SD Permit Practice Test 10

All 20 questions in test 10

Every question below comes from the South Dakota 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. Which debt can cost a South Dakota driver the license?

   1. Any unpaid parking meter
   2. A credit card balance over $500
   3. Owing $1,000 or more to a South Dakota government agency
   4. A $100 library fine
   Show answer

   Owing $1,000 or more to a South Dakota government agency. The manual lists owing debt to a South Dakota government agency totaling $1,000 or more as a reason to lose the license, along with failing to pay a fine from a traffic conviction. Private debts such as a credit card balance are not on the list, and a small library fine or parking meter does not meet the threshold. Child support arrearages of $1,000 or more can also block a license.

2. 2. In South Dakota, what must you do when approaching a stopped authorized emergency vehicle using red lights?

   1. Honk and pass quickly
   2. Slow to 20 mph under the limit and continue
   3. Change lanes only if traffic is light
   4. Come to a complete stop before reaching it, then proceed with caution when safe
   Show answer

   Come to a complete stop before reaching it, then proceed with caution when safe. South Dakota law requires motorists from any direction approaching an authorized emergency vehicle using red visual signals to come to a complete stop before reaching it. They may then proceed with caution only after making sure it is safe, unless directed otherwise. Slowing by 20 mph and moving over are the rules for stopped vehicles with amber, yellow, or blue lights, not red. Honking and passing quickly is never the rule.

3. 3. Is a violation of South Dakota's front seat seatbelt law a moving traffic offense?

   1. Yes, it adds points like any moving violation
   2. No, the law states a violation is not a moving traffic offense
   3. Only for drivers under 18
   4. Only on interstates
   Show answer

   No, the law states a violation is not a moving traffic offense. South Dakota Codified Law 32-38-1 requires every operator and front seat passenger to wear a seatbelt while the vehicle is moving, and the driver must secure any front seat passenger from five to under eighteen. The same section says a violation is not a moving traffic offense. Age and road type do not change that. It is still illegal to drive or ride in front without a belt, and all occupants under 18 must be restrained.

4. 4. When passing horseback riders or animal-drawn vehicles, what should you avoid?

   1. Avoid leaving extra space
   2. Avoid slowing before you pass
   3. Avoid using the horn or revving the engine
   4. Avoid looking for driveway turns
   Show answer

   Avoid using the horn or revving the engine. Horses can be frightened by sudden noise, so South Dakota tells drivers not to honk or rev the engine near animal-drawn vehicles or riders. Avoiding extra space is the opposite of a cautious pass. Look for rural warning signs, fields, and driveways, then pass slowly and expect an animal-drawn vehicle to turn left. Extra patience is important because riders and animals can react unpredictably to sound, speed, or tight clearance.

5. 5. At a flashing red traffic light, what action is required?

   1. Treat it like a yield sign and roll through if clear
   2. Stop only when pedestrians are in a marked crosswalk
   3. Proceed without stopping because cross traffic has yellow
   4. Come to a complete stop, then go when safe
   Show answer

   Come to a complete stop, then go when safe. A flashing red light has the same meaning as a stop sign. You must come to a complete stop and may proceed only when the way is safe. Rolling through as though it were a yield sign skips the full stop that South Dakota requires. The cue is the red flash: treat the intersection like a stop controlled approach, check cross traffic and pedestrians, and move only after yielding where needed.

6. 6. In rainy, snowy, or foggy weather, what lighting habit does South Dakota recommend?

   1. Use parking lights instead of headlights
   2. Keep lights off until sunset
   3. Use high beams continuously in fog
   4. Turn on headlights whenever you use the wipers
   Show answer

   Turn on headlights whenever you use the wipers. South Dakota gives an easy visibility rule: if you turn on the wipers, turn on the headlights. Rain, snow, and fog make it harder for other drivers to see your vehicle, even during daylight. The parking lights choice is wrong because parking lights are for parked vehicles only, not for driving in low visibility. The cue is your wiper switch: once it is needed for weather, your headlights should help others find you.

7. 7. In which months does the South Dakota manual say to be especially alert for deer?

   1. October and November
   2. June and July
   3. January and February
   4. March and April
   Show answer

   October and November. The manual singles out October and November as the months to be especially alert for deer, because those are the months with the most deer crashes. Deer are the second most commonly struck object in the state. Watch the roadsides at dusk and dawn, slow down when you see eyes reflecting in your headlights, blow the horn, and be ready to stop rather than swerve. Summer, winter and spring months carry less of this risk.

