SC Permit Practice Test 7

All 20 questions in test 7

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. A South Carolina conditional license holder wants to drive at 9 p.m. in winter. What is required?

   1. A licensed driver who is at least 21 in the vehicle
   2. Nothing, the teen may drive alone
   3. A waiver letter from any teacher
   4. The teen may not drive at all until 6 a.m.
   Show answer

   A licensed driver who is at least 21 in the vehicle. With a conditional or special restricted license, the teen may drive with a licensed driver who is at least 21 from 6 p.m., or 8 p.m. during daylight saving time, until midnight. At 9 p.m. in winter that supervision is required. Driving alone ends at 6 p.m. outside daylight saving time. A waiver comes only with a special restricted license and needs school or work and parent letters. A complete ban until morning is too strict.

2. 2. What is the purpose of the warning-sign examples that include a curvy road and right curve?

   
   1. To announce that the road has become a one-way street
   2. To alert drivers to possible danger or a special roadway situation ahead
   3. To identify the nearest hospital or service station
   4. To mark the end of all passing restrictions
   Show answer

   To alert drivers to possible danger or a special roadway situation ahead. The curvy-road and right-curve illustrations are examples of warning signs. Their purpose is advance notice of a condition that may require a driver to slow, steer carefully, or prepare to stop. They do not change the road to one-way operation, point to a service, or cancel passing rules. The useful habit is to react before the curve arrives: scan the pavement and traffic, reduce speed while the vehicle is straight, and keep attention on the next visible part of the roadway.

3. 3. Which teen is within the age range for a South Carolina conditional license?

   1. A driver who is 17 or older
   2. A driver who is 14 but under 15
   3. A driver who is 16 and a half but under 17
   4. A driver at least 15 and a half but under 16
   Show answer

   A driver at least 15 and a half but under 16. The conditional-license stage is for a teen who has reached 15 and a half but has not yet turned 16, provided the listed requirements are met. The other age ranges fall below, above, or outside this specific stage. Age alone does not issue the credential, since vision and skills testing also apply. For studying the graduated sequence, place conditional licensing between the beginner’s permit period and the later special restricted stage.

4. 4. What does the pictured five-sided 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 five-sided fluorescent yellow-green sign is associated with school zones and school crossings. It warns the driver to watch carefully for children and changing traffic conditions. It is not the round railroad advance sign, and its shape does not identify a hospital or an adult-only area. Slow down as conditions require, scan the roadside and crossing, and be prepared to yield or stop for children and for any traffic patrol direction at a school crossing.

5. 5. What is the purpose of using low-beam headlights on a rainy, snowy, or foggy day?

   1. To replace the need to slow down
   2. To make high-speed driving safe in reduced visibility
   3. To help other roadway users see your vehicle
   4. To signal that the vehicle is parked
   Show answer

   To help other roadway users see your vehicle. Turning on headlights helps other roadway users see your vehicle, and the manual specifically pairs rainy, snowy, or foggy days with low-beam lights and reduced speed. Lights do not make high-speed travel safe in poor visibility, remove the need to slow, or indicate that the vehicle is parked. The driving cue is visibility plus speed control: select low beams so you can be seen, then slow enough to handle the shorter sight distance and changing road conditions.

6. 6. How should a South Carolina driver adjust speed near residential areas and playgrounds?

   1. Speed up to leave the area sooner
   2. Maintain the limit without scanning for children
   3. Drive slower than the speed limit and be ready to stop quickly
   4. Use the shoulder to avoid parked vehicles
   Show answer

   Drive slower than the speed limit and be ready to stop quickly. The manual recommends driving slower than the speed limit in residential and playground areas because children may run out from between parked vehicles. Maintaining the limit without extra caution ignores the visibility risk, while speeding increases stopping distance. Using the shoulder is not a substitute for careful speed management. The concrete cue is the gap between parked cars: reduce speed, watch the spaces, and keep enough control to stop quickly.

7. 7. Before entering where a yield sign controls your approach, what must happen?

