SC Permit Practice Test 13

All 20 questions in test 13

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. 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
   Show answer

   Steer straight and slow gradually without braking. If a trailer begins to sway or whip, the manual says to steer straight and reduce speed gradually, without applying the brakes, and never to increase speed. Stop as soon as you can safely get completely off the roadway, then check that the cargo is loaded heavier in the front and reload if needed. Hard braking, speeding up, or fighting the sway with the wheel are not the manual's response.

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

2. 2. 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
   Show answer

   No, you are meeting it on a multi-lane highway. A driver does not have to stop upon meeting a stopped school bus while traveling in the opposite direction on a multi-lane highway. The manual defines a multi-lane highway as one with four lanes, having at least two traffic lanes in each direction, which matches this road. The exception covers only opposite-direction traffic: drivers behind the bus must always stop. On a two-lane road, traffic in both directions stops.

   Study this in the handbook: School buses

3. 3. A motorcycle is ahead of you in your lane. How much of the lane does the South Carolina manual say the rider should get?

   1. The full width of the lane
   2. Half the lane, so a car can share it
   3. The right third, leaving you the rest
   4. Whatever space is left after you pass
   Show answer

   The full width of the lane. Motorcyclists have the same rights and responsibilities as other drivers, including the use of a complete lane. The manual says to allow a motorcyclist a full lane width and not to share the lane, because the motorcycle needs space for the rider to react to other traffic. A small vehicle does not leave room for a car beside it. The manual's sample test makes the same point: motorcycle operators have the right to use a complete traffic lane.

   Study this in the handbook: Motorcycles and commercial vehicles

4. 4. You parked an automatic car on a hill and turned the wheels as needed. What else should you do before you leave it?

   1. Leave the engine running so the brakes stay strong
   2. Put it in neutral and release the parking brake
   3. Straighten the wheels and leave it in drive
   4. Set the parking brake, put it in park, engine off
   Show answer

   Set the parking brake, put it in park, engine off. For parking on a hill, the manual says the parking brakes should be set, the vehicle placed in the proper gear or park, and the engine turned off. For an automatic car, that proper position is park. For a manual transmission the manual specifies first or reverse. Neutral, drive, or an idling engine would not follow these steps. The wheels are turned as the manual directs for hill parking.

   Study this in the handbook: Turnabouts, parking, lane changes and passing

5. 5. An orange diamond sign appears ahead of you on the interstate. What should you do?

   1. Slow down and watch for workers on or near the road
   2. Look for a rest area or a service exit coming up ahead
   3. Prepare to stop for a school bus up ahead
   4. Watch for a railroad crossing just ahead
   Show answer

   Slow down and watch for workers on or near the road. Orange signs are work zone signs. These construction, maintenance, or emergency operation signs alert you to a work zone ahead and warn that people are working on or near the roadway. Reduce your speed, increase your following distance, and be prepared to stop. Services are shown on blue guide signs, school bus and railroad warnings use their own signs, and work zone speed rules apply even when no workers are visible.

   Study this in the handbook: Warning, railroad and work zone signs

6. 6. You are driving toward the pictured yellow sign. What should you do first as you approach it?

   
   1. Move to the left lane and prepare to U-turn
   2. Speed up to match the traffic ahead
   3. Come to a full stop before the sign
   4. Slow down to enter the roundabout or traffic circle
   Show answer

   Slow down to enter the roundabout or traffic circle. The pictured sign warns of a roundabout or traffic circle. The manual's first step is to slow down to enter it, and then to yield to the traffic already in the circle. You enter counterclockwise. A full stop at the sign is not required, and speeding up would be the wrong response. The center island is raised, and entering traffic yields to the traffic circulating around it.

   Study this in the handbook: Turns, intersections and roundabouts

7. 7. You are pulling out of a private driveway onto a public road in South Carolina. Who has the right-of-way?

   1. You, because you were stopped and waiting first
   2. Drivers already traveling on the public road
   3. Whoever signals first, you or the other driver
   4. Any driver approaching from your right side
   Show answer

   Drivers already traveling on the public road. Coming out of a driveway or private road, you yield the right-of-way to drivers on the public highway. Waiting at the end of the driveway does not earn you a turn the way arriving first at a four-way stop does, and signaling first does not shift the right-of-way. The duty covers traffic from both directions, not just from the right. Even so, the manual reminds everyone that no one should assume they automatically have the right-of-way, so watch traffic on the road before you pull out.

   Study this in the handbook: Yielding the right of way

8. 8. You see this yellow diamond on a four-lane road with a median. What change is coming?

