SC Permit Practice Test 1

All 20 questions in test 1

Every question below comes from the South Carolina question bank on this page. Open a question to see the correct answer and the explanation. Nothing here is hidden behind a signup.

1. 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
   Show answer

   Reduce speed at the first sign of the slippery condition. On a slippery road, the manual says to reduce speed at the first sign of rain, snow, sleet, or ice. Tires grip less effectively in those conditions, which lengthens stopping distance and makes turning without a skid harder. Waiting for the tires to slide delays the response, hard braking can upset traction, and following more closely removes the space needed to stop. The cue is early adjustment: slow as soon as the surface becomes slippery, then preserve extra control and room around the vehicle.

   Study this in the handbook: Visual search and speed management

2. 2. 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
   Show answer

   Blocking intersections, roadways, or driveways. An emergency response needs a continuous route, so a driver who pulls aside should avoid blocking an intersection, roadway, or driveway. The signal helps communicate the move, and stopping at the edge creates the open path the emergency vehicle needs. Allowing it to pass is the purpose of yielding. The cue is to look beyond your own lane: leave access points open so the responding vehicle can continue without weaving around you.

   Study this in the handbook: Emergency vehicles, traffic stops and the Move Over Law

3. 3. How much water can reach the bottom of most passenger cars and cause loss of control or stalling?

   1. Two inches
   2. One foot
   3. Six inches
   4. Two feet
   Show answer

   Six inches. Six inches of water can reach the bottom of most passenger cars and cause loss of control or stalling. Two feet of moving water can carry away most vehicles, which is a different danger and not the earliest depth described. Do not wait for water to reach that greater depth before recognizing a problem. A flooded roadway calls for another route; the six-inch figure explains why apparently shallow water is not a safe crossing invitation.

   Study this in the handbook: Visual search and speed management

4. 4. How should you return to pavement after the wheels drop onto an uneven shoulder?

   1. Slow gradually and steer gently back when safe
   2. Steer sharply back at once
   3. Accelerate and make a sudden turn
   4. Brake hard while jerking the wheel left
   Show answer

   Slow gradually and steer gently back when safe. Recover from a pavement drop-off gradually. Slow when it is safe and steer gently back rather than trying to snap the vehicle onto the paved surface immediately. The handbook calls the abrupt reaction panic steering and warns that uneven surfaces can produce erratic vehicle behavior. Keep the steering movement slight as the tires cross the edge. A sudden turn, especially combined with a hard brake application, is the opposite of the controlled return described.

   Study this in the handbook: Avoiding collisions and vehicle malfunctions

5. 5. What colors do South Carolina guide signs use, and what do they help you do?

   
   1. Green, brown, or blue; they give information on intersecting roads and direct you to cities
   2. Red and white; they order you to stop or yield
   3. Yellow with black symbols; they warn of hazards ahead
   4. Orange; they mark construction zones
   Show answer

   Green, brown, or blue; they give information on intersecting roads and direct you to cities. Guide signs are square or rectangular and are green, brown, or blue. The manual says they give information on intersecting roads, help direct you to cities and towns, and show points of interest along the highway, and they can also help you find hospitals, service stations, restaurants, and hotels. Red and white signs such as STOP and YIELD are regulatory, yellow signs warn of possible danger ahead, and orange signs mark work zones. When you are unsure of your route, read the guide signs early so you can choose your lane well before the turn or exit.

   Study this in the handbook: Regulatory and guide signs

6. 6. While the results of the administrative hearing on an alcohol-related suspension are pending, what may an eligible South Carolina driver receive?

   1. A six-month license for $25
   2. A permanent license at no charge
   3. A TAL for $100
   4. A commercial license for $100
   Show answer

   A TAL for $100. While the hearing results are pending, an eligible driver may receive a Temporary Alcohol License for $100. The TAL remains usable until the SCDMV receives the hearing results, so it is a temporary privilege rather than a permanent replacement license. The free permanent license and the $25 six-month option are not the terms stated in this passage. A commercial license is a different credential entirely. The memory cue is hearing pending plus a $100 TAL, followed by returning it when the suspension outcome is resolved.

   Study this in the handbook: Provisional and temporary alcohol licenses

7. 7. What do regulatory signs tell drivers about?

   
   1. The route number of the highway
   2. The location of nearby restaurants and hotels
   3. Possible danger that might be ahead
   4. Specific laws they must obey
   Show answer

   Specific laws they must obey. Regulatory signs communicate enforceable rules about how traffic must move. The manual gives examples involving traffic direction, lane use, turning, speed, parking, and other special situations. A restaurant or hotel location belongs with guide signs, while possible danger ahead describes warning signs. A route number identifies a roadway rather than a driving command. When a sign presents a required movement or restriction, treat its instruction as part of the traffic law and follow it before continuing.

