SD Permit Practice Test 8

All 20 questions in test 8

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. What is prohibited by this red-slashed right-turn sign?

   
   1. Stopping before entering the intersection
   2. A left turn from the nearest lane
   3. A right turn where the sign is posted
   4. Proceeding straight after checking traffic
   Show answer

   A right turn where the sign is posted. The South Dakota manual lists No Right Turn among common regulatory signs. A regulatory sign is not merely advisory; it gives a rule that must be obeyed. The left-turn choice names the wrong movement and would leave the posted right-turn ban unanswered. Use the crossed right arrow as the cue to continue on an allowed movement until another route is available.

2. 2. A South Dakota Instruction Permit holder was convicted of a traffic violation four months ago. What does that block?

   1. Getting a Restricted Minor's Permit until six months pass without a conviction
   2. Only night driving
   3. Retaking the knowledge test
   4. Nothing, as long as the fine is paid
   Show answer

   Getting a Restricted Minor's Permit until six months pass without a conviction. To obtain a Restricted Minor's Permit, the applicant must be at least 14, complete the Instruction Permit requirements, pass the driving test, and not have been convicted of a traffic violation during the six months before applying. A conviction four months ago falls inside that window. Paying the fine does not erase the conviction for this purpose. The same six month clean record rule applies to minors seeking an Operator's License.

3. 3. What does a red circle with a red slash over a symbol tell you?

   
   1. The pictured action is recommended in heavy traffic
   2. The pictured action is prohibited by that sign
   3. The pictured action is allowed after a full stop
   4. The sign gives route information for services
   Show answer

   The pictured action is prohibited by that sign. South Dakota uses the red circle and slash on regulatory signs to show a banned movement, such as a no turn or no parking symbol. Treating it as permission after stopping changes the message completely. The cue is the red slash drawn directly over the symbol: it cancels that action at that location. Do not treat the sign as advice; it is a legal instruction tied to the location where it is posted.

4. 4. What penalties can follow a South Dakota conviction for failing to maintain proof of financial responsibility (insurance)?

   1. A Class 2 misdemeanor plus a driver license suspension
   2. A $25 fine only
   3. A warning on the first offense
   4. Loss of license until age 21
   Show answer

   A Class 2 misdemeanor plus a driver license suspension. Failure to maintain proof of financial responsibility is a Class 2 misdemeanor in South Dakota, which can bring time in county jail, a fine, or both. It also brings a driver license suspension of not less than 30 days or more than one year, and SR22 proof of insurance must be filed for 3 years from the date of eligibility. A small fine alone or a warning understates it, and a suspension lasting until age 21 belongs to no insurance rule.

5. 5. On a two-lane South Dakota highway, how much must you slow before passing a stopped warning-light vehicle when the posted limit is above 20 mph?

   1. At least 20 mph below the posted speed limit
   2. Exactly 5 mph below the posted speed limit
   3. To 45 mph in every case
   4. Only enough to avoid crossing the centerline
   Show answer

   At least 20 mph below the posted speed limit. On a two-lane highway, South Dakota substitutes a speed reduction for the lane-change rule. If the posted limit is above 20 mph, drivers must slow at least 20 mph below that limit before passing the stopped vehicle. The 5-mph choice applies only when the posted limit is 20 mph or less, so it changes the condition. The cue is the posted number: above 20, subtract 20 before you pass with caution.

6. 6. If another vehicle hits you from the rear, what should you do with your body?

   1. Lean forward and unlock your seatbelt
   2. Turn sideways toward the center console
   3. Press against the seat back and place your head on the head restraint
   4. Stand on the brake before bracing yourself
   Show answer

   Press against the seat back and place your head on the head restraint. In a rear impact, your body is thrown backward, so press yourself against the seat back and put your head against the head restraint. That position helps reduce neck movement and keeps you ready to control the vehicle. Leaning forward and unbuckling removes the restraint protection you need during the crash sequence. The cue is a rear impact or unavoidable hit from behind: brace back, protect your head and neck, and be ready to brake afterward.

7. 7. You are leaving a private road and entering a South Dakota public highway. Who has priority?

   
   1. Drivers already on the public highway
   2. The driver leaving the private road
   3. Only traffic approaching from the left
   4. Whichever vehicle is moving more slowly
   Show answer

   Drivers already on the public highway. Traffic already on the public highway has priority over a driver entering from a private road or driveway. The private-road driver is joining an established traffic stream and must wait for a safe opening. The left-side-only choice is too limited because the rule applies to drivers on the highway, not just one direction. Watch for the cue that your vehicle is coming from private property or a driveway; that is when you yield before entering.

8. 8. How does South Dakota classify a first DWI offense (BAC 0.08% or more)?

   1. A petty offense
   2. A Class 2 misdemeanor
   3. A Class 1 misdemeanor punishable by a fine, up to one year in jail, or both
   4. A Class 6 felony
   Show answer

   A Class 1 misdemeanor punishable by a fine, up to one year in jail, or both. A first DWI is a Class 1 misdemeanor punishable by a fine, imprisonment up to one year, or both, and the driver loses the license for a minimum of 30 days. The Class 2 misdemeanor label belongs to Zero Tolerance offenses for drivers under 21. A Class 6 felony is a third DWI. A petty offense is how South Dakota treats child restraint violations, not drunk driving.

9. 9. What information is shown on an Emergency Notification System sign at a railroad crossing?