   
   1. A divided highway begins, with a median separating traffic
   2. The right lane ends and you must merge left
   3. The median ends and two-way traffic is no longer separated
   4. A side road joins from both directions ahead
   Show answer

   The median ends and two-way traffic is no longer separated. This sign shows the median ending and the two directions of travel coming back together, the sign the manual labels Divided Highway Ends. After it, oncoming traffic is no longer on the other side of a median, so keep as much space as possible from the centerline. The begins version shows the lanes splitting around a median instead. A lane that ends uses a narrowing lane symbol, and a side road sign shows a road branching off. Like most warning signs, it is yellow with black symbols and diamond shaped.

9. 9. Your light has just turned green. What does the South Carolina manual suggest before you move into the intersection?

   1. Go immediately so drivers behind you are not delayed
   2. Honk to warn cross traffic that you are coming
   3. Go as soon as the car beside you starts moving
   4. Take a moment to make sure the path is clear
   Show answer

   Take a moment to make sure the path is clear. A green light means you may go through the intersection if it is clear to do so, with caution. The manual adds that when the light turns green, you should avoid moving into the intersection immediately: take time to make sure your path of travel is clear and there is no crossing traffic. Some road users may not yield the right-of-way, so look left, right, and left again before you go.

   Study this in the handbook: Turns, intersections and roundabouts

10. 10. While driving, you want to type a phone number into your phone with your thumb to make a call. What does South Carolina law say?

    1. It is legal as long as you type the number quickly
    2. It is legal on rural roads with very little traffic
    3. It is unlawful, since it uses one of your hands
    4. It is legal if the call is an emergency to family
    Show answer

    It is unlawful, since it uses one of your hands. South Carolina law makes it unlawful to use a wireless electronic communication device while operating a motor vehicle if it requires the use of either hand. Typing a number with your thumb uses a hand, so it is not allowed, no matter how fast you are or what road you are on. The Hands-Free Act also bans holding or supporting the device. Voice calls through an earpiece or wrist-worn device are permitted.

    Study this in the handbook: Fatigue, distraction and the hands free law

11. 11. Why do many collisions between cars and large trucks happen at intersections, according to the South Carolina manual?

    1. Truck drivers ignore traffic signals
    2. Drivers misjudge a truck's speed before turning left
    3. Trucks are not allowed to slow for intersections
    4. Intersections are too narrow for trucks to stop
    Show answer

    Drivers misjudge a truck's speed before turning left. The manual says many collisions with large vehicles occur at intersections because motorists cannot accurately judge the speed of an approaching truck before making a left turn. A truck or bus may be going faster than you think, and it takes longer for it to stop. When in doubt about an oncoming truck's speed, do not turn left in its path. Stop lines at intersections also set you back to give large vehicles turning space.

12. 12. Before turning the key or pushing the start button, what does the South Carolina manual say to do?

    1. Put the car in drive so it is ready to move
    2. Press the gas pedal twice to prime the engine
    3. Put your right foot on the brake and confirm park
    4. Set the gear selector to neutral first
    Show answer

    Put your right foot on the brake and confirm park. The manual's starting routine is short: place your right foot on the brake pedal and check that the gear selector is in park, then turn the ignition on or push and release the start button. Once the engine runs, check the gauges and any dashboard indicator lights that need attention, such as fuel level, oil level, ABS, or air bags. Starting in drive or pressing the gas is not part of the routine, and the owner's manual has details for your vehicle.

13. 13. At night you catch up to a car and settle in about 150 feet behind it. Which headlights should you use?

    1. High beams, so the other driver sees you
    2. Low beams, because you are within 200 feet
    3. High beams until you are 100 feet back
    4. Parking lights alone, to avoid any glare
    Show answer

    Low beams, because you are within 200 feet. The manual says to use your low beams when following another vehicle that is less than 200 feet in front of you. At 150 feet you are inside that distance, so switch to low beams. Parking lights are not a substitute for headlights when driving, and a 100-foot figure is not a rule in the manual. When following at night, also add at least one extra second to your following distance, and at least two on unfamiliar roads.

    Study this in the handbook: Night driving and work zones

14. 14. Traffic is backed up just past a railroad crossing, and you will have to stop. Where should you stop?

