Washington · Handbook chapter 5 · 4 min read

Chapter 5: Alcohol, cannabis and other drugs

Washington impaired-driving law: BAC and THC limits for adults and under-21 drivers, physical control, implied consent and test refusal, DUI penalties, the open container law, cannabis, medicines, polydrug use and how alcohol affects driving.

Why this chapter matters

Impaired driving kills, and every Washington knowledge test includes questions on it. Washington's limits cover cannabis as well as alcohol, and the under-21 rules are strict, so learn the numbers exactly.

The legal limits

Reaching these levels counts as driving under the influence (DUI).

Physical control

DUI covers more than driving. If you are able to control the engine or operation of a vehicle, you are in physical control of it, even when it is parked. Sitting impaired behind the wheel with the keys is not a safe way to sleep it off.

Implied consent

Under Washington's Implied Consent Law, everyone who drives in the state has already agreed to be tested if an officer suspects alcohol or drugs. Refusing the test can cost you your driving privilege for 90 to 730 days, or until you turn 21, whichever is longer. The length depends on your record.

Penalties

DUI offenses stay on your driving record for life. A conviction can bring a mix of:

• License suspension of 90 days to 4 years.
• A probationary license.
• An ignition interlock device on the vehicle you drive.
• Required proof of financial responsibility.
• An alcohol assessment and treatment report.
• Reapplying for your license, retaking both exams and paying the reissue fee.

Add fines, possible jail and higher insurance rates, and one bad decision becomes very expensive.

Open container law

It is a traffic infraction for anyone in a vehicle on the road to:

• Drink alcohol or consume cannabis.
• Have alcohol or cannabis whose container is open, has a broken seal or is partly used.
• Hide alcohol or cannabis in unlabeled or mislabeled containers.

Opened alcohol and cannabis may be carried only in the trunk or a truck bed, never in a compartment the driver can reach.

How alcohol affects you

Alcohol is the most common impairing substance in impaired-driving crashes. It can cause:

• Relaxation and drowsiness.
• Blurred or narrowed vision.
• Slower reactions, weaker concentration and poorer scanning.
• Trouble understanding what is happening and doing two things at once, such as holding your lane while watching traffic.
• Overconfidence, which leads to risky choices.

Do not drive after using any impairing substance, do not ride with an impaired driver, stop friends and family from driving impaired, and plan a sober driver. Watch for impaired drivers around you and give them plenty of room.

Cannabis

Recreational cannabis is legal for adults 21 and over, but driving after consuming any cannabis is illegal at every age. There is no safe amount for driving. Cannabis slows reactions, reduces attention and coordination, makes it harder to judge distance and handle the car, and increases drowsiness.

Medicines

• A drug being legal does not make it safe to drive on. Impaired driving is a crime whether the drug is prescribed, bought over the counter, from a store or illegal.
• Cold, allergy and headache medicines can cause drowsiness.
• Do not drive when you first start a prescription, start a new one or take a higher dose, until you know how it affects you.
• Read labels: a warning about operating heavy machinery includes driving.

Polydrug use

Taking more than one drug at a time, including alcohol, cannabis, medicines or other substances, can produce effects greater than any one drug alone. Polydrug use is the most common impairment involved in fatal crashes.