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. If your wheels leave the paved road surface, how should you return?

   1. Steer sharply back onto the pavement at once
   2. Slow gradually when safe, then turn back onto the pavement
   3. Brake hard and stop in the travel lane
   4. Accelerate until all wheels are on the shoulder
   Show answer

   Slow gradually when safe, then turn back onto the pavement. For a pavement drop off, avoid panic steering. Slow down gradually when it is safe, regain control, and then turn back onto the pavement. Jerking the wheel immediately can make the vehicle overcorrect into another lane or off the road. The brake hard choice also creates risk because traffic may be behind you and the shoulder may have less traction. The cue is tires dropping from pavement: keep steering steady, reduce speed, and return smoothly.

   Study this in the handbook: Skids, brake failure and other vehicle emergencies

2. 2. A new South Dakota resident holds a valid out-of-state regular (non-commercial) license. How long does the driver have to apply for a South Dakota license?

   1. Within 30 days
   2. Within 60 days
   3. Within one year
   4. Within 90 days
   Show answer

   Within 90 days. Holders of a valid out-of-state non-commercial license must apply for a South Dakota license within 90 days of establishing residency. Thirty days is the deadline for CDL holders, so it is the tempting wrong answer. Sixty days and one year are not South Dakota deadlines. Every licensee must also always have the license in immediate possession when driving, and the rule applies to anyone operating a vehicle on South Dakota public roadways.

   Study this in the handbook: License rules, insurance and the point system

3. 3. How should you drive through a South Dakota work zone?

   1. Ignore work signs after you pass the first barrel
   2. Keep the normal limit because work areas are short
   3. Follow closely so no vehicle enters your lane
   4. Reduce speed, increase following distance, and watch for workers
   Show answer

   Reduce speed, increase following distance, and watch for workers. Work zones call for lower speed and more space because lanes can narrow, pavement may be rough, and workers or equipment may be near traffic. Keeping the normal limit overlooks those changing hazards. Look for orange signs, cones, barrels, large vehicles, and workers, then maintain extra room so a sudden stop does not become a crash. Stay with the posted work-zone controls until an End Road Work sign or normal lane pattern clearly returns.

   Study this in the handbook: Following distance, passing and large vehicles

4. 4. Why does the South Dakota manual say never to secure a child in the front passenger seat?

   1. Children cannot see out of the front windshield
   2. If the air bag deploys in a crash, the child could be severely injured
   3. Front seat belts do not fit children
   4. It is illegal for anyone under 21 to ride in front
   Show answer

   If the air bag deploys in a crash, the child could be severely injured. Small children should be secured in the rear seat, and the manual says never to secure a child in the front passenger seat, especially if the vehicle has an air bag, because if you are in a crash and the bag deploys the child could be severely injured. The rule is about air bag force, not belt fit or visibility, and it is not an age 21 rule. Families who cannot afford a child safety device can borrow one from several organizations.

   Study this in the handbook: Seat belts, child seats and driving position

5. 5. 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.

   Study this in the handbook: Seat belts, child seats and driving position

6. 6. In South Dakota, which driving action belongs in the aggressive-driving category?

   1. Checking mirrors before changing lanes
   2. Stopping behind a marked stop line
   3. Following too closely or making unsafe lane changes
   4. Yielding to pedestrians in a crosswalk
   Show answer

   Following too closely or making unsafe lane changes. The manual identifies behaviors such as speeding, close following, unsafe lane changes, poor signaling, and disobeying controls as aggressive driving patterns. Mirror checks and yielding are defensive behaviors, not examples of aggression. A cue is intentional pressure on others, such as crowding a bumper or darting between lanes to gain position. Aggressive driving is about dangerous intentional behavior, so do not answer with a normal skill like mirror checking.

   Study this in the handbook: Vision, fatigue, distraction and aggressive driving

7. 7. Where should emergency flares or triangles be placed for a disabled vehicle on the highway?

   1. Five feet ahead of the vehicle in the same lane
   2. Directly under the front bumper
   3. In the driver's lap until help arrives
   4. About 200 to 300 feet behind the vehicle
   Show answer

   About 200 to 300 feet behind the vehicle. For a disabled highway vehicle, place emergency flares or triangles about 200 to 300 feet behind it. That distance gives approaching drivers time to see the warning and change lanes if needed. Putting a warning directly under the bumper is too close to help traffic react. The cue is a stopped vehicle on a high speed road: after getting clear of traffic, set warnings far enough back to create advance notice.

   Study this in the handbook: Skids, brake failure and other vehicle emergencies

8. 8. What do orange work zone signs warn drivers about?

   1. Construction, maintenance, or emergency operations ahead
   2. Railroad crossings with multiple tracks
   3. Tourist destinations and recreation areas
   4. Hospital and rest area services nearby
   Show answer

   Construction, maintenance, or emergency operations ahead. Orange work zone signs alert you that construction, maintenance, or emergency operations are ahead. They are not service signs, which use blue backgrounds for gas, hospitals, rest areas, and similar stops. Treat orange as a cue to reduce speed, expect workers or equipment, and watch for lane changes or rough surfaces. The service choice is wrong because it describes conveniences rather than a temporary road hazard.

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

9. 9. What does a steady yellow traffic light mean to a South Dakota driver?