8. 8. What is hydroplaning?

   1. The vehicle drifting because of strong wind
   2. A tire losing air suddenly after a puncture
   3. A normal ABS vibration during hard braking
   4. The steering tires riding up on pooled water
   Show answer

   The steering tires riding up on pooled water. Hydroplaning begins when steering tires ride on water instead of gripping the road. A sudden loss of tire air is a blowout, not hydroplaning. Watch for pooled water or puddles during rain, slow before reaching them, and avoid sharp steering or hard braking because the tires have less contact with the pavement. The safer response is speed control before the water, because steering and braking choices shrink once traction is gone.

9. 9. On a South Dakota multilane highway, you approach a stopped vehicle with amber warning lights. What must you do if safe?

   1. Move into the lane farthest from the stopped vehicle at least 300 feet before it
   2. Stop beside the vehicle and wait for directions
   3. Stay in your lane and maintain speed
   4. Move over only after passing the vehicle
   Show answer

   Move into the lane farthest from the stopped vehicle at least 300 feet before it. For stopped vehicles using amber, yellow, or blue warning lights on multilane South Dakota interstates or highways, the driver must merge away at least 300 feet before reaching the vehicle when that movement can be made safely. Stopping beside it would create a new hazard and is not the move-over instruction. The cue is lane availability: if two or more lanes travel your direction, create a full-lane buffer well before the stopped vehicle.

10. 10. What does a reflective orange triangle on the rear of a vehicle mean in South Dakota?

    1. The vehicle is leading a funeral procession
    2. The vehicle is carrying explosive cargo
    3. The vehicle is required to stop at all railroad crossings
    4. The vehicle is traveling less than 25 mph
    Show answer

    The vehicle is traveling less than 25 mph. A reflective orange triangle is the slow-moving vehicle marker. South Dakota says it means the vehicle is traveling less than 25 mph, often in rural or construction settings. The funeral-procession choice is tempting only because both topics use visual cues, but processions are identified by headlights, not this triangle. The road cue is the emblem on the rear of equipment, farm vehicles, or horse-drawn wagons; slow early and plan any pass carefully.

11. 11. What habit does the South Dakota manual call the best way not to speed?

    1. Follow the fastest nearby driver
    2. Estimate speed from engine noise
    3. Check the speedometer often
    4. Look only at the posted limit once
    Show answer

    Check the speedometer often. South Dakota emphasizes that drivers are poor judges of their own speed, especially after leaving faster roads for slower streets. The manual’s practical answer is to check the speedometer often. Engine noise can mislead you because modern vehicles may feel smooth even above the limit, and traffic flow may also be speeding. The cue is transition: after an interstate, open highway, or long straight stretch, glance down repeatedly until your sense of speed matches the actual reading.

12. 12. What is the purpose of regulatory signs such as stop, yield, and turn-control signs?

    1. They point out scenic and service destinations
    2. They warn only of temporary work zones
    3. They state traffic laws drivers must obey
    4. They mark pavement edges during fog
    Show answer

    They state traffic laws drivers must obey. Regulatory signs tell drivers about specific laws, including traffic direction, lane use, turning, speed, parking, and other special situations. A service-destination answer belongs to guide or service signs, not regulatory signs. The cue is a white, red, black, or special-shaped command sign; read it as an enforceable instruction and adjust before reaching the intersection or lane control. Ignoring a regulatory sign is a traffic violation that can bring a fine and points on your South Dakota record.

13. 13. What may a driver do at a flashing yellow left-turn arrow?

    1. Turn immediately because oncoming traffic has a red light
    2. Turn cautiously after yielding to oncoming traffic and pedestrians
    3. Stop and remain stopped until a green arrow appears
    4. Proceed straight only and cancel the turn
    Show answer

    Turn cautiously after yielding to oncoming traffic and pedestrians. A flashing yellow arrow allows the indicated left turn only when it is safe after yielding to oncoming traffic and pedestrians. The choice saying oncoming traffic has a red light is wrong; South Dakota says oncoming traffic will have green. The cue is the flashing yellow arrow rather than a green arrow, so check the gap carefully before entering the intersection.

