SC Permit Practice Test 8

All 20 questions in test 8

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. How long must the National Safety Council Defensive Driving Course last for point reduction?

   1. Four hours of online instruction
   2. Eight hours of classroom training
   3. Ten hours of behind-the-wheel practice
   4. One hour at an SCDMV branch
   Show answer

   Eight hours of classroom training. The point-reduction course must provide eight hours of classroom training. The online option is especially misleading because the manual separately says the course cannot be completed online. Behind-the-wheel practice and a short branch visit do not satisfy the stated course format or duration. Also note that the course must be taken in South Carolina and after the violation date. The memory cue is classroom, eight hours, in state, after the violation.

   Study this in the handbook: The point system and losing your license

2. 2. When parking downhill on the right side of a street, how should the front wheels be turned?

   1. To the left if a curb is present
   2. Straight ahead if there is no curb
   3. Toward the center of the street
   4. To the right, with or without a curb
   Show answer

   To the right, with or without a curb. Facing downhill, turn the wheels right whether the roadway has a curb or not. The handbook notes an exception for parking on the left side of a one-way street, which is excluded by this question. Do not confuse downhill parking with uphill parking beside a curb. After setting the wheels, apply the parking brake, leave the vehicle in the appropriate gear or Park, and turn off the engine before leaving it.

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

3. 3. At the pictured South Carolina STOP sign, where must you stop when a stop line or crosswalk is present?

   
   1. After entering the intersection for a better view
   2. Behind the stop line or crosswalk
   3. Beside the sign, regardless of the pavement markings
   4. Only after a vehicle approaches from another direction
   Show answer

   Behind the stop line or crosswalk. A STOP sign requires a full stop before the vehicle enters the crossing area. When the roadway supplies a stop line or crosswalk, that marking identifies the stopping point. Rolling beyond it to improve the view places the vehicle into the intersection too early. Waiting for another vehicle is unnecessary because the duty comes from the sign itself. Use the octagonal red shape as the cue, stop at the marked boundary, then look in every direction and yield as needed.

   Study this in the handbook: Regulatory and guide signs

4. 4. What change does the pictured divided-highway warning announce?

   
   1. A divided highway begins ahead
   2. The divided section ends ahead
   3. A lane ends and merges into your lane
   4. Traffic must make a U-turn ahead
   Show answer

   A divided highway begins ahead. The pictured sign is the divided-highway-begins warning. It announces the start of a divided roadway, while the handbook separately illustrates a sign for the divided section ending. Those opposite conditions should not be treated as interchangeable. Watch the road ahead for the change in layout and follow the marked roadway. A divider warning is also different from a lane ending or an instruction to reverse direction at an intersection.

5. 5. How often does the South Carolina manual say to stop on a long trip?

   1. Every 500 miles
   2. About every 100 miles or 2 hours
   3. Only for fuel
   4. Every 30 minutes
   Show answer

   About every 100 miles or 2 hours. Plan to stop about every 100 miles or two hours during long trips. Combined with 7 to 9 hours of sleep beforehand and a travel companion to watch your driving, the regular breaks keep fatigue from building. If you start feeling tired, pull off at the next exit or rest area for a 15 to 20 minute nap or find a place to sleep for the night.

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

6. 6. About how long is the average reaction time for an alert driver moving a foot from the accelerator to the brake?

   1. Three quarters of a second to one second
   2. One tenth of a second
   3. Two to three seconds
   4. Five to six seconds
   Show answer

   Three quarters of a second to one second. Reaction time is the interval used to move the foot from the accelerator to the brake after recognizing the need to stop. For an alert driver, the handbook places its average between three quarters of a second and one second. This is separate from perception and from the distance traveled while braking. Do not count brake application as instantaneous: the vehicle continues moving during the driver’s response before the brakes begin slowing it.

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

7. 7. What is the usual appearance of a South Carolina warning sign?

   1. Blue with orange symbols and triangular
   2. White with black letters and rectangular in every case
   3. Green with white letters and circular
   4. Yellow with black lettering or symbols and typically diamond shaped
   Show answer

   Yellow with black lettering or symbols and typically diamond shaped. South Carolina warning signs are usually yellow with black lettering or symbols and are typically diamond shaped. This combination helps drivers recognize that the sign is warning of a condition ahead rather than giving a destination or an enforceable traffic command. White regulatory signs, green guide signs, and blue service signs belong to other categories. The shape and color should trigger an early scan of the roadway. Then read the symbol or words so speed and lane position match the specific hazard.

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

8. 8. 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.

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

9. 9. To get a South Carolina Temporary Alcohol License after an implied consent suspension, when must the administrative hearing be requested?

   1. Within 10 days
   2. Within 6 months
   3. Within one year
   4. Within 30 days
   Show answer

   Within 30 days. A Temporary Alcohol License is available for implied consent suspensions, implied consent under 21, a BAC of 0.15 percent, or a BAC of 0.02 or more under 21, if the driver has filed for an administrative hearing within 30 days. While the hearing is pending the TAL costs $100 and can be used until the SCDMV receives the result. Ten days, six months and one year are not the stated window.

   Study this in the handbook: Provisional and temporary alcohol licenses

10. 10. A South Carolina 15 year old is applying for a first license. What driver's education course must be completed?

    1. Thirty hours in the classroom only
    2. Eight hours in the classroom and six hours of driving
    3. Six hours in the classroom and no driving
    4. Forty hours of driving with an instructor
    Show answer

    Eight hours in the classroom and six hours of driving. A 15 or 16 year old applying for a first South Carolina license must have held the beginner's permit more than 180 days, completed a driver's education course of eight hours in the classroom and six hours of driving, be enrolled in school with satisfactory attendance, and have practiced at least 40 hours, ten at night. Thirty classroom hours is not the South Carolina course. Forty hours is the supervised practice total with a parent or other listed adult, not instructor time.