   Study this in the handbook: Regulatory and guide signs

8. 8. What does the pictured fluorescent yellow school sign warn a driver to expect?

   
   1. A school zone or school crossing
   2. An adult pedestrian-only recreation area
   3. A railroad crossing at the next intersection
   4. A hospital entrance with emergency traffic
   Show answer

   A school zone or school crossing. The manual says some warning signs may be fluorescent yellow, such as school zones, school crossings, and pedestrian crossings, and it shows the school crossing sign among its common warning signs. The sign warns the driver to watch carefully for children. It is not the round railroad advance sign, and it does not mark a hospital or an adult only area. Slow down as conditions require, obey the slower school zone limit when lights are flashing or children are present, and stop if a school traffic patrol signals you to.

   Study this in the handbook: Traffic lights

9. 9. For what age range is South Carolina's graduated driver license program designed?

   1. Individuals 12 to 14 years old
   2. Individuals 15 to 17 years old
   3. Individuals 18 to 20 years old
   4. Individuals 21 years old and older
   Show answer

   Individuals 15 to 17 years old. South Carolina's graduated driver license program is for individuals from 15 through 17 years of age. It gives newer drivers an opportunity to develop driving skills while restrictions on nighttime and unsupervised driving are gradually lifted. The 12 to 14 range is below the program's stated ages, while adults 18 and older are outside this specific graduated program. Remember the range as the three teen ages beginning at 15 and ending at 17, then review the separate license stages for the specific restrictions that apply.

   Study this in the handbook: Conditional and special restricted licenses

10. 10. What condition does this yellow warning sign with a skidding car warn about?

    
    1. A sharp curve ahead
    2. A bicycle crossing ahead
    3. The road is slippery when wet
    4. Loose gravel on the shoulder
    Show answer

    The road is slippery when wet. South Carolina includes Slippery When Wet among its common warning signs. Like most warning signs, it is yellow with a black symbol and diamond shaped, and it tells you about a special situation on the roadway ahead. This one shows a car with skid marks, warning that the road surface can become slippery when it is wet. When you see it in rain, slow down. The handbook shows separate signs for a sharp curve, which uses a bent arrow, and for bicycles, which shows a bicycle.

11. 11. How should cargo weight be distributed in a trailer, according to the South Carolina manual?

    1. Sixty percent in the front nearest the towing vehicle and 40 percent in the back
    2. Evenly, half and half
    3. Most of it in the back
    4. All of it over the rear axle
    Show answer

    Sixty percent in the front nearest the towing vehicle and 40 percent in the back. Trailers must be loaded heavier in the front: sixty percent of the cargo weight should go in the front nearest the towing vehicle and 40 percent in the back. Failure to load the trailer front heavy is a leading cause of trailer mishaps because it causes sway. If the trailer begins to sway, steer straight and reduce speed gradually without braking.

    Study this in the handbook: Rural roads, winter driving and trailers

12. 12. If your vehicle breaks down on a highway and you must stop, what should you do first if possible?

    1. Turn off all lights so the battery will not lose power
    2. Leave it in the travel lane so it remains visible to approaching drivers
    3. Get the vehicle off the road and away from traffic
    4. Stand behind the vehicle and direct traffic by hand
    Show answer

    Get the vehicle off the road and away from traffic. A disabled vehicle is dangerous when other drivers do not see it in time. The first priority, when possible, is moving it off the road and away from traffic. Once stopped safely, use emergency flashers to show that the vehicle is disabled and take additional steps to warn approaching road users. Leaving the vehicle in the lane increases collision risk, darkening it removes a warning, and standing behind it exposes a person to moving traffic. Put distance between occupants and the traffic stream whenever the situation permits.

    Study this in the handbook: Avoiding collisions and vehicle malfunctions

13. 13. Where should you wear the lap portion of a safety belt?

    1. Loose across the upper abdomen
    2. Across the chest below the shoulder belt
    3. Above the waist with several inches of slack
    4. Snug and low across the hips
    Show answer

    Snug and low across the hips. Fasten the lap belt so it lies low and snug across the hips. A loose belt or one positioned high on the abdomen is not the fit described. The handbook warns that poor placement could allow a person to slide out of the belt during a collision. Check the fit after fastening, rather than treating the click of the buckle as the only step. Correct placement remains important in vehicles equipped with air bags.

14. 14. What minimum stopping distance does the South Carolina manual give for a loaded truck at 55 mph under ideal conditions?

