SC Permit Practice Test 15

All 20 questions in test 15

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 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
   Show answer

   A red and white triangle pointing down, with red letters. The manual describes the yield sign as a red and white downward-pointing triangle with red letters. The eight-sided red sign with white letters is the stop sign, a yellow diamond is the usual warning sign shape, and a red circle with a slash marks a prohibited action on a regulatory sign. At a yield sign you must slow down and allow traffic that has the right-of-way to cross before entering. Learning the shapes lets you recognize each sign before you can read its words.

   Study this in the handbook: Regulatory and guide signs

2. 2. 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
   Show answer

   Wait for the green light before turning. In South Carolina, traffic facing a red signal may turn right after stopping, except where a sign prohibits a right turn on red. When such a sign is posted, the exception is gone, and you wait for the green light like any other red-light traffic. An empty road, a longer stop, or a wave from a pedestrian does not change a posted prohibition. When the light turns green, still check that the intersection is clear before you turn.

   Study this in the handbook: Traffic lights

3. 3. You and an oncoming truck are approaching a one-lane bridge on a rural road. The truck reaches the bridge first. What should you do?

   1. Go first, since smaller vehicles have priority
   2. Cross at the same time, staying to the right
   3. Go first if you flash your headlights
   4. Wait and let the truck cross first
   Show answer

   Wait and let the truck cross first. On narrow and single-lane bridges, the manual says to take turns, and generally the first driver to reach the bridge has the right-of-way. Here the truck arrived first, so it crosses while you wait. Vehicle size and headlight flashing do not change the order, and two vehicles cannot safely share a single-lane bridge. Watch for warning signs that identify narrow or single-lane bridges so you can slow down in time.

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

4. 4. Your accelerator stuck, and you have turned off the engine and shifted to neutral. What does the South Carolina manual say to do next?

   1. Steer smoothly, brake gently, and pull off the road
   2. Restart the engine to see if the pedal is free
   3. Brake as hard as you can in your lane
   4. Keep coasting in neutral to the next exit
   Show answer

   Steer smoothly, brake gently, and pull off the road. When a vehicle accelerates out of control, the sequence is to turn off the engine, shift to neutral while searching for an escape path, then steer smoothly, brake gently, and leave the roadway. Get the pedal repaired at a service center before the car is driven again. Restarting the engine could bring the problem back, hard braking in your lane is not the advice, and coasting to an exit keeps a disabled car in traffic.

   Study this in the handbook: Avoiding collisions and vehicle malfunctions

5. 5. You are circling inside a roundabout and the next exit is yours. What should you do?

   1. Signal your intent and take the exit
   2. Stop and yield to cars waiting to enter
   3. Keep circling until the entry lane is clear
   4. Turn on your hazard lights and slow down
   Show answer

   Signal your intent and take the exit. The manual's last step for a roundabout is to proceed to the appropriate exit, signal your intent, and exit. When your exit comes up, you therefore signal and leave. Entering traffic yields to the traffic already circulating, so you do not need to stop for cars waiting to enter. Hazard lights and circling again are not among the steps. Before that, you slow down to enter and yield to traffic in the circle.

   Study this in the handbook: Turns, intersections and roundabouts

6. 6. A person with a white cane steps off the curb to cross in front of you, away from any signal. What must you do?

   1. Slow down and steer around them carefully
   2. Tap the horn so they know where you are
   3. Come to a complete stop and let them cross
   4. Keep going if they are not in a marked crosswalk
   Show answer

   Come to a complete stop and let them cross. The manual says you must always yield the right-of-way to persons who are visually impaired, and when a pedestrian is crossing guided by a dog or carrying a white cane, you must come to a complete stop. Slowing and steering around the person is not enough, and the absence of a marked crosswalk does not change the rule. The horn is wrong here too: the manual says you should not use your horn when near blind pedestrians.

   Study this in the handbook: Pedestrians, school zones and speed

7. 7. After one beer, a driver feels completely normal. Could that driver be arrested for driving under the influence in South Carolina?

   1. Yes, with even one drink in the bloodstream
   2. No, a single beer is always within the legal limit
   3. No, unless the driver fails to walk a straight line
   4. Only if the driver is under 21 years old
   Show answer

   Yes, with even one drink in the bloodstream. Feeling normal is not a measure of impairment. The manual says impairment starts with the first drink and that even one drink can affect your ability to operate a motor vehicle. One or more drinks in the bloodstream is enough for a possible arrest for driving under the influence. That risk is not limited to drivers under 21. The best advice is not to drive at all after drinking.

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

8. 8. What does a two-point turnabout use to reverse your direction of travel?