   1. Traffic from every direction must stop immediately
   2. The light is about to change to red, so stop if safe
   3. You may speed up to clear the intersection before red
   4. The signal is out and should be treated as a stop sign
   Show answer

   The light is about to change to red, so stop if safe. A steady yellow light warns that the signal is about to turn red. You must stop if it is safe, but if you are already in the intersection when yellow appears, continue through rather than stopping inside it. The speed up choice is wrong because yellow is not permission to race the red. The cue is your position when yellow appears: before the intersection, prepare to stop safely; inside it, clear the intersection.

   Study this in the handbook: Traffic signals and arrows

10. 10. How long is a South Dakota driver license valid, and when does it expire?

    1. 10 years, expiring on the issue date
    2. 4 years, expiring on the issue date
    3. 8 years, expiring on your birthday
    4. 5 years, expiring on your birthday
    Show answer

    5 years, expiring on your birthday. A South Dakota driver license is valid for 5 years and expires on your birthday, or 30 days after your birthday for a driver reaching certain ages. Renewal costs $38.00. The instruction permit is likewise valid for five years, or until the expiration of the documents authorizing an applicant's presence in the United States if that comes first. The four, eight and ten year choices do not match the 5 year term this manual gives.

    Study this in the handbook: License rules, insurance and the point system

11. 11. 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 into the lane farthest from the vehicle at least 300 feet before reaching it and proceed with caution, unless otherwise directed. Stopping beside it, staying in your lane at speed, or moving over only after passing all miss that instruction. The cue is lane availability: if two or more lanes travel your direction, move over early.

12. 12. Which vehicle is a South Dakota example of where a slow-moving vehicle emblem may appear?

    1. A city bus loading passengers downtown
    2. A police vehicle stopped on the shoulder
    3. A farm vehicle in a rural area
    4. A motorcycle in a marked school zone
    Show answer

    A farm vehicle in a rural area. South Dakota describes the reflective orange triangle as a marker for vehicles moving under 25 mph, including farm vehicles in rural areas. A police vehicle on the shoulder may use emergency lights, but that is a different warning system with different duties. On rural roads, treat the orange triangle as a cue to close speed slowly, check for oncoming traffic, and pass only when there is enough clear room.

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

13. 13. 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 people are not very good at judging how fast they are going, and that it is easy to be traveling much faster than you think, especially after leaving high speed roads for slower local roads. The manual's practical answer is to know how fast you are going by checking the speedometer often. Following the fastest driver or guessing by feel does not tell you your real speed. After an interstate or open highway, glance down repeatedly until your speed matches the posted limit.

    Study this in the handbook: Controlling speed

14. 14. 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.

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

15. 15. When the first rain, snow, sleet, or ice appears, what speed adjustment should you make?

    1. Speed up briefly to clear wet pavement
    2. Maintain speed until traffic slows
    3. Reduce speed right away
    4. Use cruise control to hold a steady pace
    Show answer

    Reduce speed right away. The South Dakota manual says to reduce speed at the first sign of rain, snow, sleet, or ice. When the roadway is slippery, the tires do not grip as well, it will take longer to stop, and it will be harder to turn without skidding. The manual adds that you should always reduce your speed if the road is wet or covered with snow or ice, so speeding up, holding speed, or setting cruise control all miss the rule.

    Study this in the handbook: Controlling speed

16. 16. Where signs or markings permit passing, what should you do before starting?

    1. Assume oncoming drivers will slow for you
    2. Pass several vehicles at once to save time
    3. Judge whether you have enough room to pass safely
    4. Stay beside the other vehicle as long as possible
    Show answer

    Judge whether you have enough room to pass safely. Even where passing is allowed, South Dakota expects drivers to decide whether there is enough room. Passing several vehicles at once depends on a longer gap and is discouraged by the manual. The cue is a legal passing area; then check oncoming traffic, mirrors, shoulder, hills, curves, and space to return. If the first pass cannot be completed comfortably, stay back and reassess at the next legal opening.

    Study this in the handbook: Following distance, passing and large vehicles

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. Warning signs of this kind give advance notice of a hazard or special situation so you can slow and prepare.

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

18. 18. 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%.

    Study this in the handbook: Alcohol, zero tolerance and implied consent

19. 19. At an all-way stop in South Dakota, two vehicles arrive at the same time. Which driver should you yield to?

    1. The driver going faster before stopping
    2. The driver on your left
    3. The driver with the newest vehicle
    4. The driver on your right
    Show answer

    The driver on your right. When two vehicles reach an all-way stop simultaneously, South Dakota uses the driver-on-the-right rule. Yielding left would reverse the manual’s order and can create hesitation or conflict when both drivers expect the same convention. Vehicle age and approach speed are irrelevant once both have arrived together. The cue is a tie at the stop: if arrival is simultaneous, look to your right and allow that driver to proceed first.

    Study this in the handbook: Right of way, funerals and intersections

20. 20. When must a South Dakota driver carry the vehicle registration certificate?

    1. Only during the first 30 days after purchase
    2. Always in the vehicle
    3. Only when crossing state lines
    4. Only after receiving a citation
    Show answer

    Always in the vehicle. South Dakota says the registration certificate must always be carried in the vehicle. The same passage treats the title differently and says it should be kept in a safe place rather than in the vehicle. The 30-day and citation choices are too limited because the duty is continuous while the vehicle is operated. The cue is document type: title is for ownership and transfer, while registration is the everyday proof that stays with the vehicle.

    Study this in the handbook: Instruction and Restricted Minor's Permits