SD Permit Practice Test 20

All 20 questions in test 20

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. At 50 mph on dry pavement with good brakes, about how far does braking alone take?

   1. About 100 feet
   2. About 250 feet
   3. About 158 feet
   4. About 320 feet
   Show answer

   About 158 feet. Braking distance measures only the stretch used after the brakes engage, not the whole stopping event. On dry pavement at 50 mph with sound brakes, the handbook puts that distance near 158 feet. A 100 foot answer is too short for the speed, while 250 and 320 feet describe longer stopping situations than this figure. Remember that perception and reaction happen before braking begins, so the total stop is longer than the number alone suggests. Use the 158 foot figure as the braking portion and leave extra room in rain or on worn tires.

   Study this in the handbook: Controlling speed

2. 2. The light turns green while you are stopped, but cross traffic is still clearing the intersection. What should you do?

   1. Wait for the crossing traffic to clear
   2. Proceed because green means go
   3. Sound the horn and move forward
   4. Back up to give yourself room
   Show answer

   Wait for the crossing traffic to clear. A green light allows movement, yet it does not erase the vehicles and pedestrians already in the intersection. The handbook directs a stopped driver to let crossing traffic clear before entering. The simple green-means-go reading ignores that leftover traffic, and honking does not make the path safe. Reversing is worse, because traffic behind may already be closing in. Watch the far side of the intersection rather than only your own light, and move once the crossing lane is empty.

   Study this in the handbook: Traffic signals and arrows

3. 3. What can cost you your South Dakota driver license if Driver Licensing asks you to come back for another look at your ability?

   1. Asking Driver Licensing to reschedule the appointment once
   2. Failing to appear for a requested re-examination
   3. Taking the re-examination while wearing corrective lenses
   4. Requesting a written copy of the examination results
   Show answer

   Failing to appear for a requested re-examination. Missing a requested re-examination is itself a ground for losing the license, separate from how you would have scored. Showing up and testing keeps the process alive, even when lenses are needed. Asking to move the date or asking for paperwork does not carry the same penalty. Treat any re-examination letter like a court date: confirm the time, bring your glasses, and appear in person ready to drive.

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

4. 4. After a stuck accelerator episode is safely stopped, what must happen before driving again?

   1. The vehicle may be driven only downhill
   2. Nothing further is needed if the pedal eventually frees itself one time
   3. A passenger should hold the pedal up manually
   4. The pedal must be repaired at a service center
   Show answer

   The pedal must be repaired at a service center. A pedal that stuck once gets repaired at a service center before the vehicle travels again, because a mechanism that failed open can repeat the performance without warning. A pedal freeing itself proves the fault is intermittent, the most dangerous kind. A passenger foot is not an engineered safeguard and cannot ride along forever. Downhill travel with a suspect throttle compounds every risk. Treat the first stuck event as the warning you paid nothing for; the repair bill is the cheap version of that lesson.

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

5. 5. You are turning at an intersection and a bicyclist is crossing through it. How should you treat that rider?

   1. Go first, since bicycles must stop and wait for turning cars to clear
   2. Pass the rider quickly on the left, then start your turn ahead of it
   3. Sound the horn early so the rider knows to clear your turning path
   4. Yield to the bicyclist as you would to pedestrians or vehicles
   Show answer

   Yield to the bicyclist as you would to pedestrians or vehicles. An intersection gives the rider the same claim it gives anyone else crossing there. Yield as you would for a person on foot or another vehicle, and let the cyclist clear before your turn crosses that path. Expecting the rider to stop for your turn inverts the priority. A horn blast can startle a rider into swerving rather than clearing the way. Hurrying past to beat the turn squeezes the rider at the moment your paths merge. Patience for one crossing costs seconds and removes the conflict entirely.

   Study this in the handbook: Controlling speed

6. 6. Why do narrow bridges and tunnels demand extra caution with speed?

   1. They force vehicles approaching from opposite sides closer together
   2. Their speed limits are always doubled through such structures
   3. Tunnels add extra lanes for passing slower vehicles ahead
   4. Bridge decks are always smoother than regular road surfaces
   Show answer

   They force vehicles approaching from opposite sides closer together. Narrow bridges and tunnels squeeze opposing traffic into closer quarters, shrinking the lateral margin that forgives a drift or a wide vehicle. Limits there drop or hold; they never double. Tunnels constrain rather than add passing room. Deck surfaces often differ from the road, sometimes rougher or icier, not reliably smoother. The geometry is the warning: two directions, minimal clearance, no escape shoulder. Slow before the entrance, hold your lane center precisely, and let the structure set your pace instead of the open road behind you.

   Study this in the handbook: Crashes, emergency vehicles and traffic stops

7. 7. You see smoke pouring from a truck's brakes on a downgrade. What should you do?

