For drivers 21 and older, the standard legal limit is a BAC of 0.08%. Drivers under 21 are covered by zero-tolerance laws with a far lower limit, so 0.08% is not the cutoff for 18- to 20-year-olds, and 0.06% is not the standard adult limit.
Tip Watch the decimal point closely: the adult limit is 0.08% BAC, not 0.8%.
One standard drink is any of these: 1.5 ounces of 80-proof spirits, 5 ounces of wine, or 12 ounces of regular beer. They contain roughly the same amount of alcohol, so what you drink matters much less than how much.
Before the test begins, the examiner checks that your vehicle is safe and properly equipped. An unsafe vehicle, missing seat belts, or anything that keeps the examiner from reaching the brake pedal is enough to cancel the test, so check your car ahead of time.
When you damage an unattended vehicle and its owner is nowhere to be found, leave a note in a visible, secure spot with your contact information; many states also require you to report the crash to the police. Driving off without doing this counts as hit-and-run, but you are not expected to wait for the owner indefinitely.
A first-time DUI offender in Alaska loses the license for no less than 90 days, which equals 3 months, and also faces fines, jail time, and usually an ignition interlock device. Later convictions bring much longer losses of driving privileges.
Alaska allows 30 days after a move to report your new address to the DMV. Keeping it current helps you avoid fines and makes sure renewal notices and other official mail reach you.
Alaska requires a written crash report to the DMV whenever someone is injured or killed or property damage goes above $2,000. The lower $1,000 figure is not the threshold, and the duty is not limited to injured drivers.
Alaska and Maine both require liability coverage of at least $50,000 if a crash you cause kills or injures a single person. A $25,000 policy falls short of that minimum, while $100,000 per person is more than the law demands.
Alcohol makes it hard to hold a lane, judge speed, and react smoothly, so impaired drivers often weave, drive unusually slowly, and brake or stop without warning. If you notice these signs, keep well back and report the driver to police when it is safe.
Alaska gives new residents, and anyone who starts a job in the state, a 10-day window to register a vehicle brought from elsewhere. Keeping out-of-state plates on it past that point breaks the law.
Under zero-tolerance rules, a driver younger than 21 may not drive with any measurable alcohol in the blood, so even one drink can lead to charges. The 0.08% figure is the usual limit for adult drivers, not for drivers under 21.
Courts commonly order people convicted of DUI to complete alcohol education and treatment, which in Alaska is handled through the Alcohol Safety Action Program (ASAP). A DUI also brings fines far larger than $100, loss of the license, and possible jail time, so it never ends with just a warning.
Alaska bars provisional license holders from driving from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. unless a parent, legal guardian, or licensed driver at least 21 years old rides along, or the trip is to, from, or part of their job. The restricted period begins at 1 a.m., not just after midnight.
Getting behind the wheel on a public road counts as advance permission for a chemical test, such as a breath test, after a lawful DUI arrest. Saying no to the test brings separate penalties, among them loss of the license.
Every question in this set has its own page with the correct answer and an explanation.