   1. The engineer's radio channel and train schedule
   2. A dispatch phone number and DOT crossing number
   3. The nearest highway speed limit and mile marker
   4. A detour map for oversized vehicles
   Show answer

   A dispatch phone number and DOT crossing number. The ENS sign gives drivers a direct emergency dispatch number and a DOT number that identifies the exact crossing. That lets railroad personnel locate a blocked or damaged crossing quickly and warn trains. The train schedule choice is wrong because the sign is for reporting problems, not predicting arrivals. A useful cue is the blue sign near the crossing: use both numbers if a vehicle is stuck, gates malfunction, or tracks are blocked.

10. 10. 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.

11. 11. What do pavement markings do for drivers?

    1. Apply only to pedestrians and not to drivers
    2. Replace every traffic signal at intersections
    3. Mark only decorative boundaries on highways
    4. Give directions or warnings and show lane or stopping rules
    Show answer

    Give directions or warnings and show lane or stopping rules. Pavement markings are roadway instructions. They divide lanes, show passing and lane-use rules, mark crosswalks, and identify where to stop. Calling them decorative ignores their traffic-control role. The cue is paint on the road surface, such as arrows, words, stop lines, lane lines, and crosswalk bars. Treat markings as part of the control system along with signs and lights, especially where lanes split or turn.

12. 12. You have a green light, but pedestrians are still in the intersection. What should you do?

    1. Drive through because green gives priority over pedestrians
    2. Yield until the pedestrians are clear
    3. Honk once and steer around them
    4. Enter the crosswalk and wait there
    Show answer

    Yield until the pedestrians are clear. A green signal does not erase the duty to yield to pedestrians who are in the intersection. Driving through because the light is green ignores the pedestrian rule. Use the visual cue of people still crossing your path, especially near the far side of the crosswalk, and wait until your lane is clear before moving. This includes pedestrians who are finishing after your light changes, since they may still legally occupy the crossing space.

13. 13. 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.

14. 14. What do regulatory signs usually tell drivers?

    1. Weather forecasts for the next highway segment
    2. Only the distance to cities and airports
    3. Only scenic points of interest
    4. Specific laws about traffic direction, lane use, turning, speed, or parking
    Show answer

    Specific laws about traffic direction, lane use, turning, speed, or parking. Regulatory signs communicate laws a driver must obey, including direction, lane use, turning, speed, parking, and other special rules. Distances to cities belong to destination or guide signs. The cue is a white, red, black, or green regulatory sign telling you what is required, prohibited, or limited at that place. Because these signs state law, missing one can produce an illegal turn, speed, parking choice, or lane movement.

15. 15. How can a South Dakota driver revoke an organ donor designation?

    1. Only by court order
    2. It cannot be changed once made
    3. Only by writing to the hospital
    4. By removing the designation from the driver license or ID
    Show answer

    By removing the designation from the driver license or ID. The organ donor designation on a South Dakota license or ID is voluntary and can be amended or revoked. The manual says that if you wish to amend or revoke your designation you may do so by removing the organ donor designation from your driver license or ID, and it points to South Dakota Codified Law Chapter 34-26 for details. No court order or hospital letter is needed, and the choice is not permanent.

16. 16. 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. At the first sign of rain, snow, sleet, or ice, reduce speed because traction drops before a road looks dangerous. Tires grip less well on slippery pavement, making both stopping and turning harder. Maintaining speed until other traffic slows puts your decision in someone else's hands and can leave too little room. A useful cue is the first change on the windshield or road surface: treat it as the signal to ease off the accelerator.

17. 17. 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.

18. 18. What can happen if you drive much slower than other vehicles in South Dakota traffic?

    1. You are exempt from signaling
    2. You automatically have the right-of-way
    3. You must move to the left lane
    4. You can be ticketed for impeding traffic
    Show answer

    You can be ticketed for impeding traffic. Driving far below the traffic pace can create backups and risky passing, so South Dakota warns that it can lead to an impeding-traffic ticket. The right-of-way choice is incorrect because moving slowly does not give a driver priority over others. A practical cue is a line forming behind you: if vehicles are bunching up, use a safe pullout or a slower road instead of forcing everyone to pass around you.

19. 19. A South Dakota minor under 16 gets a second traffic violation on an Instruction Permit. What suspension period is listed?

    1. 180 days or the driver’s 16th birthday, whichever is longer
    2. 7 days or until court costs are paid
    3. 30 days with no exceptions
    4. Until age 18 in every case
    Show answer

    180 days or the driver’s 16th birthday, whichever is longer. For a second traffic violation on an Instruction or Restricted Minor’s Permit, South Dakota lists a suspension of 180 days or until the driver’s 16th birthday, whichever is longer. The 30-day option is a trap because it fits a first traffic violation under the preceding paragraph. The cue is violation count: first violation points to 30 days, while second violation, restricted-permit violation, or felony/Class 1 misdemeanor language points to the longer period.

20. 20. For a driver age 21 or older operating a noncommercial vehicle in South Dakota, what is the lowest BAC covered by the general alcohol per se threshold?

    1. 0.12% or more
    2. 0.02% or more
    3. 0.04% or more
    4. 0.08% or more
    Show answer

    0.08% or more. For drivers who are not under the special underage rule, South Dakota uses 0.08% BAC or more as evidence of driving under the influence of alcohol. The 0.02% option belongs to drivers under 21 and should not be confused with the adult DWI threshold. The cue is the driver’s age bracket: adults should remember 0.08% as the evidence level, while also recognizing that unsafe impairment can begin before that point.