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

11. 11. 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.

    Study this in the handbook: Provisional and temporary alcohol licenses

12. 12. What do South Carolina speed-limit signs indicate about the legal maximum?

    1. A suggested speed that has no legal effect
    2. A speed that must be exceeded when traffic is light
    3. A minimum speed required in every condition
    4. The maximum legal speed allowed in ideal conditions
    Show answer

    The maximum legal speed allowed in ideal conditions. A speed-limit sign identifies the maximum legal speed allowed in ideal conditions. It is not a minimum, and it does not require a driver to reach that number when rain, traffic, visibility, or another hazard calls for slower travel. Calling the sign merely advisory understates its legal role. The cue is the phrase ideal conditions: the posted ceiling remains important, while safe conditions may require choosing a lower speed.

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

13. 13. What is the minimum age for a South Carolina Class G moped license?

    1. 15 years old
    2. 14 years old
    3. 16 years old
    4. 18 years old
    Show answer

    15 years old. The Class G classification is for operating a moped, and the manual sets its minimum age at 15. The age 14 choice is one year too early, while 16 and 18 describe older thresholds that are not the Class G minimum. The manual also explains that a person with another valid license or permit classification may not need a separate moped license. Remember the pairing: Class G means moped, with a minimum age of 15.

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

14. 14. Before backing, when should you inspect the area directly behind the vehicle?

    1. Before you get into the vehicle
    2. After shifting to reverse
    3. After the vehicle starts moving
    4. Only when a rear camera displays an alert
    Show answer

    Before you get into the vehicle. Look behind the vehicle before getting inside because children and small objects may be invisible from the driver’s seat. A camera alert or a later mirror glance does not replace that initial inspection. Once seated, continue the backing checks and move slowly while looking rearward. This first step addresses objects close behind the vehicle, where the seated view may be blocked. Establish that area is clear before preparing to move, not after reverse motion begins.

15. 15. Which South Carolina applicants must complete the Selective Service supplement?

    1. All applicants over 18
    2. Female U.S. citizens under 26 applying for a permit, license or ID card
    3. Male U.S. citizens or immigrants under 26 applying for a permit, license or ID card
    4. Male U.S. citizens over 26 applying for a permit, license or ID card
    Show answer

    Male U.S. citizens or immigrants under 26 applying for a permit, license or ID card. You must complete the Supplement for SC Credential Selective Service Requirements if you are a male U.S. citizen or an immigrant less than 26 years of age when applying for a beginner's permit, driver's license or identification card. The SCDMV is required to send your name, address, date of birth, sex, Social Security number and application date to the Selective Service System.

    Study this in the handbook: Golf carts, organ donation and other state laws

16. 16. Through what age does the handbook require children to sit in a car seat in the back seat?

    1. Age three
    2. Age five
    3. Age twelve
    4. Age seven
    Show answer

    Age seven. Children age seven and younger belong in a car seat in the back seat under the handbook instruction. The purpose given is avoiding injury from an air bag during a collision. Three and five end the stated age range too early, while twelve extends this particular rule beyond its wording. Choose the appropriate child restraint and follow its directions as well as the vehicle instructions; this question identifies the age range of the back-seat rule.

17. 17. 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 and searching for an escape path, steering smoothly, braking gently, and pulling off the roadway. Resuming right away, continuing in reverse, or waiting for the fuel to run out does not correct the mechanical problem. The safety cue is repair first, then return to normal driving.

    Study this in the handbook: Avoiding collisions and vehicle malfunctions

18. 18. How many collisions occur between cars and commercial vehicles each year, according to the South Carolina manual?

    1. About 1,000
    2. More than 250,000
    3. About 10,000
    4. About 5 million
    Show answer

    More than 250,000. More than 250,000 collisions occur between cars and commercial vehicles each year, and many could be avoided by remembering that commercial vehicles are larger, less maneuverable, take longer to stop, and have bigger blind spots than cars. Never enter a roadway or change lanes in front of a large vehicle, and give it room to turn, since a truck or bus may swing wide to the left to make a right turn and a car squeezed in beside it can suffer a serious collision.

    Study this in the handbook: Motorcycles and commercial vehicles

19. 19. When following another vehicle at night, when does South Carolina require low beams?

    1. Only in fog
    2. When it is more than 1,000 feet ahead
    3. When the vehicle ahead is less than 200 feet in front of you
    4. Never while following
    Show answer

    When the vehicle ahead is less than 200 feet in front of you. South Carolina's night driving tips say to use your low beams when following another vehicle that is less than 200 feet in front of you. The same list says to dim your high beams when you are 500 feet or more away from any oncoming vehicle. In fog, rain or snow, use low beams too, because light from high beams may cause glare and make it harder to see ahead. Some vehicles also have fog lights for those conditions.

    Study this in the handbook: Night driving and work zones

20. 20. You are stopped at a steady red light and want to turn right. No sign about turning on red is posted. What does South Carolina allow?

    1. You must wait until the light turns green
    2. You may turn right only when a green arrow appears
    3. You may turn right on red, because no sign prohibits it
    4. You may turn right without stopping if no one is coming
    Show answer

    You may turn right on red, because no sign prohibits it. A steady red light means stop before entering the intersection and wait until the light turns green. South Carolina makes one exception: traffic facing a red signal may turn right, except where a sign prohibits a right turn on red. Before turning, you must stop before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the turn and yield to pedestrians lawfully in or next to the crosswalk and to other traffic lawfully using the intersection. Turning without stopping first is never allowed.

    Study this in the handbook: Traffic lights