10 free practice questions on alcohol and fitness to drive for the Dutch CBR car theory exam. Alcohol, drugs, medicines, tiredness, emotions and being able to see well. After every answer you see the explanation and the source. The app has 138 questions on this topic.
What you need to know
The only safe amount of alcohol behind the wheel is zero.
For drugs there is effectively zero tolerance; always ask if medicines allow you to drive.
Fatigue is as dangerous as alcohol; only sleep truly helps.
Strong emotions narrow your focus like alcohol; calm down before you drive.
Seeing well is a hard condition: at least 0.5 visual acuity with both eyes.
Penalties rise with the per-mille level; refusing the breath test is a separate serious offence.
1. You are a novice driver and blow 400 µg/l on the breath analysis. What happens to your licence?
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Je bent beginnend bestuurder en blaast bij de ademanalyse 400 µg/l. Wat gebeurt er met je rijbewijs?
Explanation: Art. 164(2)(b) WVW: for drivers who fall under the novice limit of art. 8(3), the licence is seized at a breath value above 350 µg/l or a blood value above 0.8 per mille. 400 µg/l is above that. The 570 µg/l threshold (under a) applies only to experienced drivers.NL: Het wordt direct ingevorderd: voor beginnende bestuurders ligt de invorderingsgrens bij 350 µg/l (0,8 promille)Source: WVW 1994 art. 164 lid 2 onder b
2. Your licence was seized at the roadside because of a high alcohol level. Within what period must the public prosecutor decide whether to retain the licence?
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Je rijbewijs is langs de weg ingevorderd wegens een hoog alcoholgehalte. Binnen welke termijn moet de officier van justitie beslissen of hij het rijbewijs inhoudt?
Explanation: Art. 164(6) WVW: if the public prosecutor does not use his power to retain the licence (para. 4) within ten days of the day of seizure, he must return it without delay. If he does retain it, this may last until the criminal case is final or the disqualification has expired.NL: Binnen 10 dagen na de invordering; anders krijg je het rijbewijs terugSource: WVW 1994 art. 164 lid 4 en 6
3. Three years ago you were convicted of drink-driving. Now you are convicted again, with 1.5 per mille. What is the consequence for your licence?
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Drie jaar geleden ben je veroordeeld voor rijden onder invloed. Nu word je opnieuw veroordeeld, met 1,5 promille. Wat is het gevolg voor je rijbewijs?
Explanation: The repeat-offender rule of art. 123b WVW: if within five years of an earlier final conviction for drink-driving you are convicted again with more than 570 µg/l / 1.3 per mille (or for refusal or drugs), your licence loses its validity by law for all categories. For a new licence you must again prove driving skill and fitness (para. 3).NL: Je rijbewijs wordt van rechtswege ongeldig voor alle categorieën; voor een nieuw rijbewijs moet je opnieuw rijvaardigheid en geschiktheid aantonenSource: WVW 1994 art. 123b lid 1
4. After a stop the police suspect that alcohol or drug use has made you unfit to drive and report this. Which body then decides on an examination of your fitness to drive or an educational measure?
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De politie vermoedt na een aanhouding dat je door drank- of drugsgebruik niet meer geschikt bent om te rijden en doet daarvan mededeling. Welke instantie beslist vervolgens over een onderzoek naar je rijgeschiktheid of een educatieve maatregel?
Explanation: Art. 130(1) WVW: on suspicion of unfitness or insufficient driving skill, the police report in writing to the CBR. Art. 131(1): the CBR then decides, within four weeks at most, on an educational measure (such as the EMA) or an examination of driving skill or fitness. This administrative track is separate from the criminal case.NL: Het CBR, binnen vier weken na ontvangst van de mededelingSource: WVW 1994 art. 130 lid 1; art. 131 lid 1
5. After an alcohol stop the CBR imposes an educational measure (EMA) on you. Who pays the costs?
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Het CBR legt je na een alcoholaanhouding een educatieve maatregel (EMA) op. Wie betaalt de kosten daarvan?
Explanation: Art. 132a(2) and (3) WVW: the costs of imposing and carrying out an educational measure are borne by the person concerned; the CBR sets the amount. The same applies to an imposed examination (art. 133(4)). Not paying counts as not cooperating, resulting in invalidation of the licence (art. 132(2)).NL: Jij zelf: zowel de kosten van het opleggen als van het uitvoeren van de maatregel komen voor jouw rekeningSource: WVW 1994 art. 132a lid 2 en 3; art. 133 lid 4
6. The CBR has imposed an examination of your fitness to drive, but you do not show up and do not cooperate. What is the consequence?