14. 14. Who must wear a safety restraint in a moving vehicle under South Dakota law?

    1. Only the driver
    2. All operators, front seat passengers, and children under 18
    3. Only passengers under 5
    4. Only occupants of the front seat
    Show answer

    All operators, front seat passengers, and children under 18. South Dakota law requires all operators, front seat passengers and children under the age of 18 to wear appropriate safety restraints while the vehicle is in motion. Small children should be secured in the rear seat, and a child should never be placed in the front passenger seat of a vehicle with an air bag. The driver only and front seat only answers leave out the under 18 rule that reaches the back seat. Organizations will loan a child safety device to families who cannot afford one.

15. 15. What should you do first if your vehicle begins to skid?

    1. Turn the ignition to lock
    2. Set the parking brake firmly
    3. Release pressure from the brake or accelerator
    4. Accelerate hard toward the shoulder
    Show answer

    Release pressure from the brake or accelerator. When a skid begins, release pressure from the brake or accelerator and look where you want the vehicle to go. Adding abrupt braking or power can make the tires lose more grip, which leaves you with even less control. The parking brake choice is especially risky because locking wheels can deepen the skid. Your cue is the first slide or sideways pull: get off the pedal causing the skid and aim your eyes down the intended path.

16. 16. What does a yellow right-angle arrow sign warn about?

    
    1. A sharp turn in the roadway ahead
    2. A place where right turns are prohibited
    3. A required lane change to the left
    4. A pedestrian-only crossing
    Show answer

    A sharp turn in the roadway ahead. South Dakota's warning sign list includes Sharp Curve and advisory speed around curve signs; the right-angle arrow is a warning about a sharper road change than a gentle curve. The no-right-turn choice is wrong because that would be a red-slashed regulatory sign. Use the angular arrow as the cue to slow before the turn and avoid braking hard while already turning.

17. 17. What does a yellow plus-shaped crossroad sign warn of?

    
    1. A cross road ahead
    2. A divided highway ending
    3. A speed limit beginning
    4. A railroad gate ahead
    Show answer

    A cross road ahead. The plus-shaped warning sign corresponds to Cross Road Ahead in South Dakota's warning sign examples. A railroad gate warning uses railroad symbols and signs, not the plus-shaped road-intersection symbol. Use the crossroad cue to search left and right earlier than usual, cover the brake if visibility is limited, and expect vehicles that may enter or cross your path. Crossroad warnings matter most on rural highways where cross traffic may not have a stop sign visible to you.

18. 18. How must vehicles in a South Dakota funeral procession identify themselves?

    1. They must use hazard flashers only
    2. They must have headlights on
    3. They must display a temporary permit in the windshield
    4. They must honk before each intersection
    Show answer

    They must have headlights on. Vehicles following in a funeral procession are required to have headlights on. That lighting helps other drivers recognize the group and avoid cutting into it. Hazard flashers may seem noticeable, but the manual specifies headlights, not a different warning device. The practical cue is a line of vehicles moving together with headlights illuminated; after the first vehicle has handled traffic controls, do not insert your vehicle into the procession or break it apart.

19. 19. What does the South Dakota manual say about impairment before a driver reaches 0.08% BAC?

    1. A driver can still be impaired and convicted under state law
    2. A driver is presumed safe below 0.08%
    3. Only commercial drivers can be impaired below 0.08%
    4. No alcohol violation is possible below 0.08%
    Show answer

    A driver can still be impaired and convicted under state law. South Dakota warns that 0.08% is not a magic line between safe and unsafe driving. The manual says a driver may still be impaired below that number and can be convicted under state law. The presumed-safe choice is the trap because it treats the evidence threshold as permission to drive after drinking. Your cue is behavior plus alcohol: if driving is impaired, the state can act even when a test result is under 0.08%.

20. 20. What is the minimum age for a South Dakota under-18 Instruction Permit?

    1. 15 years old
    2. 14 years old
    3. 15 years and 6 months old
    4. 16 years old
    Show answer

    14 years old. South Dakota allows an under-18 Instruction Permit at age 14 after the applicant passes the required vision and knowledge tests. The 16-year choice is misleading because 16 is tied to an Operator’s License, not the initial under-18 permit. A useful cue is the graduated sequence: at 14 a minor may begin supervised instruction, then must hold the permit for the required period before moving to a restricted permit or license.