Printable SC Permit Practice Test

1. What should a driver do on a slippery road covered with rain, snow, sleet, or ice?

1. Follow more closely to reduce spray
2. Keep the posted speed until the tires begin to slide
3. Brake hard before every change in direction
4. Reduce speed at the first sign of the slippery condition

2. What area do crosswalks define for pedestrians?

1. The shoulder used for disabled vehicles
2. A lane reserved for passing trucks
3. A place where parking is always required
4. The area where pedestrians may cross the roadway

3. Which South Carolina license class covers a non commercial single unit vehicle over 26,000 pounds, such as a large motor home?

1. Class D
2. Class M
3. Class A
4. Class E

4. At what point total does the South Carolina manual say a driver's license will be suspended for excessive points?

1. 10 points after two years
2. 6 or more points for every driver age 17 or older
3. 12 or more points for a driver age 17 or older
4. 4 points for any licensed driver

5. If a disabled vehicle is stopped on a highway, how far behind it should emergency flares be placed when available?

1. Directly beneath the rear bumper
2. About 20 to 30 feet
3. At least one mile
4. About 200 to 300 feet

6. Where may a South Carolina driver go with a route-restricted license?

1. To and from work, college or residence, ADSAP, or a court-ordered drug program
2. Anywhere during daylight
3. Only to medical appointments
4. Any trip under 20 miles

7. With a South Carolina conditional or special restricted license, during what hours may the teen drive alone?

1. 6 a.m. to midnight
2. 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
3. 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., or to 8 p.m. during daylight saving time
4. Any time before midnight

8. How long must the National Safety Council Defensive Driving Course last for point reduction?

1. Four hours of online instruction
2. Eight hours of classroom training
3. Ten hours of behind-the-wheel practice
4. One hour at an SCDMV branch

9. What colors and shapes may regulatory signs use?

1. White with black, red, or green letters or symbols, often square or rectangular
2. Yellow with black symbols, always diamond shaped
3. Green with white letters, always circular
4. Blue with orange symbols, usually triangular

10. What does the traffic-light symbol on this yellow warning sign announce?

1. A traffic signal ahead
2. A stop sign ahead
3. A lane ending ahead
4. A pedestrian-only crossing signal

11. Why does the South Carolina manual want you to look 20 to 30 seconds ahead while driving?

1. It lets you watch the car directly ahead more closely
2. It is needed on interstates above 55 mph alone
3. It lets you stop checking your mirrors
4. It gives you time to plan and avoid emergency moves

12. While backing up, why does the South Carolina manual say you should not rely on your mirrors alone?

1. Using them while reversing is illegal in South Carolina
2. They fog over whenever the car is in reverse gear
3. They do not show the area immediately behind the vehicle
4. They are angled for night driving while you back up

13. While towing a boat, the trailer starts to whip from side to side. What should you do?

1. Steer straight and slow gradually without braking
2. Brake hard to stop the swaying quickly
3. Speed up to pull the trailer straight
4. Steer side to side against the sway

14. What does BAC, or blood alcohol concentration, measure?

1. The number of drinks you had in the last two hours of the evening
2. How long alcohol has been in your stomach before it is absorbed
3. The amount of alcohol in each drink compared with the water in it
4. The percentage of alcohol compared with the blood in your body

15. What does a South Carolina yield sign look like?

1. A red eight-sided sign with white letters
2. A red and white triangle pointing down, with red letters
3. A yellow diamond with black letters and a triangle symbol
4. A white rectangle with a red circle and slash

16. You are behind a stopped school bus with flashing red lights on a four-lane road. What must you do?

1. Pass in the left lane, since this is a multi-lane road
2. Slow to 15 mph and pass carefully on the left side
3. Stop and wait until the bus moves or its red lights stop
4. Stop briefly, then pass once no children are visible

17. A traffic light over the intersection ahead is flashing yellow, and cross traffic is approaching from the right. What should you do?

1. Slow down and be ready to stop for that traffic
2. Come to a full stop as you would at a stop sign
3. Keep your speed; flashing yellow gives you priority
4. Stop and wait for the light to turn green

18. You are waiting to pull out, and an approaching car has its right turn signal on. What should you do?

1. Pull out now, since the signal shows it will turn
2. Flash your lights so the driver turns faster
3. Pull out if the car is still more than a block away
4. Wait until you are sure the car is actually turning

19. You are not sure whether a new prescription is safe to take before driving. What does the South Carolina manual tell you to do?

1. Take half the dose and drive short distances
2. Drive as usual unless the label mentions alcohol
3. Wait until you feel a side effect, then pull over
4. Ask your doctor or pharmacist about side effects

20. Besides reducing injury, what two benefits of safety belts does the South Carolina manual name?

1. They lower your insurance rate and prevent tickets
2. They protect you from air bags and keep you awake
3. They keep you in the car and help you keep control
4. They let you sit closer to the wheel and see better

21. You are following a school bus that will soon reach a railroad crossing. What does the South Carolina manual say about your following distance?

