SC Permit Practice Test 10

All 20 questions in test 10

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 penalty applies to a second violation of South Carolina's Hands-Free and Distracted Driving Act?

   1. A $100 fine only
   2. A six month suspension
   3. A $200 fine and two points on your driving record
   4. Four points and a $500 fine
   Show answer

   A $200 fine and two points on your driving record. Second and subsequent offenses under the Hands-Free and Distracted Driving Act bring a $200 fine and two points on the driving record. A $100 fine alone is the first offense penalty. The act does not list a six month suspension, and four points with a $500 fine is not the stated penalty. For a new driver, those two points can matter, because six points triggers an excessive points suspension for permit and conditional license holders.

2. 2. About what share of fatal traffic collisions each year involve alcohol or other impairing drugs, according to the South Carolina manual?

   1. Approximately 40%
   2. Approximately 10%
   3. Approximately 75%
   4. Approximately 5%
   Show answer

   Approximately 40%. The manual says alcohol and other impairing drugs are involved in approximately 40% of all traffic collisions in which someone is killed each year. Ten and five percent understate the problem, and 75 percent overstates it. The manual adds that drinking or using impairing drugs even a little makes a collision much more likely, and that impairment starts with the first drink.

3. 3. What are warning signs usually like in South Carolina?

   1. Yellow with black lettering or symbols and typically diamond shaped
   2. White with red letters and always octagonal
   3. Green with white letters and circular
   4. Blue with orange symbols and rectangular
   Show answer

   Yellow with black lettering or symbols and typically diamond shaped. Warning signs are usually yellow with black lettering or symbols and are typically diamond shaped. Their appearance alerts drivers that a hazard or special roadway situation may be ahead. A white octagon is associated with a stop sign, while green and blue signs generally provide route, direction, or service information. Use the yellow diamond as an early visual cue, then read the symbol or words to learn what condition is ahead and decide how to adjust your driving.

4. 4. What must a South Carolina driver do when a pedestrian crossing the street is guided by a dog or carrying a white cane?

   1. Pass quickly before the pedestrian reaches the lane
   2. Sound the horn and continue
   3. Come to a complete stop
   4. Stop only if a traffic signal is red
   Show answer

   Come to a complete stop. A pedestrian using a guide dog or white cane is treated as visually impaired, and the driver must come to a complete stop. Honking does not substitute for yielding, and passing quickly creates the very danger the rule addresses. The duty does not depend on a red signal because it is based on the pedestrian's protected crossing. The visual cue is the dog or white cane, followed by a full stop and a safe wait.

5. 5. What is the proper response when an emergency vehicle approaches from behind with flashing lights and a siren?

   
   1. Stop immediately in the travel lane regardless of location
   2. Pull to the right edge and stop until it passes
   3. Accelerate so the emergency vehicle cannot catch up
   4. Turn left across traffic to clear the lane
   Show answer

   Pull to the right edge and stop until it passes. An approaching emergency vehicle needs a predictable, open path. Pulling to the right edge and stopping gives it room to pass and keeps the driver from competing for the lane. Stopping in the lane can block the emergency response, while acceleration creates a moving obstacle. A sudden turn across traffic adds a new conflict. The roadside cue is lights and siren behind you: signal, move right, and remain stopped until the vehicle clears.

6. 6. When facing a green traffic light, when may you proceed through the intersection?

   1. Only if you turn right instead of going straight
   2. Only after every vehicle behind you has stopped
   3. Without checking because green guarantees a clear path
   4. When the intersection is clear and you proceed with caution
   Show answer

   When the intersection is clear and you proceed with caution. A green light permits movement through the intersection only when the path is clear, and the manual still calls for caution. Green does not guarantee that a vehicle, pedestrian, or late-moving road user will not be in your path. Waiting for traffic behind you is unnecessary, and the signal applies to permitted movements beyond just a right turn. Scan the intersection before moving, keep your speed controlled, and be ready for another road user’s mistake. The cue is permission plus caution, not an unconditional command to accelerate.

7. 7. What do pavement markings do on a South Carolina roadway?