   1. All approaching vehicles must stop for the yielding driver
   2. The driver must turn on hazard flashers and accelerate
   3. The driver may enter immediately if traveling below 20 mph
   4. Traffic with the right-of-way must be allowed to cross first
   Show answer

   Traffic with the right-of-way must be allowed to cross first. Yielding is about priority, not a fixed speed. The driver facing the sign must slow down and allow traffic that has the right-of-way to cross before entering. A low speed alone does not satisfy the rule if another vehicle or pedestrian still has priority. Hazard flashers and acceleration do not transfer right-of-way, and other vehicles are not required to stop simply because you are yielding. Look for conflicting traffic, stop if necessary, and enter only when the crossing movement is clear.

8. 8. An emergency vehicle approaches with its flashing lights and siren operating. What is the driver's duty?

   
   1. Stop in the center of the intersection to reserve the lane
   2. Keep moving at the same speed so the emergency vehicle can follow
   3. Pull over to the edge of the road so the emergency vehicle can pass more easily
   4. Turn toward the emergency vehicle to make your position obvious
   Show answer

   Pull over to the edge of the road so the emergency vehicle can pass more easily. When an emergency vehicle uses both its flashing lights and siren, yield right-of-way by pulling toward the edge of the road. That creates a clearer path for the responding vehicle. Maintaining speed leaves the emergency vehicle trapped behind you, and stopping in an intersection can block its route and other traffic. A turn toward the vehicle is unpredictable and unsafe. Signal your intention, move over smoothly when possible, and remain stopped or pulled aside until the emergency vehicle has passed and the roadway is clear.

9. 9. What should you do before moving into another lane?

   1. Signal only after the lane change is complete
   2. Check mirrors, check the blind spot, signal, and look again
   3. Look only in the inside mirror
   4. Move first, then check whether the gap was large enough
   Show answer

   Check mirrors, check the blind spot, signal, and look again. A safe lane change requires a sequence: check the mirrors, look over your shoulder toward the blind spot, identify a gap, signal, look again, adjust speed, and steer into the lane. A signal announces intent but cannot make an occupied gap safe. Looking only in one mirror misses areas beside the vehicle, and moving before checking reverses the order that protects against a hidden car or motorcycle. Build the habit of a second visual check immediately before steering, because traffic can enter the gap after your first scan.

10. 10. 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, keep your hands on the steering wheel so the officer can see them, and wait for instructions before reaching for a license or vehicle document. Sudden movement toward a glove box, pocket, or bag can be misunderstood and can make a routine stop more dangerous. Using a mobile device or hiding your hands removes the visible cooperation the manual requests. Turn off the ignition and radio, remain in the vehicle unless directed otherwise, and explain where documents are before reaching for them.

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.

12. 12. How does the South Carolina manual define a roundabout?

    1. A straight roadway with a temporary lane closure
    2. A circular intersection with design features that promote safe and efficient traffic flow
    3. A railroad crossing controlled by a white crossbuck
    4. A parking area where vehicles travel in either direction
    Show answer

    A circular intersection with design features that promote safe and efficient traffic flow. The manual defines a roundabout, also called a traffic circle, as a circular intersection designed to promote safe and efficient traffic flow. It then explains that vehicles travel counterclockwise around a raised center island and that entering traffic yields. A lane closure, railroad crossing, or ordinary parking area does not describe this intersection design. When recognizing a roundabout, look for the circular roadway around the central island and prepare to yield before entering the circulating lane.

13. 13. After an out-of-control acceleration, what must be done before driving the vehicle again?

    1. Apply the parking brake and resume immediately
    2. Continue driving after shifting to reverse
    3. Wait until the fuel tank is empty
    4. Have the pedal repaired at a service center
    Show answer

    Have the pedal repaired at a service center. After a vehicle accelerates out of control, the manual says the pedal must be repaired at a service center before the vehicle is driven again. That requirement follows the emergency sequence of turning off the engine, shifting to neutral, steering smoothly, braking gently, and pulling off the roadway. Continuing in reverse or waiting for the fuel to run out does not correct the mechanical problem. An abrupt parking-brake maneuver can also create a loss of control. The safety cue is repair first, then return to normal driving.

14. 14. For a suspension for failure to stop for a blue light, how many route-restricted licenses may a South Carolina driver receive in a lifetime?