1. Keep the usual four seconds; buses are easy to see
2. Shorten it so other cars do not cut in front
3. It does not matter on roads with a crossing gate
4. Increase it, because the bus must stop at the crossing

22. You reach a roundabout, and a car already circling is coming toward your entry point from the left. What should you do?

1. Enter first, since you are on its right
2. Yield and enter after it passes
3. Stop in the circle to let it go around you
4. Speed up to enter ahead of it

23. You are turning right at an intersection, and a bicyclist is riding straight through on your right. Who goes first?

1. The bicyclist; yield as you would to any vehicle
2. You, because cars have priority over bicycles
3. Whoever is moving faster at that moment
4. You, if you signaled before the bicyclist arrived

24. In a work zone, the car ahead is moving slowly. What does the South Carolina manual say about following it?

1. Stay close so other cars cannot cut in
2. Follow closely so you can use its lights as a guide
3. Don't tailgate; be ready to stop suddenly
4. Keep the usual gap since work zones are short

25. Which of these counts as a traffic control device under the South Carolina manual?

1. Hand waves from another driver offering to let you go
2. Advice from a passenger about when to turn
3. A GPS voice telling you to turn left ahead
4. Directions given by a school crossing guard

26. When yielding to an emergency vehicle, what should a driver avoid whenever possible?

1. Using a turn signal before pulling over
2. Blocking intersections, roadways, or driveways
3. Stopping at the edge of the road
4. Allowing the emergency vehicle to pass

27. Why does the South Carolina manual say not to assume a motorcycle is turning when its signal flashes?

1. Motorcycles are not required to have signals
2. Motorcycle signals are decorative
3. Riders signal only for lane changes
4. Motorcycle turn signals may not self cancel and the rider may have forgotten them

28. A South Carolina conditional license holder has no licensed adult in the car. When may the teen carry more than two passengers under 21?

1. Never, under any circumstances
2. When driving on weekends and the passengers are friends
3. When transporting family members or students to and from school
4. When the passengers are over 16 and wearing seat belts

29. After moving permanently to South Carolina with a valid out-of-state license, when must a resident apply for an SC license?

1. Within 10 days of moving
2. Within 45 days of moving
3. Within 90 days of moving
4. Only when the other license expires

30. What is the average perception time for an alert driver, according to the South Carolina manual?

1. One tenth of a second
2. 5 seconds
3. Three quarters of a second to 1 second
4. 10 seconds

31. A South Carolina driver's license is about to be suspended for points. When must a defensive driving course be finished to help?

1. Within 30 days after the suspension begins
2. Any time during the suspension
3. Only after the suspension ends
4. Before the suspension begins

32. Your vehicle gets stuck on railroad tracks in South Carolina. Which sign at the crossing gives the number to call?

1. The round yellow RXR advance warning sign
2. The white crossbuck sign
3. An orange work zone sign
4. The blue sign with an emergency phone number

33. When parking downhill on the right side of a street, how should the front wheels be turned?

1. To the left if a curb is present
2. Straight ahead if there is no curb
3. Toward the center of the street
4. To the right, with or without a curb

34. What does the pictured ONE WAY sign tell a driver about traffic flow?

1. The driver must turn around before reaching the sign
2. Traffic may travel in either direction when no cars are visible
3. The arrow marks a lane reserved for buses
4. Traffic travels only in the arrow's direction

35. What does the small stop-sign symbol on this yellow warning sign mean?

1. A stop is required at this warning sign itself
2. A traffic signal is ahead
3. A yield sign is ahead
4. A stop sign is ahead

36. This sign appears before a curve on a country highway. What should you be ready for?

1. A railroad crossing with flashing lights and a gate arm
2. A four-way stop with no signals at all
3. A traffic signal ahead that may soon require a stop
4. A lane that is closed ahead for road work crews

37. What three options does the South Carolina manual give for avoiding a collision or reducing its impact?

1. Braking, honking, or flashing headlights
2. Braking, steering, or accelerating
3. Steering, shifting to neutral, or honking
4. Braking, turning on hazards, or stopping

38. On a highway with two lanes in each direction, a school bus traveling the opposite way stops with red lights flashing. Must you stop?

1. Yes, all traffic must stop in both directions
2. No, you are meeting it on a multi-lane highway
3. Yes, unless a median divides the road
4. Only if the bus has its stop arm out

39. A tractor trailer is passing you on the left. Where should you position your car in your lane?

1. Toward the outside of your lane, away from the truck
2. Close to the truck so it can see you clearly
3. Exactly in the center of your lane at all times
4. On the shoulder until the truck has passed

40. You are stopped at a red light and want to turn right. A sign at the corner prohibits right turns on red, and no cars are coming. What should you do?

1. Turn right, since the road is clear
2. Turn right after a full three-second stop
3. Wait for the green light before turning
4. Turn right if a pedestrian waves you on