    1. On the tracks, close behind the car ahead
    2. Between two sets of tracks to save space
    3. Just past the tracks, even if it blocks the crossing
    4. At the stop line before the railroad tracks
    Show answer

    At the stop line before the railroad tracks. If you need to stop for traffic or a signal as you approach railroad tracks, the manual says to stop at the stop line before the tracks. A backup ahead is never a reason to sit on or between the rails. If your vehicle ever gets stuck on a track, call the emergency number listed on the blue sign at the crossing and give the crossing information. When the way is clear, look both ways and cross the tracks quickly without stopping.

    Study this in the handbook: Warning, railroad and work zone signs

15. 15. What does South Carolina's manual recommend for a pet riding in your car?

    1. Secure it in a pet carrier or portable kennel
    2. Let it ride on your lap so it stays calm
    3. Keep it loose in the back seat with a window down
    4. Place it on the front floor near the pedals
    Show answer

    Secure it in a pet carrier or portable kennel. A pet moving around the car pulls your attention away from driving, and the manual lists securing pets among its tips for avoiding distraction. The recommended method is a pet carrier or portable kennel. A pet on your lap, loose in the back seat, or on the floor is not secured, so it can still demand your attention while you drive. Securing the animal before the trip lets you stay focused on the road, which the manual reminds you is your responsibility as the driver.

    Study this in the handbook: Fatigue, distraction and the hands free law

16. 16. For a South Carolina resident under 21, which alcohol activities does the manual say are illegal?

    1. Buying, possessing, or drinking alcoholic beverages
    2. Drinking alcohol, but just in a public place
    3. Buying alcohol, though holding it for a parent is fine
    4. Drinking alcohol on days when you plan to drive
    Show answer

    Buying, possessing, or drinking alcoholic beverages. The manual lists three separate acts that are illegal for anyone under 21: purchasing, possessing, and drinking alcoholic beverages. Possession is on that list, so carrying alcohol for someone else is not an exception the manual offers, and the ban is not limited to public places or to days you plan to drive. The manual adds that alcohol has a greater effect on new drivers who are still learning complex skills, which is one more reason the rules for young people are strict.

    Study this in the handbook: Alcohol, other drugs and implied consent

17. 17. Your car has front and side air bags. What does the South Carolina manual say about wearing a safety belt?

    1. Belts are optional when air bags are installed
    2. Wear just the lap part so the air bag has room
    3. Wear it, because air bags are supplemental restraints
    4. Belts are needed on highways but not city streets
    Show answer

    Wear it, because air bags are supplemental restraints. Air bags are supplemental restraints designed to work best together with safety belts. The belt positions your body to get the most from the air bag and restrains you during a collision, and together they reduce the chance that your head and upper body strike the interior. That is why the manual says belts should be worn even in vehicles equipped with air bags. Wearing just the lap portion or skipping the belt on city streets gives up that protection.

18. 18. How much moving water does the South Carolina manual say can carry away most vehicles, including SUVs and pickup trucks?

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

    Two feet. The manual gives two flood numbers worth knowing. Six inches of water reaches the bottom of most passenger cars and can cause loss of control or stalling, and two feet of moving water can carry away most vehicles, even sport utility vehicles and pickup trucks. A bigger vehicle is not safe in floodwater. Because water can hide dips and wash away the road surface, the manual says not to drive through flooded areas at all: turn around and find another route.

    Study this in the handbook: Visual search and speed management

19. 19. When should you not use your horn, according to the South Carolina manual?

    1. When a driver starts to turn into your lane
    2. When a bicyclist seems to be moving into your lane
    3. When you are near a blind pedestrian
    4. When a driver ahead does not seem to see you
    Show answer

    When you are near a blind pedestrian. The horn is for communicating when you need to. The manual lists times a light tap can help, such as when a pedestrian or bicyclist appears to be moving into your lane, when a driver starts to turn into your lane as you pass, or when a driver may have trouble seeing you. It also warns that inappropriate horn use can scare or anger people and says you should not use your horn near blind pedestrians, who must always be given the right-of-way.

    Study this in the handbook: Stopping distance, following distance and signaling

20. 20. While ABS is activated during emergency braking, can you still steer?

    1. No, the wheels lock until ABS releases
    2. Yes, you can still steer while ABS is working
    3. Only after you lift your foot off the brake
    4. Only if you pump the brake pedal quickly
    Show answer

    Yes, you can still steer while ABS is working. The point of ABS is to let you stop without skidding while keeping steering control. The manual confirms you can still steer while ABS is activated, so you can brake hard and steer around a hazard at the same time. Lifting your foot would end the ABS action, and pumping the brakes deactivates ABS. If your vehicle does not have ABS, the manual says to check the owner's manual for the proper braking procedure.

    Study this in the handbook: Avoiding collisions and vehicle malfunctions