    1. Two
    2. Three
    3. Only one
    4. Unlimited
    Show answer

    Only one. You may only receive one route-restricted license in your lifetime for suspensions for accident judgment, alcohol violation, controlled substance, failure to stop for a blue light, false insurance certification, and misrepresentation of identity. Drivers suspended for unpaid child support or driving under suspension (first or second offense within five years) may be eligible for more than one. Two, three and unlimited are not the rule for the blue light suspension.

15. 15. At what blood alcohol content does the South Carolina manual say vision is impacted for all drivers?

    1. 0.08 percent
    2. 0.02 percent
    3. 0.15 percent
    4. 0.05 percent
    Show answer

    0.02 percent. Alcohol blurs vision, slows focusing, causes double vision, and reduces the ability to judge distance, speed and movement. The manual says vision is impacted at 0.02 percent BAC for all drivers, not only young ones. Point zero eight is the general per se limit, 0.15 is the high BAC suspension level, and 0.05 is a level at which the manual warns a driver can still be convicted of impaired driving.

16. 16. What can happen if a South Carolina driver cancels insurance before returning the license plate?

    1. Fees of up to $400
    2. A one year suspension
    3. A $25 fine
    4. Nothing, the plate expires automatically
    Show answer

    Fees of up to $400. If you cancel your South Carolina insurance, turn in your license plate to the SCDMV first. If you do not return your plate before you cancel the insurance, you could owe up to $400 in fees, because the state treats the registered vehicle as uninsured. Return the plate when selling, junking or moving a vehicle out of state as well.

17. 17. What does South Carolina's implied consent law mean for a driver suspected of impaired driving?

    1. A licensed driver is exempt from chemical testing
    2. The driver may choose any test location after leaving the scene
    3. Only a written confession can authorize testing
    4. The driver has implicitly consented to a lawfully requested alcohol test
    Show answer

    The driver has implicitly consented to a lawfully requested alcohol test. By obtaining a driver's license, a person implicitly consents to a lawfully requested breath, blood, or urine test when impaired driving is suspected. The rule does not let a driver postpone testing by choosing a location, replace testing with a confession, or avoid the requirement because a license is valid. Refusing a requested test can lead to loss of the driver's license or driving privileges. A good roadside cue is that implied consent is tied to the privilege of licensing and applies to the state where the arrest occurs.

18. 18. What does a yellow caution light tell a South Carolina driver?

    1. The signal is about to change to red
    2. Cross traffic must stop for you
    3. You may turn without checking traffic
    4. The intersection is closed to vehicles
    Show answer

    The signal is about to change to red. A yellow light warns that the signal will soon become red, so a driver should prepare to stop rather than treat it as permission to accelerate. The distractor about cross traffic incorrectly assumes every other approach has already been stopped. If you are already in the intersection, clear it promptly, but if you are approaching and can stop safely, wait for the next green signal. A useful cue is to read yellow as a transition warning, not as an extra period of green. That distinction helps prevent entering an intersection just as opposing traffic receives its signal.

19. 19. 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
    Show answer

    Motorcycle turn signals may not self cancel and the rider may have forgotten them. Do not assume a motorcycle is turning when you see its turn signal flashing. Motorcycle turn signals may not self cancel, and the rider may have forgotten to turn them off, so wait to be sure the rider is going to turn before you proceed. Allow at least a four second following distance behind a motorcycle, more in wet conditions.

20. 20. What do South Carolina regulatory signs tell drivers?

    1. Locations of restaurants and fuel stations
    2. Possible dangers that may be ahead
    3. Specific laws that must be obeyed
    4. The names of nearby towns only
    Show answer

    Specific laws that must be obeyed. Regulatory signs communicate rules that drivers are legally required to follow, including directions about traffic flow, lane use, speed, turning, and parking. Warning signs serve a different purpose by alerting drivers to possible hazards, while service and guide signs help locate facilities or destinations. Treating a regulatory sign as a suggestion can lead to an illegal maneuver or a preventable collision. When you see a white sign with a command or prohibition, read its wording and symbol carefully, then adjust your driving before reaching the controlled area.