   1. Replace the need to obey traffic signals
   2. Give directions or warnings and help control lanes and stopping points
   3. Guarantee that the roadway is free of hazards
   4. Identify the registered owner of a vehicle
   Show answer

   Give directions or warnings and help control lanes and stopping points. Pavement markings are lines, arrows, words, or symbols painted on the roadway to give directions or warnings. They can divide lanes, identify lanes for turns, define pedestrian walkways, and show where a driver must stop for a sign or signal. They supplement the roadway’s traffic controls and do not replace signals or guarantee safe pavement. A marking should be read together with signs, lights, traffic, and weather. The cue is that paint on the road communicates how to use the space ahead.

8. 8. 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
   Show answer

   Three quarters of a second to 1 second. Perception time is the time and distance it takes to recognize you must stop, and the average for an alert driver is three quarters of a second to 1 second. Reaction time, moving your foot from the gas to the brake, takes about the same. Braking distance is added on top; at 50 mph on dry pavement with good brakes it can take about 158 feet.

9. 9. When searching ahead on a South Carolina roadway, how far in front of your vehicle should you ideally look?

   1. About 3 to 5 seconds
   2. About 20 to 30 seconds
   3. About 8 to 10 seconds
   4. Only as far as the next vehicle
   Show answer

   About 20 to 30 seconds. The manual recommends looking 20 to 30 seconds ahead along your planned path. That horizon helps you notice traffic conditions, road users, and developing problems early enough to adjust speed or position. The shorter intervals in the choices “About 3 to 5 seconds” and “About 8 to 10 seconds” leave less time to make a decision, while watching only the next vehicle can hide a problem farther down the road. Use the practical cue of scanning beyond the immediate car in front, then keep your eyes moving toward the sides and rear as conditions change.

10. 10. Who may supervise a South Carolina 15 year old's required practice driving, besides a parent or legal guardian?

    1. A person who has stood in place of a parent for at least sixty continuous days
    2. Any friend who is 18 or older
    3. Any licensed driver with no paperwork
    4. A classmate with a license
    Show answer

    A person who has stood in place of a parent for at least sixty continuous days. The practice hours must be with a listed person: father, mother, legal guardian, someone with custody and care, a person approved in writing by the Department of Social Services, a person standing in loco parentis for a continuous period of at least sixty days, or a responsible adult with notarized written permission from one of the others. A friend or classmate does not qualify, and a licensed adult needs the notarized permission to count.

11. 11. What free study resource does the South Carolina manual recommend for practicing the beginner's permit test?

    1. A paper test mailed by the DMV
    2. A required paid classroom course
    3. A smartphone app named SC DMV Driver Exam
    4. A commercial driving simulator subscription
    Show answer

    A smartphone app named SC DMV Driver Exam. The manual points applicants to a free smartphone app called SC DMV Driver Exam for beginner's permit practice. It describes the practice test as a series of randomly selected questions based on information in the manual. A paid course, mailed paper test, or commercial subscription is not the resource named in this section. The cue is the app name and the fact that it is free, which distinguishes the official study aid from private products.

12. 12. When does a South Carolina teen with a conditional or special restricted license earn full driving privileges?

    1. At 18 only
    2. At 17, or after one year with no traffic offenses and no at-fault collisions
    3. At 21
    4. After six months with any record
    Show answer

    At 17, or after one year with no traffic offenses and no at-fault collisions. A South Carolina teen earns full driving privileges at 17, or after keeping the conditional or special restricted license for one year with no traffic offenses and no at-fault collisions. Eighteen and 21 are later than the rule. Six months is not enough, and a record with offenses does not qualify. A driver under 17 who gets six or more points in the first year faces a six-month suspension instead.

13. 13. A South Carolina driver age 17 or older reaches six points. What does the SCDMV do?

    1. Sends a letter to drive more carefully
    2. Suspends the license for six months
    3. Revokes the license
    4. Requires a new road test
    Show answer

    Sends a letter to drive more carefully. For drivers 17 or older, six or more points bring a warning letter from the SCDMV, and a suspension comes when the total reaches 12 or more. A six-month suspension is the penalty for a driver under 17 who gets six or more points in the first year of licensing. Revocation and a new road test are not the six point response. Points are also cut in half one year after the violation date.

