Alcohol and drugs
You are 19 and an officer has you take a preliminary alcohol screening (PAS). It shows a BAC of 0.05%. What may the officer do next?
- Require you to take a breath or blood test. Correct answer
- Nothing, because 0.05% is under the 0.08% limit.
- Let you go, since a PAS cannot be used on drivers under 21.
Why
For a driver under 21, a PAS reading of 0.05% or higher lets the officer require a breath or blood test. If that later test also comes back at 0.05% or more, you may be arrested for DUI and your driving privilege may be suspended. The 0.08% figure is the limit for drivers over 21, so it gives you no cover here; under 21, driving becomes illegal at 0.01%. The last answer is wrong as well, because an officer who suspects an under-21 driver of drinking can require a hand-held breath test, a PAS or another chemical test.
Where this comes from
California Driver's Handbook, June 2025 edition. The correct answer is Require you to take a breath or blood test.
The rule behind this one
California alcohol and drug rules for drivers goes through the whole topic, with the page of the California Driver's Handbook behind every rule.
More on alcohol and drugs
- You are 19 years old. At what blood alcohol concentration (BAC) does it become illegal for you to drive in California?
- You are carrying a bottle of wine that has already been opened. Where may it legally ride in your car?
- A law enforcement officer suspects you of driving under the influence and asks you to take a breath, blood, or urine test. What happens if you refuse?
- How long does a DUI conviction stay on your California driver's record?