three driver abilities does the New Hampshire manual say alcohol and other impairing drugs reduce?
- Hearing, balance, and memory
- Strength, stamina, and coordination
- Speed, distance, and direction
- Judgment, vision, and reaction time
Show answer
Judgment, vision, and reaction time. The manual names three casualties of alcohol and other impairing drugs: judgment, vision, and reaction time. Judgment loss means slower and less clear decisions. Vision effects include blurring, slower focus, double vision, and poor judgment of distance, speed and the movement of other vehicles, and vision is impacted at .02 BAC for every driver. Reaction time loss slows how fast a driver processes information and responds. The other lists mix in effects the manual does not cite.
3. According to the New Hampshire manual, what is the only thing that reduces the effects of alcohol?
- Coffee
- A cold shower
- Time
- Fresh air and exercise
Show answer
Time. After drinking there is nothing that will reduce the effects of alcohol except time. Coffee, food, fresh air, exercise, or cold showers might make a person feel more alert, but they do not counter the alcohol in the bloodstream. Each ounce of alcohol takes about an hour to go through the body, so several drinks need several hours. Impairment starts with the first drink, and a person with one or more drinks in the bloodstream can be arrested for driving under the influence.
Practice this topic
Lock it in with alcohol and dui questions from the free New Hampshire practice test. Every answer comes with a plain English explanation.
Source: the New Hampshire Driver's Manual, Section 3: Dangerous 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.