Crashes, emergency vehicles and traffic stops

Key points

1. If you are in a crash you must stop, and police must be notified if anyone is injured or killed.

   Source: Handbook p. 59

   “If you are involved in an accident, you must stop. If you are involved in an accident with a parked vehicle, you must try to locate the owner. If any person is injured or killed, the police must be notified.”
   South Dakota Driver License Manual, Handbook p. 59

2. Never drive to the scene of a crash, fire or disaster just to look.

   Source: Handbook p. 59

   “Never drive to the scene of an accident, fire, or other disaster just to look.”
   South Dakota Driver License Manual, Handbook p. 59

3. Turn off the ignition of wrecked vehicles and do not smoke nearby.

   Source: Handbook p. 59

   “Turn off the ignition of wrecked vehicles. Do not smoke around wrecked vehicles.”
   South Dakota Driver License Manual, Handbook p. 59

4. Stay away from downed power lines.

   Source: Handbook p. 59

   “If there are power lines down with wires in or on the road, do not go near them.”
   South Dakota Driver License Manual, Handbook p. 59

5. If you damage an unattended vehicle and cannot find the owner, contact law enforcement and leave your information where the owner can find it.

   Source: Handbook p. 60

   “If you damage an unattended vehicle or other property and you cannot locate the owner, contact the nearest law enforcement agency, and leave the following information on a piece of paper where the owner can find it.”
   South Dakota Driver License Manual, Handbook p. 60

6. If hit from the rear, press against the seat back with your head against the head restraint.

   Source: Handbook p. 59

   “Press yourself against the back of the seat and put your head against the head restraint.”
   South Dakota Driver License Manual, Handbook p. 59

7. Yield to emergency vehicles with lights and sirens by pulling over to the edge of the road.

   Source: Handbook p. 64

   “As a driver you must yield right-of-way to an emergency vehicle when the flashing lights and sirens are on by pulling over to the edge of the road so the emergency vehicle(s) may pass.”
   South Dakota Driver License Manual, Handbook p. 64

8. During an enforcement stop, turn on your right turn signal to acknowledge the officer.

   Source: Handbook p. 46

   “Acknowledge the officer’s presence by turning on your right turn signal.”
   South Dakota Driver License Manual, Handbook p. 46

9. Stay in the vehicle unless the officer tells you to get out.

   Source: Handbook p. 47

   “Remain inside your vehicle unless otherwise directed by the officer.”
   South Dakota Driver License Manual, Handbook p. 47

3 questions from the South Dakota practice test

1. 1. If you are involved in a crash where someone is injured or killed, who must be notified?

   1. Only your insurance company
   2. The nearest vehicle repair shop
   3. The police
   4. A driver licensing examiner
   Show answer

   The police. When a crash injures or kills someone, the police must be notified. Insurance contact is important later, but it does not replace the legal duty to report the crash and give police the needed information. The repair shop choice is unrelated to the immediate crash requirement. A concrete cue is any injury complaint, visible injury, or fatality at the scene: stop, call for police and medical help, and do not leave before required information is handled.

2. 2. After a crash involving an unattended parked vehicle, what must you do if you cannot find the owner?

   1. Drive away if the damage appears minor
   2. Leave identifying and crash information where the owner can find it
   3. Wait 24 hours before notifying anyone
   4. Move the parked vehicle before leaving a note
   Show answer

   Leave identifying and crash information where the owner can find it. If you damage unattended property and cannot locate the owner, South Dakota says to contact law enforcement and leave information where the owner can find it. Driving away because damage looks minor is still leaving the scene without the required notice. The cue is an empty parked vehicle after contact: stop, try to locate the owner, call the nearest law enforcement agency, and leave your name, license, plate, date, time, and damage information.

3. 3. If a power line is down in or on the road after a crash, what should you do?

   1. Drive over it slowly if it is not sparking
   2. Move it with a dry wooden object
   3. Keep away from it
   4. Stand near it to warn other drivers
   Show answer

   Keep away from it. At a crash scene, stay away from downed power lines when wires are in or on the road. Electricity can travel through the wire, nearby objects, wet ground, or a damaged vehicle, so approaching to move it can be deadly. The wooden object choice is unsafe because drivers should not try to handle utility wires at all. The cue is any line or wire across the road after a collision: keep back and let emergency or utility crews handle it.

Source: the South Dakota Driver License Manual, Emergency Situations and Avoiding Crashes. This lesson is a plain English summary, not the law itself; where it differs, the manual and the statute govern. Last checked 2026-09-27.