    1. At least 335 feet, more than 1.5 times a car's stopping distance
    2. About 200 feet
    3. About the same as a car
    4. About 100 feet
    Show answer

    At least 335 feet, more than 1.5 times a car's stopping distance. A loaded truck with good tires and properly adjusted brakes, under ideal conditions and traveling at 55 mph, requires a minimum of 335 feet to come to a complete stop, greater than one and a half times the stopping distance of a car. It is essential not to enter a roadway or change lanes in front of a large vehicle, and to pass it completely before moving back in.

    Study this in the handbook: Motorcycles and commercial vehicles

15. 15. At what age does the graduated program provide full driving privileges even if the clean one-year holding period has not yet elapsed?

    1. 16
    2. 17
    3. 18
    4. 21
    Show answer

    17. The graduated program provides full driving privileges at seventeen, or earlier after a clean year with a conditional or special restricted license. Those are alternative paths in the handbook. The earlier path requires no traffic offenses and no at-fault collisions during that year. Sixteen alone does not satisfy the age alternative, while eighteen and twenty-one postpone it unnecessarily. Read the age route separately from the one-year driving-record route when considering this licensing stage.

    Study this in the handbook: Conditional and special restricted licenses

16. 16. Which South Carolina teen is eligible for a special restricted license?

    1. A 15 and a half year old
    2. A 17 year old with a permit
    3. An 18 year old first-time driver
    4. A 16 year old who is not yet 17 and meets the requirements
    Show answer

    A 16 year old who is not yet 17 and meets the requirements. A special restricted license is for someone who is 16 but less than 17, has met the requirements and passed the vision and skills tests, or who is 16 and already holds a conditional license. A 15 and a half year old gets a conditional license instead. Full driving privileges are earned at 17, so a 17 year old is past this stage. An 18 year old follows the adult route after holding a beginner's permit at least 30 days.

    Study this in the handbook: Conditional and special restricted licenses

17. 17. What does a South Carolina Class D license allow you to drive?

    1. Any vehicle including tractor trailers
    2. Motorcycles of any size
    3. Non commercial passenger vehicles such as cars and trucks not exceeding 26,000 pounds GVW, plus a moped or three wheel vehicle
    4. Only vehicles under 10,000 pounds
    Show answer

    Non commercial passenger vehicles such as cars and trucks not exceeding 26,000 pounds GVW, plus a moped or three wheel vehicle. A Class D license allows you to drive non commercial passenger vehicles such as cars and trucks that do not exceed 26,000 pounds gross vehicle weight, and you may also operate a moped or a three wheel vehicle other than a two wheel motorcycle with a detachable sidecar. Class E covers non commercial single unit vehicles over 26,000 pounds, and Class F covers non commercial combinations over that weight.

    Study this in the handbook: License classes and the beginner's permit

18. 18. When is a load considered secure under South Carolina's rules?

    1. When the tailgate is closed
    2. When it is covered with a blanket
    3. When it is under 500 pounds
    4. Only when nothing can slide, shift, fall or sift onto the roadway or become airborne
    Show answer

    Only when nothing can slide, shift, fall or sift onto the roadway or become airborne. A load must be securely fastened and is only considered secure when nothing can slide, shift, fall or sift onto the roadway or become airborne. Tie it down with rope, netting or straps directly to the vehicle or trailer and cover loose material. A driver whose load spills is guilty of a misdemeanor and may face a fine plus the cost of cleanup.

19. 19. At a stop-controlled intersection with no simultaneous arrival, to whom should you yield?

    1. The driver on your right, regardless of arrival order
    2. The driver who arrived before you
    3. The driver going straight, regardless of arrival order
    4. The driver who has waited the least time
    Show answer

    The driver who arrived before you. Yield to the driver who is already at the intersection or who arrived before you. This question excludes simultaneous arrival, so the tie-breaking rule about the driver on the right is not the issue. Going straight does not replace arrival order in the stated situation, and serving the latest arrival first would reverse the rule. Observe the other approaches while stopping and identify who was there first before taking a turn through the crossing.

    Study this in the handbook: Yielding the right of way

20. 20. During a traffic stop, what should you do with your hands?

    1. Reach immediately for your documents
    2. Keep them on the steering wheel where they can be seen
    3. Hold a mobile phone up to record the stop
    4. Place them under the seat until the officer arrives
    Show answer

    Keep them on the steering wheel where they can be seen. During a traffic stop, the manual says to keep your hands on the steering wheel so they can be easily seen. Do not make sudden movements or search for your driver license or vehicle documents; wait for the officer to give you instructions. Cell phones and mobile devices should not be used by you or your passengers, and passengers should also keep their hands in plain view. Before the officer arrives, turn off the ignition and radio, turn on your hazard flashers, and stay in the vehicle unless the officer directs you to exit.

    Study this in the handbook: Emergency vehicles, traffic stops and the Move Over Law