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Het CBR heeft je een onderzoek naar je rijgeschiktheid opgelegd, maar je verschijnt niet en werkt niet mee. Wat is het gevolg?
Explanation: Art. 132(1)-(2) WVW: anyone required to undergo an imposed examination or educational measure must cooperate; if cooperation is lacking (including by not paying), the CBR decides without delay to invalidate the licence. Under para. 4 that invalidation takes effect from the seventh day after notification; you must then hand in the licence (para. 5).NL: Het CBR verklaart je rijbewijs onverwijld ongeldig; dat gaat in op de zevende dag na bekendmakingSource: WVW 1994 art. 132 lid 2 en 4
7. Driving under the influence of alcohol (art. 8 WVW) is a criminal offence (misdrijf) in the Netherlands, not an ordinary traffic offence. Is this correct?
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Rijden onder invloed van alcohol (art. 8 WVW) is in Nederland een misdrijf en geen gewone verkeersovertreding. Klopt dit?
Explanation: Yes. Violation of art. 8 is punished with imprisonment of up to one year or a fourth-category fine (art. 176(2)), and art. 178(1) provides that the offences of art. 176 are crimes (misdrijven). So it is not a 'Mulder' administrative fine: you can get a criminal record and the court can impose a driving disqualification (art. 179).NL: JaSource: WVW 1994 art. 176 lid 2; art. 178 lid 1
8. After a drink-driving offence your licence was seized and retained for three months. The court then imposes an unconditional twelve-month driving disqualification. For how long from the ruling may you still not drive?
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Je rijbewijs is na een alcoholovertreding drie maanden ingevorderd en ingehouden geweest. Daarna legt de rechter je een onvoorwaardelijke ontzegging van de rijbevoegdheid van twaalf maanden op. Hoelang mag je vanaf de uitspraak nog niet rijden?
Explanation: Art. 179(6) WVW: with an unconditional disqualification, the time the licence was seized or retained under art. 164 is fully deducted from the duration of the disqualification. Twelve minus three is therefore nine months. For art. 8 the court may impose a disqualification of up to five years (para. 1).NL: Nog negen maanden: de tijd dat het rijbewijs al was ingevorderd, wordt van de ontzegging afgetrokkenSource: WVW 1994 art. 179 lid 1 en 6
9. You are a registered coach (2toDrive) and have had three beers, putting you above 0.5 per mille. May you act as coach next to the 17-year-old driver tonight?
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Je bent geregistreerd begeleider (2toDrive) en hebt drie glazen bier gedronken, waardoor je boven de 0,5 promille zit. Mag je vanavond als begeleider naast de 17-jarige bestuurder plaatsnemen?
Explanation: No. Art. 8 WVW forbids not only driving but also 'acting as coach' above 220 µg/l / 0.5 per mille. A tipsy coach can moreover be given a driving ban and a coaching ban (art. 162(4)).NL: NeeSource: WVW 1994 art. 8 lid 2; art. 162 lid 4
10. You buy an over-the-counter hay-fever remedy at the chemist that makes you drowsy. Can you also be punishable for driving with such a freely available medicine?
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Je koopt bij de drogist zonder recept een hooikoortsmiddel dat je suf maakt. Kun je met zo'n vrij verkrijgbaar middel ook strafbaar zijn als je gaat rijden?
Explanation: Yes. Art. 8(1) WVW makes no distinction between prescription and over-the-counter medicines: any substance you know or should know impairs driving counts. Many hay-fever and cough remedies cause drowsiness; read the leaflet or ask the chemist/pharmacist.NL: JaSource: WVW 1994 art. 8 lid 1
Memory hooks for this topic
🍺🚗0️⃣5️⃣Experienced driver: maximum 0.5 promille blood alcohol.
Picture a beer glass sliced perfectly in HALF: 0.5 = one half. The experienced driver may only go up to the halfway line, not a drop more.
🔰🍺0️⃣2️⃣Beginner driver (first 5 years): maximum 0.2 promille.
The 2 in 0.2 looks like a swan shaking its head NO: the beginner with the L-plate may have almost nothing. 2 tiny sips and it's already too much.
🔰🖐️🗓️🚗You are a beginner driver for the first 5 years after your first licence (7 years if you started under 18 on a moped).
Hold up your HAND: 5 fingers = 5 years on probation. For five years you wear the invisible green 'beginner' badge.
🔰0️⃣2️⃣🎓0️⃣5️⃣Mnemonic: Beginner = 0.2 (small), Experienced = 0.5 (bigger). More experience, a bit more margin.
Think of stairs: the beginner stands on step 2, the experienced driver climbed 3 steps higher to step 5. Experience climbs from 2 to 5.
