South Dakota DPS Permit Practice Test 4
Test 4 of 10. Pick an answer for each question to see if it is right and why; your score appears at the end. You need 20 correct answers to pass, the same ratio as the real South Dakota test.
- Questions25
- Correct to pass20
- Passing score80%
- Minimum age14 years
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1. South Dakota requires most motor vehicles to carry a working windshield wiping device. Which vehicles are excepted from this requirement?
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Answer B: Farm tractors and motorcycles
The windshield wiper requirement exempts farm tractors and motorcycles from needing the device.
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2. Without a listed exception, when may the holder of a South Dakota restricted minor's permit drive alone with parental permission?
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Answer A: Between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m.
The restricted minor's permit allows unaccompanied driving from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.; between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. a parent or guardian must occupy the seat beside the holder.
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3. Your light turns green while a pedestrian who started on the walk signal is still crossing in front of you. What must you do?
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Answer D: Let them finish crossing the road before you move off on your green light
A pedestrian who entered the crosswalk lawfully keeps the right of way until they reach the other side, whatever the signal now shows.
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4. A sign reads MINIMUM SPEED 40. What does it require of a driver?
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Answer C: Not to drive below that speed when conditions allow
A minimum speed limit keeps unnecessarily slow vehicles from obstructing traffic, but it never overrides the duty to slow down for weather or congestion.
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5. Under South Dakota's probationary permit system, what happens after a minor's first conviction for a Class 2 misdemeanor moving violation?
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Answer B: A 30-day suspension of the permit
A first Class 2 misdemeanor or comparable moving violation results in a 30-day suspension of the minor's permit.
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6. Under South Dakota's basic speed law, can a driver be cited for speeding even while traveling at or below the posted limit?
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Answer A: Yes, if the speed is not reasonable and prudent for the conditions then existing
The law separately requires speeds to be reasonable and prudent for existing conditions, so a driver can violate it even without exceeding the posted number.
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7. A yellow sign ahead of an underpass reads LOW CLEARANCE 12 FT 6 IN. What does the figure tell you?
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Answer B: The greatest height that can pass beneath the structure
The figure is the actual clearance available, so a vehicle taller than that must leave the road and take a marked alternative route.
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8. Which of these South Dakota vehicles must stop at every railroad grade crossing, regardless of whether a warning signal is active?
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Answer B: A school bus carrying passengers
State law requires school buses carrying passengers, along with vehicles for hire and vehicles carrying explosives or flammable cargo, to stop at every grade crossing.
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9. How does South Dakota law distinguish a license revocation from a license suspension?
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Answer D: A revocation ends the driving privilege and requires a new application, while a suspension is a temporary, sometimes conditional withdrawal
Revocation terminates the driving privilege and license outright, while suspension is described as a temporary withdrawal that can be time-limited or conditional.
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10. A wide crosswalk you are turning across has a refuge island in the middle. What should you assume about people standing on it?
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Answer D: They may step off the island into your path at any moment
An island is a pause in a crossing, not the end of one, so treat anyone on it as a pedestrian who is still crossing.
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11. How often should you check your mirrors while driving?
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Answer C: Every few seconds, so you always know what is around you
Traffic behind and beside you changes constantly. Frequent, brief mirror checks keep a picture of your surroundings current so nothing surprises you.
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12. In heavy fog at night on a rural two-lane road, which marking best helps a driver hold position?
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Answer C: The solid white line along the right edge
Steering by the right edge line keeps a driver clear of oncoming traffic, while watching the center line tends to pull the vehicle toward it.
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13. In a work zone the temporary lane lines conflict with the old lines still visible on the pavement. Which do you follow?
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Answer C: The temporary markings, which show the current traffic pattern
Temporary markings define the traffic pattern in force, and the old lines are simply the layout that no longer applies.
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14. You are pulling out of a farm entrance onto a rural highway. What is your obligation?
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Answer C: Yield to every vehicle already on the highway before you enter the roadway
A driver entering a highway from a private road or driveway yields to every vehicle already on the highway.
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15. On what recurring schedule does a standard South Dakota operator's license expire, according to state law?
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Answer A: On the licensee's birthday in the fifth year after issuance
South Dakota operator's licenses expire on the holder's birthday in the fifth year following issuance, not on a fixed calendar date unrelated to birthday.
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16. During the first six months on a South Dakota restricted minor's permit, who may ride as a passenger?
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Answer A: Only immediate family or members of the household
For the first six months the restricted permit holder may carry only immediate family members or members of the household.
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17. What is the basic rule for entering a roundabout?
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Answer B: Traffic already circulating goes first, and you wait for a gap
Entering traffic yields to vehicles already going around the circle, which is what keeps a roundabout moving instead of locking up.
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18. What is the minimum license revocation period for a second South Dakota DUI conviction?
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Answer C: One year
A second DUI conviction requires a revocation of at least one year, longer than the 30-day floor used for a first offense.
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19. How much more energy must your brakes absorb if you double your speed?
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Answer D: About four times as much, since energy rises with the square of speed
Kinetic energy grows with the square of speed, so twice the speed means about four times the energy and a far longer braking distance.
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20. At an intersection where turning on a red arrow is not permitted, the signal shows a red left arrow next to a steady green ball. What may you do?
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Answer D: Go straight or turn right if permitted, but not left
An arrow controls only the movement it points to, so here the red arrow stops the left turn while the green ball still allows the other movements.
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21. A driver's blood alcohol concentration is below the legal limit, but the driver is visibly impaired. Can the driver be arrested?
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Answer C: Yes, driving while impaired by alcohol is an offense at any concentration
The per se figure, 0.08 percent in most states and 0.05 percent in Utah, is the level at which impairment is presumed. Impairment shown by driving behavior and field tests is enough on its own, because alcohol affects skills well before that number.
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22. In a South Dakota urban district with no posted or zoned speed limit, what is the maximum lawful speed?
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Answer D: 25 miles per hour
Absent posting or zoning under the speed-zone statute, the default maximum in an urban district is 25 miles per hour.
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23. At a freeway exit ramp, this sign normally backs up which other regulatory sign posted nearer to the ramp terminal?
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Answer D: The sign that forbids entering that roadway at all
The two work as a pair at ramp terminals: one keeps drivers from turning in, and this one sits farther along to catch a driver who has already entered.
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24. A child in the back seat unfastens a seat belt while you are on the freeway. What should you do?
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Answer A: Pull off safely and refasten the belt
Turning or reaching back takes your eyes and hands off a high speed task, so leave the freeway or use the shoulder only if there is no exit, then fix the belt.
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25. If a conviction that would normally trigger a financial-responsibility suspension occurred while a person drove a government-owned vehicle, what happens under South Dakota law?
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Answer D: The suspension is limited to the person's privately owned vehicles, sparing government vehicles
When the underlying conviction involved a government-owned or leased vehicle used with permission, the resulting suspension reaches only the person's privately owned vehicles.