   1. Pull directly in front of the truck to warn its driver about the smoke
   2. Get out of the way and do not get in front of the vehicle
   3. Follow closely to monitor the brakes
   4. Match its speed in the adjacent lane
   Show answer

   Get out of the way and do not get in front of the vehicle. Smoke from a truck's brakes advertises a runaway developing, so clear its path and never position yourself in front of a vehicle losing the ability to stop. Pulling ahead to warn places you exactly where the mass is heading. Following closely keeps you in the debris and decision zone of a desperate driver. Matching speed beside it removes your escape options while its options vanish. Give the rig the road, the ramp, and every foot of room; survival there is measured in unobstructed distance.

   Study this in the handbook: Crashes, emergency vehicles and traffic stops

8. 8. Before starting the engine, what brake-related check is required?

   1. Press the brake pedal to the floor twice
   2. Make sure the parking brake is on before you start the vehicle
   3. Release the parking brake before cranking
   4. Check the parking brake only after you finish driving
   Show answer

   Make sure the parking brake is on before you start the vehicle. The parking brake goes on before the engine starts, anchoring the vehicle against any lurch from a gear selector or clutch surprise during cranking. Flooring the brake pedal twice tests nothing the startup sequence asks for. Releasing the parking brake before cranking removes the anchor at the exact moment it matters. Post-drive checks cannot protect a startup that already happened. Build the order into muscle memory: brake set, gear verified, then ignition, so a vehicle never rolls on a driver's assumption.

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

9. 9. In a work zone, what may digital signs and messages warn drivers about?

   1. The exact finish date of the road work project
   2. Upcoming rest areas and fuel stations on the route
   3. Changing conditions ahead, such as slow or stopped traffic
   4. Names of the construction company doing the work
   Show answer

   Changing conditions ahead, such as slow or stopped traffic. Digital signs in a work zone warn about changing conditions ahead, including slow or stopped traffic building up beyond what you can see. A project finish date tempts curious drivers, but a calendar entry cannot help you brake in time. Rest area and fuel listings belong on service signs along open highway, not on warning displays in a work area. Company names identify a contractor without telling you anything about the road. Read every digital message early, lift off the gas, and add following room before the queue appears.

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

10. 10. You are driving on a road with several lanes in your direction. Which lane is meant for passing slower vehicles?

    1. The left-most lane is intended for passing slower vehicles
    2. The right-most lane in all situations
    3. The center lane regardless of traffic
    4. Slower vehicles should travel in the left-most lane
    Show answer

    The left-most lane is intended for passing slower vehicles. Multi-lane design assigns the left-most lane to passing slower vehicles, keeping through traffic predictable and giving slower drivers a home lane to the right. Right lane passing invites conflicts with entering and exiting traffic. A center lane may serve passing in three lane layouts, yet the stated intent names the left-most. Sending slower traffic to the left blocks the lane set aside for passing. Cruise right, pass left, return right: that rhythm lets everyone predict where speed differences resolve, and predictability is what keeps speed from becoming conflict.

    Study this in the handbook: Crashes, emergency vehicles and traffic stops

11. 11. What is the best way to avoid losing traction from hydroplaning?

    1. Steer sharply to break the water film
    2. Speed up so the tires skim across the pooled water faster
    3. Slow down in rain or where water pools on the road
    4. Turn off the headlights to see the water better
    Show answer

    Slow down in rain or where water pools on the road. Hydroplaning lifts the steering tires onto pooled water like skis, and slowing down in rain or through standing puddles lets the tread channel water away and regain bite. A sharp steer on a water film only points the wheels where the vehicle cannot yet go. Extra speed deepens the lift and stretches the skid. Headlights have nothing to do with tire grip, and switching them off hides you from others. The practical cue is spray and standing sheen: ease off early, before the steering starts feeling light and vague.

    Study this in the handbook: Controlling speed

12. 12. A pedestrian and a bicyclist are crossing at an intersection as you approach them in your vehicle. How should you use the horn and the right-of-way?

    1. Do not use the horn in these instances but do yield the right-of-way
    2. Give a long blast so they hurry across
    3. Tap the horn repeatedly until they clear your lane
    4. Proceed slowly because your vehicle is larger
    Show answer

    Do not use the horn in these instances but do yield the right-of-way. At an intersection crossing, the people on foot and the rider hold priority, and your job is to yield quietly. A horn aimed at someone already crossing can startle a rider into a swerve or freeze a walker in your path. Repeated taps carry the same pressure in smaller doses. Vehicle size confers no claim at a crossing. Save the light tap for someone drifting unaware into your lane before any crossing begins, and save the sharp blast for genuine danger. Here, brake early, wait, and let the crossing empty on its own time.

    Study this in the handbook: Night, winter, deer and work zones

13. 13. What conditions must be included in the 50 hours of adult-supervised driving required on an under-18 Instruction Permit?

    1. 10 hours on interstate roads and 10 hours in city traffic.
    2. 10 hours in inclement weather and 10 hours after dark.
    3. 10 hours on dry roads and 10 hours during daylight.
    4. 10 hours on gravel roads and 10 hours during rush hour.
    Show answer

    10 hours in inclement weather and 10 hours after dark.. An under-18 driver must complete 50 hours of adult-supervised driving on an Instruction Permit. That total must include 10 hours in inclement weather and another 10 hours after dark. Interstate and city-road totals are not named in the cited requirement. Dry pavement and daylight change the weather and lighting conditions, while gravel roads and rush-hour driving replace both required conditions. The two required portions are counted within the 50 hours, not added as separate hours beyond it.