   1. A street, alley, or driveway beside the road
   2. Three separate moves across both lanes
   3. A wide U-turn through an intersection
   4. The road shoulder and a gap in traffic
   Show answer

   A street, alley, or driveway beside the road. A two-point turnabout uses a street, alley, or driveway to reverse direction when it is not practical or possible to drive around a block. You either back into the driveway and then pull out forward in the new direction, or pull in forward and back out, checking traffic and signaling each time. The three-point turn, by contrast, is done across a narrow two-lane road without using a side street or driveway.

   Study this in the handbook: Turns, intersections and roundabouts

9. 9. What does this yellow warning sign, with two arrows side by side, tell you is ahead?

   
   1. Traffic is merging into your lane
   2. A lane is being added ahead
   3. Your lane is ending ahead
   4. A divided highway begins
   Show answer

   A lane is being added ahead. The manual lists this sign as Added Lane. Its two arrows run side by side, showing a new lane beginning beside yours rather than a lane closing. The merging traffic sign shows one arrow joining the path of another, and the lane ends sign shows a lane narrowing away, so those warn that vehicles will need to move over. A divided highway sign shows lanes splitting around a median. Read the arrows carefully, because these yellow diamonds look alike at a glance.

10. 10. A bicyclist is riding close behind your car. Why should you avoid stopping suddenly?

    1. Sudden stops are illegal when a bicycle is within 20 feet
    2. The rider expects you to keep the same speed as cars
    3. A bike's brakes are weaker, so the rider could hit you
    4. Your brake lights cannot be seen by bicyclists
    Show answer

    A bike's brakes are weaker, so the rider could hit you. The manual tells drivers to avoid slowing down or stopping quickly around bicyclists because a motor vehicle's brakes are more powerful than a bicycle's. A rider behind you may not be able to stop as fast as you can, and you could cause a collision. There is no special distance rule in the manual, and brake lights are not the issue. Plan your stops early and slow gradually when bicyclists are near.

    Study this in the handbook: Yielding to pedestrians and bicyclists

11. 11. Your car has lane keeping assist and automatic emergency braking. In which conditions does the South Carolina manual warn such features may not work properly?

    1. Bright, dry daylight on straight highways
    2. Rain, snow, ice, fog, hills, and curves
    3. Slow traffic on dry, flat city streets
    4. Clear nights on well-lit interstates
    Show answer

    Rain, snow, ice, fog, hills, and curves. Driver assistance features such as blind spot warning, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and lane keeping assistance can help prevent crashes, but the manual says they may not work properly in rain, snow, ice, fog, hills, and curves. They are meant to assist you, not to drive the vehicle. Keep the sensors clean, learn the limits from your owner's manual, and keep doing your own head checks and mirror checks, because you remain responsible for safe operation at all times.

12. 12. A pedestrian starts crossing in the middle of the block, away from any crosswalk. What does the South Carolina manual say?

    1. Keep going, since jaywalkers have no right to the road
    2. Honk so the pedestrian hurries back to the curb
    3. Yield only if a police officer is directing traffic
    4. Be ready to stop for them even outside a crosswalk
    Show answer

    Be ready to stop for them even outside a crosswalk. Pedestrians are hard to see and their intentions are hard to read, so the manual tells drivers to always be prepared to yield to them even when they are not in a crosswalk. The sample test in the manual makes the same point about a person jaywalking mid-street: you must stop for them, even if crossing there is illegal. Honking to rush the person is not the answer, and no officer is needed for this duty to apply.

    Study this in the handbook: Pedestrians, school zones and speed

13. 13. Right after a tire blows out, what does the South Carolina manual say about braking?

    1. Don't brake; let the car slow by itself or brake gently
    2. Brake hard right away so you stop before the tire comes apart
    3. Pump the brakes quickly to keep the wheels turning
    4. Pull the parking brake to slow the rear wheels
    Show answer

    Don't brake; let the car slow by itself or brake gently. After a blowout, the manual's steps are to grip the steering wheel firmly and keep the vehicle straight, slow down gradually by taking your foot off the accelerator, and not brake. Let the vehicle slow by itself, or brake gently if you must. Hard braking or pumping is not part of the procedure, and the parking brake is the tool for brake failure, not a blowout. Try not to stop on the road; pull off in a safe place and turn on your emergency flashers.

    Study this in the handbook: Avoiding collisions and vehicle malfunctions

14. 14. Your brakes stop working, and the parking brake will not slow the car either. What does the manual say to do with the engine?

