Courts commonly order DUI offenders to complete an alcohol education program, along with fines, loss of driving privileges, and possible jail time. A DUI conviction never ends with just a small fine, and the device a court may require is an ignition interlock, not a speed limiter.
Idaho limits license holders under 16 to daylight driving, which state law defines as 5 a.m. to 10 p.m., so from 10 p.m. until 5 a.m. they may drive only with a licensed driver aged 21 or older seated beside them.
One standard drink equals either 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits; each holds about the same amount of alcohol. Choosing beer or wine over liquor does not make you any less impaired.
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.
Idaho gives new residents 90 days to move an out-of-state vehicle onto Idaho registration. Continuing to drive on the old state's plates after that period breaks the law.
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%.
The required minimum for bodily injury liability is $25,000 when a single person is hurt in a crash you cause. You may buy higher limits, but a $15,000 policy would fall short of the minimum.
Under implied consent, getting a license and driving on public roads count as advance agreement to chemical testing, such as a breath test, when you are arrested on suspicion of drunk driving. Refusing the test usually brings its own penalties, including loss of your license.
The liver breaks down alcohol at a fairly steady pace of about one standard drink, such as a 12-ounce beer, per hour. Coffee, a cold shower, or exercise cannot speed this up; only the passing of time lowers your BAC.
A written report is required when a crash causes more than $1,500 in property damage or injures anyone; an injury alone is enough, whatever the damage. A crash with only a few hundred dollars of damage and no injuries does not call for one.
Idaho will not suspend for less than 3 months (90 days) after a first DUI conviction, and a court can impose a longer period. Later convictions lead to far longer suspensions, on top of fines and possible jail.
When you damage an unattended vehicle and cannot find its owner, you must leave a note on it with your name and contact details; driving away without doing so is against the law. The police have to be notified only if the damage is more than $1,500 or someone is injured.
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.
Drivers under 21 are held to a zero-tolerance rule: a reading of 0.02% or more brings penalties such as license suspension, far below the 0.08% adult limit. Even a single drink can bring a young driver close to that level, so the only safe plan is not to drink before driving.
Idaho expects you to report a new address to the DMV no later than 30 days after you move, so that renewal reminders and legal notices reach you.
Every question in this set has its own page with the correct answer and an explanation.
