Alcohol, other drugs and implied consent

Key points

1. Alcohol and other impairing drugs are involved in about 40% of fatal traffic collisions each year.

   Source: Handbook p. 3-6

   “Alcohol and other impairing drugs are involved in approximately 40% of all traffic collisions in which someone is killed each year.”
   South Carolina Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 3-6

2. Under 21, it is illegal to buy, possess or drink alcohol.

   Source: Handbook p. 3-6

   “If you are under the age of 21, it is illegal to purchase, possess, or drink alcoholic beverages.”
   South Carolina Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 3-6

3. Vision is affected at 0.02 percent BAC for all drivers.

   Source: Handbook p. 3-6

   “Vision is impacted at 0.02 percent blood alcohol content (BAC) for all drivers.”
   South Carolina Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 3-6

4. Impairment starts with the first drink.

   Source: Handbook p. 3-7

   “Impairment starts with the first drink. Even one drink of alcohol can affect a person's ability to operate a motor vehicle.”
   South Carolina Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 3-7

5. You can be convicted of impaired driving at a BAC of only 0.05, or lower when combined with drugs.

   Source: Handbook p. 3-7

   “you can still be convicted for driving impaired even if you have a BAC of only 0.05 or a lower BAC in combination with drugs”
   South Carolina Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 3-7

6. Under 21, a BAC of 0.02 percent or more means an immediate suspension of at least three months.

   Source: Handbook p. 3-7

   “If you are under 21 years of age and register a BAC of 0.02 percent or greater, your privilege to drive will be suspended immediately for at least three months.”
   South Carolina Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 3-7

7. Refusing the test means immediately losing your privileges for at least six months.

   Source: Handbook p. 3-7

   “If you refuse to take the test(s) for intoxicants, you will immediately lose your driving privileges for at least six months.”
   South Carolina Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 3-7

8. Under implied consent, you must take a breath, blood or urine test if an officer asks.

   Source: Handbook p. 3-8

   “You are required to take breath, blood, and urine tests if asked by a police officer due to SC's implied consent law.”
   South Carolina Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 3-8

9. Implied consent law applies in the state where you are arrested, not where you got your license.

   Source: Handbook p. 3-8

   “the law applies to the state where you were arrested, not the state where you got your license.”
   South Carolina Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 3-8

10. A conviction for driving under the influence of drugs is treated like a DUI or DUAC conviction.

    Source: Handbook p. 3-9

    “If you are convicted in SC of driving while under the influence of drugs, your conviction will be treated like as a DUI or DUAC conviction.”
    South Carolina Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 3-9

Numbers to know

3 questions from the South Carolina practice test

1. 1. Under what circumstance can a South Carolina driver be convicted of impaired driving at a BAC of 0.05 or lower?

   1. When the lower BAC is combined with drugs, including certain medications
   2. Only when the driver is under age 21
   3. Only when the BAC reaches 0.15 percent
   4. Never, because 0.08 percent is always required
   Show answer

   When the lower BAC is combined with drugs, including certain medications. The manual warns that impairment conviction can still occur at a BAC of 0.05 or lower when alcohol is combined with drugs, including prescription and over-the-counter medications. The age-only and 0.15 choices substitute different rules. The never option treats 0.08 as an absolute prerequisite, which the manual rejects. A useful safety cue is that a measured BAC does not make drug interactions harmless or guarantee freedom from an impaired-driving charge.

2. 2. What happens when a South Carolina driver under 21 registers a BAC of 0.02 percent or greater?

   1. No action occurs until BAC reaches 0.08 percent
   2. The driver receives only a written warning
   3. The license is suspended for exactly seven days
   4. Driving privileges are suspended immediately for at least three months
   Show answer

   Driving privileges are suspended immediately for at least three months. For a driver under 21, a BAC of 0.02 percent or greater causes immediate suspension of driving privileges for at least three months. The warning and seven-day options understate the consequence, while waiting for 0.08 ignores the under-21 threshold. This rule is separate from the adult standard and reflects the manual’s zero-tolerance discussion. Memorize the linked figures: under 21, 0.02, immediate suspension, minimum three months.

3. 3. For a driver under 21 in South Carolina, what is the minimum loss of driving privileges after refusing an intoxicant test?

   1. At least three days
   2. At least six months
   3. At least three months
   4. No loss of privileges
   Show answer

   At least six months. Refusing the test causes an immediate loss of driving privileges for at least six months under the manual's under-21 rule. Three months is the minimum tied to registering a BAC of 0.02 percent or greater, so it describes a different event. A three-day period and no suspension understate the consequence. The comparison cue is simple: under 21, a test result at or above 0.02 brings three months, while refusal brings the longer six-month minimum.

Source: the South Carolina Driver's Manual, Section 3: Be in Shape to Drive. 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.