    1. Keep it on and shift to neutral
    2. Keep it running so the steering stays easy
    3. Shift to a lower gear and keep driving
    4. Turn it off and find a safe place to stop
    Show answer

    Turn it off and find a safe place to stop. If the parking brake does not work either, the manual says to turn off the engine and look for a safe place to slow to a stop. Keeping the engine running, shifting to neutral, or driving on in a lower gear are not the advice for this situation. The aim is to bring the vehicle to a stop as safely as you can.

    Study this in the handbook: Avoiding collisions and vehicle malfunctions

15. 15. It is a gray, rainy afternoon. What does the South Carolina manual say to do with your headlights?

    1. Leave them off until the streetlights come on
    2. Use high beams to cut through the rain
    3. Use parking lights alone to avoid glare
    4. Turn on low beams and slow down
    Show answer

    Turn on low beams and slow down. Turning on your headlights helps other roadway users see you, and the manual says this is especially important on rainy, snowy, or foggy days, when you should use your low-beam lights and slow down. High beams in rain or fog can cause glare and make it harder to see ahead. Parking lights are not a substitute for headlights, and waiting for darkness or streetlights is later than the manual advises.

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

16. 16. You are driving beside a tractor trailer and cannot see the driver's face in its side mirror. What should you do?

    1. Stay there; the driver knows you are there
    2. Honk so the driver checks the mirror
    3. Move ahead or drop back instead of lingering beside it
    4. Speed up and cut in close in front of the truck
    Show answer

    Move ahead or drop back instead of lingering beside it. If you cannot see the truck driver's face in the side mirror, the driver cannot see you. Large trucks have big no zones on both sides, and the manual says to avoid driving alongside a large vehicle any longer than required. If the driver needs to swerve or change lanes, a collision becomes much more likely. Pass or drop back, but never cut in close in front, because trucks need far more distance to stop.

    Study this in the handbook: Motorcycles and commercial vehicles

17. 17. You see this sign before a turn on a two-lane road. What should you do?

    
    1. Brake hard once you are partway through the turn
    2. Slow down before you reach the sharp turn
    3. Keep your speed; the sign is just for trucks
    4. Move to the center line to straighten the turn
    Show answer

    Slow down before you reach the sharp turn. The right-angle arrow on this yellow diamond is the Sharp Curve Ahead sign, warning of a sharp turn to the right. The manual says to reduce speed before entering a curve and to slow more when you cannot see its end. Hard braking after you enter a curve could make the tires lose traction. The sign applies to every vehicle, and cutting toward the center line puts you in the path of oncoming traffic.

18. 18. You are ready to pass a slow vehicle on a two-lane road and it is safe. How soon before moving out must you signal?

    1. At least 25 feet before you pass
    2. At least 100 feet before you pass
    3. Just as you cross the center line
    4. At least 500 feet before you pass
    Show answer

    At least 100 feet before you pass. Signaling gives other road users time to react. South Carolina law requires a turn signal 100 feet or more before changing lanes, turning, or merging, and the manual's passing steps repeat that: when it is safe to pass, signal your intentions 100 feet or more before passing. Then steer smoothly into the passing lane, continue until the passed vehicle's front is visible in your rearview mirror, and signal again before returning to your lane.

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

19. 19. Driving at night with high beams on, you see an oncoming car about a quarter mile away and closing. When must you switch to low beams?

    1. When it gets within about 100 feet of you
    2. Once the oncoming car is right beside you
    3. Only after the other driver flashes high beams
    4. While it is still 500 feet or more away
    Show answer

    While it is still 500 feet or more away. High beams let you see twice as far, but they must be dimmed for oncoming traffic. The manual says to dim them when you are 500 feet or more away from any oncoming vehicle, so a car a quarter mile off is your cue to get ready and dim before it comes closer than 500 feet. Waiting until it is close, or until the other driver flashes you, is too late. If an oncoming driver keeps high beams on, glance toward the right side of the road.

    Study this in the handbook: Night driving and work zones

20. 20. When should you slow down to leave a highway at an exit?

    1. On the main lanes, well before the exit
    2. After moving into the deceleration lane
    3. On the shoulder just past the exit sign
    4. Once you are partway up the exit ramp
    Show answer

    After moving into the deceleration lane. The manual says to maintain your vehicle speed as long as you are on the main roadway. To exit, signal your intention, move into the deceleration lane, which lies to the right of the roadway before you reach the ramp, check the posted speed, and adjust your speed there. Slowing on the main lanes goes against the advice to keep your speed while on them, and the shoulder is for emergencies. Plan ahead by moving to the lane closest to your exit early to avoid a quick lane change.

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