14. 14. 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
    Show answer

    Class E. Class E allows you to operate non commercial single unit vehicles that exceed 26,000 pounds GVW, such as large trucks and motor homes, and the holder may also operate a moped or three wheel vehicle. Class F is for non commercial combination vehicles over 26,000 pounds, and Class D covers ordinary cars and trucks up to that weight. Commercial vehicles need a CDL class.

15. 15. What happens when a South Carolina driver under 21 registers a BAC of 0.02 percent or greater?

    1. No action occurs until BAC reaches 0.08 percent
    2. The driver receives only a written warning
    3. The license is suspended for exactly seven days
    4. Driving privileges are suspended immediately for at least three months
    Show answer

    Driving privileges are suspended immediately for at least three months. For a driver under 21, a BAC of 0.02 percent or greater causes immediate suspension of driving privileges for at least three months. The warning and seven-day options understate the consequence, while waiting for 0.08 ignores the under-21 threshold. This rule is separate from the adult standard and reflects the manual’s zero-tolerance discussion. Memorize the linked figures: under 21, 0.02, immediate suspension, minimum three months.

16. 16. A conditional license holder under 16 is traveling without a licensed adult. How many passengers under 21 may be in the vehicle?

    1. No more than three
    2. No more than one
    3. No more than two
    4. Any number if they are seated in back
    Show answer

    No more than two. A conditional license restricts an unsupervised driver under 16 to no more than two passengers under 21. The limit is not one, and allowing three would exceed it. Seating the passengers in the back does not create the exception offered in the manual. The exception concerns transporting family members or students to and from school, not simply where passengers sit. When reviewing this rule, pair the number two with the age under 21, then ask whether a licensed adult age 21 or older or the stated family and school exception changes the situation.

17. 17. What does the pictured round yellow RXR sign warn a driver about?

    
    1. A work zone with a temporary traffic signal
    2. A roundabout that requires traffic to circle left
    3. A bicycle-only crossing
    4. A highway-railroad grade crossing ahead
    Show answer

    A highway-railroad grade crossing ahead. The round yellow sign with an X and RR letters is an advance warning for a highway-railroad grade crossing. It tells the driver to slow down, look, and listen for a train or railroad vehicle, and to be prepared to stop if one is approaching. The sign is not a roundabout or bicycle symbol, and its warning function is not limited to construction areas. Use the RXR shape as an early cue to reduce speed and search both directions.

18. 18. On a four-lane highway, when must you stop for a school bus traveling in the opposite direction?

    1. You stop only after the bus has moved again
    2. You must stop for every bus regardless of direction
    3. You stop only if the bus driver waves
    4. You generally do not have to stop when meeting it in the opposite direction
    Show answer

    You generally do not have to stop when meeting it in the opposite direction. On a four-lane or wider highway, a driver meeting a stopped school bus in the opposite direction generally does not have to stop. The exception described in the manual is different from traveling behind the bus, where a driver must stop. The bus lights and stop arm still demand caution, and children may be nearby, so never pass recklessly or proceed while your own lane is affected. The cue is to identify both roadway type and direction: multi-lane opposite traffic is the narrow exception, not a universal permission around school buses.

19. 19. What does a red circle with a red slash over a symbol mean on a traffic sign?

    
    1. The pictured action is prohibited
    2. The pictured action is required
    3. The pictured action is recommended during rain
    4. The pictured action is a route direction
    Show answer

    The pictured action is prohibited. A red circle with a red slash identifies a prohibited action. The symbol beneath the slash tells you what movement or behavior is forbidden, such as a turn that is not allowed. It does not make the action mandatory or merely suggest it during bad weather, and route directions are guide information. The concrete cue is the slash itself: treat the pictured maneuver as unavailable, then follow the remaining lawful lane or route instructions.

20. 20. What are pavement markings used to communicate to drivers?

    1. Restaurant menus and fuel prices
    2. Directions or warnings about roadway use
    3. Only the names of nearby towns
    4. Personal messages from other drivers
    Show answer

    Directions or warnings about roadway use. Pavement markings communicate directions or warnings on the roadway. Lines, arrows, words, and symbols can organize lanes, identify turn use, mark pedestrian areas, and show where a stop is required. Restaurant menus, fuel prices, town names, and personal messages belong nowhere in this marking system. The practical cue is to treat painted roadway information as an operating instruction: read it before changing position, turning, passing, or stopping.