Key points
Driving under the influence causes almost half of crashes in which someone is killed.
Source: Handbook p. 33
“Driving while under the influence of alcohol is the major cause of ALMOST HALF of the crashes in which someone is killed.”
Wyoming Rules of the Road Driver License Manual, Handbook p. 3312 ounces of beer, 3 to 5 ounces of wine and one and a half ounces of 86 proof liquor each hold about half an ounce of alcohol.
Source: Handbook p. 33
“Therefore, 12 ounces of beer, three to five ounces of wine, and one and one-half ounces of 86 proof hard liquor each have about one-half ounce of alcohol.”
Wyoming Rules of the Road Driver License Manual, Handbook p. 33It takes 30 to 40 minutes to fully absorb the alcohol in one drink.
Source: Handbook p. 34
“it takes 30 to 40 minutes to totally absorb the alcohol contained in a single drink.”
Wyoming Rules of the Road Driver License Manual, Handbook p. 34About 90 percent of alcohol is removed by the liver, at about one drink per hour for everyone.
Source: Handbook p. 34
“Approximately 90 percent of the alcohol in your body is eliminated by the liver. It is eliminated at a constant rate and this rate is about the same for all persons, about one drink per hour.”
Wyoming Rules of the Road Driver License Manual, Handbook p. 34A BAC of 0.08 percent is high; people are impaired whether or not they show it.
Source: Handbook p. 34
“a BAC of 0.08 percent is considered to be high, and people at this level are impaired mentally and physically whether or not they show it.”
Wyoming Rules of the Road Driver License Manual, Handbook p. 34At 55 mph a drinking driver travels an extra 32 feet or more before braking.
Source: Handbook p. 36
“a drinking driver, traveling at 55 mph, will drive an additional 32 feet or more before he can apply the brakes.”
Wyoming Rules of the Road Driver License Manual, Handbook p. 36Alcohol affects inexperienced drivers more than experienced ones.
Source: Handbook p. 36
“Alcohol affects the inexperienced driver more than the experienced driver.”
Wyoming Rules of the Road Driver License Manual, Handbook p. 36Under implied consent, driving on a public road means you consent to chemical tests.
Source: Handbook p. 37
“Under the Implied Consent law, drivers are deemed to have given their consent to such tests whenever driving on a public street or highway.”
Wyoming Rules of the Road Driver License Manual, Handbook p. 37You can be convicted of DWUI at 0.05 percent with other supporting evidence.
Source: Handbook p. 37
“you may also be convicted of DWUI with a BAC of 0.05 percent and other supporting evidence.”
Wyoming Rules of the Road Driver License Manual, Handbook p. 37
Numbers to know
| Number | What it means | Manual |
|---|---|---|
| 12 oz beer / 3 to 5 oz wine / 86 proof liquor | each holds about half an ounce of alcohol (liquor: one and a half ounces) | Handbook p. 33 |
| 30 to 40 minutes | to absorb one drink | Handbook p. 34 |
| 90 percent, 1 drink per hour | share removed by the liver, and its rate | Handbook p. 34 |
| 0.08 percent | a high BAC | Handbook p. 34 |
| 32 feet at 55 mph | extra distance before a drinking driver brakes | Handbook p. 36 |
| 0.05 percent | BAC at which a DWUI conviction is possible with other evidence | Handbook p. 37 |
| 90 days | suspension at 0.08 percent after a test | Handbook p. 37 |
3 questions from the Wyoming practice test
1. According to the Wyoming manual, how much alcohol is in 12 ounces of beer, three to five ounces of wine, and one and a half ounces of 86 proof liquor?
- Beer has far less than the others
- Liquor has ten times as much
- About two ounces each
- About one half ounce each
Show answer
About one half ounce each. Beer usually contains about 5 percent alcohol, wine 12 or 20 percent, and hard liquor 40 to 50 percent, so 12 ounces of beer, three to five ounces of wine, and one and a half ounces of 86 proof hard liquor each contain about one half ounce of alcohol. A drink is a drink regardless of type, and the body clears about one per hour.
2. How long does it take to fully absorb the alcohol in a single drink, according to the Wyoming manual?
- About 5 hours
- About 2 minutes
- 30 to 40 minutes
- It is absorbed instantly
Show answer
30 to 40 minutes. The effects of alcohol increase with the passage of time because it takes 30 to 40 minutes to totally absorb the alcohol in a single drink. Food or milk in the stomach slows absorption, but two hours later it makes no difference whether you drank on a full stomach. Two people of equal weight who drink the same amount end up at about the same BAC.
3. What does the manual say about a DWUI conviction at a BAC of 0.05 percent?
- It applies only to commercial drivers
- It is impossible unless BAC reaches 0.08 percent
- It is possible with other supporting evidence
- It is allowed only when no chemical test was taken
Show answer
It is possible with other supporting evidence. The manual explains that 0.08 percent or more may result in a conviction, but a DWUI conviction can also occur at 0.05 percent when other supporting evidence exists. The lower figure is not an automatic clearance, and the statement is not limited to commercial operators. A driver should not treat the per-se threshold as permission to drive after drinking. The concrete cue is that alcohol concentration and evidence of impairment are separate parts of the warning.
Practice this topic
Lock it in with alcohol and dui questions from the free Wyoming practice test. Every answer comes with a plain English explanation.
Source: the Wyoming Rules of the Road Driver License Manual, How Alcohol and Drugs Affect You. 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.