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

14. 14. What effects can pep pills, uppers, and diet pills produce in a driver?

    1. Calm focus, steadier hands, and relaxed alertness for driving
    2. Improved night vision and patience
    3. Nervousness, dizziness, poor concentration, and affected vision
    4. No effect unless combined with alcohol
    Show answer

    Nervousness, dizziness, poor concentration, and affected vision. Stimulant products like pep pills, uppers, and diet pills can leave a driver nervous and dizzy, unable to concentrate, with vision affected as well. That jittery profile is the opposite of calm focus and steady hands. Night vision and patience gain nothing from a racing nervous system. Alcohol is not required for these effects; the stimulant alone does the damage. A driver chasing alertness through pills trades sleep debt for scattered attention, and the road collects the difference at the first surprise.

    Study this in the handbook: DWI and zero tolerance penalties

15. 15. On a two-lane road with oncoming traffic, how should you position your vehicle near the center line?

    1. Crowd the center line to gain shoulder clearance
    2. Stay centered even when oncoming trucks pass close
    3. Move left as oncoming traffic approaches your lane
    4. Keep as much space as possible from oncoming traffic
    Show answer

    Keep as much space as possible from oncoming traffic. Keep as much lateral room as you can between your vehicle and traffic coming the other way, staying off the center line marking instead of crowding it. Holding the lane center even when oncoming trucks pass close, as one option phrases it, preserves paint symmetry while surrendering the buffer that absorbs a drift or gust. Moving left toward that traffic shrinks the gap further in the wrong direction. A useful cue is mirror clearance: if an opposing mirror would pass within an arm length, ease right early and widen the separation before the vehicles meet.

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

16. 16. What should you do where trees, tall crops, or steep hills limit how far you can see on a rural road?

    1. Keep your normal speed and rely on your horn
    2. Speed up to clear the blind area quickly
    3. Reduce speed and be prepared to stop
    4. Stay close behind the vehicle ahead for guidance
    Show answer

    Reduce speed and be prepared to stop. Where trees, tall crops, or steep hills block your view on a rural road, slow down and stay ready to stop. Sight distance shrinks there, so a vehicle, animal, or farm machine can appear with little warning. Keeping normal speed and relying on a horn, as one choice suggests, gives others sound instead of giving you time and space to brake. A useful cue is simple: if you cannot see far enough ahead to stop safely, your speed is already too high for that stretch.

    Study this in the handbook: Night, winter, deer and work zones

17. 17. 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.

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

18. 18. When should you signal a turn or lane change if no other traffic is visible?

    1. Signaling is unnecessary on empty roads
    2. Empty roads suspend all signaling rules
    3. Signal only after beginning the turn or lane change
    4. Signal even when you do not see anyone else around
    Show answer

    Signal even when you do not see anyone else around. Signal every maneuver regardless of apparent emptiness, because the driver you failed to notice is precisely the one who needed the warning. Skipping signals on quiet roads builds a habit that follows you into traffic. Signaling after movement starts announces history, not intention. Rules do not suspend themselves for low traffic counts. The unseen cyclist in your blind spot, the car approaching fast from behind a rise, the pedestrian at the driveway: your signal is cheap insurance addressed to everyone you misjudged as absent.

    Study this in the handbook: Pavement markings and signaling

19. 19. Your vehicle has backed clear of a perpendicular parking area and is fully in the aisle. What comes next?

    1. Stop and shift to drive
    2. Turn the wheels sharply before shifting gears
    3. Keep backing until you reach the opposite row
    4. Accelerate backward to straighten the vehicle
    Show answer

    Stop and shift to drive. The pause matters. Once your vehicle has cleared the parking area, stop completely, shift into drive, and only then roll forward, steering as needed to straighten the wheels. Backing across the aisle toward the opposite row invites a collision with traffic you cannot see well. Turning the wheels hard while still rolling backward points the nose somewhere you did not intend. Gaining backward speed to straighten trades control for momentum at the worst moment. A full stop resets the maneuver and gives you one clean look around before forward motion begins.

20. 20. On a long trip, how often should you plan to stop against fatigue?

    1. Only when the fuel tank is nearly running low
    2. Once only at the exact halfway point reached
    3. Every 300 miles regardless of time spent driving
    4. About every 100 miles or 2 hours of driving
    Show answer

    About every 100 miles or 2 hours of driving. Breaks every hundred miles or two hours interrupt the monotony and accumulating fatigue that long, unbroken stretches create. Fuel range is a machine schedule that can double the human one. Three hundred miles guarantees hours of degraded alertness between stops. Halfway-only planning ignores how the trip divides and how the driver feels. Each stop is a reset: walk, breathe, check the vehicle, swap drivers if possible. Arriving slightly later beats the alternative that fatigue statistics keep recording on quiet highways.

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