South Dakota DPS Motorcycle Practice Test 6
Test 6 of 6. 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. What is meant by a crowned road?
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Answer B: A road built higher along its center so that water drains toward the sides
The crown is the built-in slope from the middle of the road down toward each edge, and it exists so rain runs off instead of standing on the surface.
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2. What should a rider look for in rain gear?
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Answer A: A riding rain suit that fits close and will not balloon or tear at speed
Rain gear designed for riding stays sealed and stays put in the airstream, while loose garments can flap, tear or interfere with the controls.
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3. An emergency vehicle is stopped on the shoulder ahead with its lights flashing. What does the move over principle require?
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Answer D: Change lanes away from it, or slow down if you cannot
Move over laws ask you to give responders an empty lane, and where traffic or a two-lane road makes that impossible, you slow down instead.
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4. What is the job of the hard outer shell of a motorcycle helmet?
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Answer D: To spread impact force and to resist objects punching through
The shell distributes a concentrated blow over a wide area and stops sharp objects from reaching the head, while the liner underneath absorbs the energy.
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5. Besides certain criminal convictions, what other circumstance can require a South Dakota driver to file proof of financial responsibility for the future?
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Answer C: Failing to pay a judgment arising from owning, maintaining, or using a vehicle
The statute also applies proof-of-financial-responsibility requirements to anyone who fails to pay a judgment stemming from vehicle ownership, maintenance, or use.
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6. What must a South Dakota driver do with their headlamps when meeting an oncoming vehicle at night?
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Answer A: Tilt the beams downward
State law requires tilting the headlamp beams downward when meeting or overtaking another vehicle.
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7. A blue motorist service sign showing a fuel symbol and an arrow means that
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Answer D: fuel is available in the direction shown, and the sign imposes no obligation
Service signs are informational: they tell the driver what is available and in which direction, but they create no requirement.
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8. You must slow down in a curve but there is no room to straighten the motorcycle. What should you do?
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Answer A: Brake gently at first and reduce the lean angle as your speed comes down
Braking and turning compete for the same traction, so brake pressure has to stay light while lean angle is high and can grow as the machine comes upright.
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9. Which circumstance can make a South Dakota court condition a DUI defendant's driving permit on participation in the 24/7 sobriety program?
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Answer C: The defendant had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.17 percent or more, or a prior DUI conviction within the last ten years
The 24/7 sobriety program condition applies when the defendant had a very high 0.17 percent or greater BAC, or has a prior DUI conviction within the past decade.
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10. You are turning left out of a driveway onto a busy two-way street. What must you do?
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Answer D: Wait for a gap in both directions before you start to move
The turn crosses one direction of traffic and joins the other, so you need a gap in both before leaving the driveway rather than stopping across a lane.
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11. Unless a different limit is posted, what is the top speed on a South Dakota township road?
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Answer B: 55 miles per hour
State law caps township roads at 55 miles per hour, although a township board may establish and post different speed zones.
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12. You are following closely behind a vehicle you intend to pass on a two-lane road. What should you do first?
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Answer D: Drop back to give yourself room to build speed before you pull out
From close behind you cannot see far enough ahead and you have no room to gather speed, so the pass takes longer and starts blind.
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13. Of the fee collected for an original or renewal South Dakota driver license, what happens to five dollars of it?
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Answer C: It funds the Division of Highway Patrol
State law earmarks five dollars of every original or renewal license fee for administering the Division of Highway Patrol.
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14. Snow has covered the pavement markings on a two-lane road. How should a driver judge lane position?
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Answer B: By the tracks of other traffic and the roadside features
With the markings hidden, ruts left by earlier traffic, signs, poles and the line of the shoulder are the best clues to where the lane runs.
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15. How many points does a South Dakota driving while intoxicated conviction add to a driving record?
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Answer D: 10 points
A DWI conviction carries 10 points, the highest value on the South Dakota schedule, and it also triggers a mandatory license revocation.
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16. When is a driver or rider most likely to need hand and arm signals instead of the vehicle turn signal lamps?
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Answer D: When the lamps have failed or cannot be seen because of glare or a load
Hand and arm signals replace or reinforce the lamps whenever the lamps do not work or cannot be seen clearly by other road users.
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17. A yellow diamond showing the silhouette of a deer warns that
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Answer D: large animals may cross the road in that area
The sign marks a stretch where animals are known to cross, so drivers should reduce speed and scan both roadsides, especially around dawn and dusk.
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18. A friend who has been drinking insists on driving home. What is the right thing to do?
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Answer B: Take the keys and arrange a sober ride, even if the friend objects
An impaired driver is dangerous on any street at any speed, and coffee does not lower blood alcohol. Keeping the keys and finding another way home is the only safe choice.
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19. What license or permit does South Dakota require to operate a moped on a public roadway?
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Answer C: A valid motor vehicle driver license or permit, the same general requirement used for a motorcycle
State law requires moped operators to hold a valid motor vehicle driver license or permit, just as it does for motorcycle and certain all-terrain vehicle operators.
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20. What do yellow lines painted on a roadway separate?
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Answer D: Traffic moving in opposite directions
Yellow markings separate opposing streams of traffic, and they also mark the left edge of a divided highway or a one-way roadway.
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21. Absent a different posted or statutory limit, what is the default maximum speed South Dakota law sets for driving on a street or highway?
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Answer D: 65 miles per hour
State law sets a default maximum of 65 miles per hour on streets and highways unless a different limit is posted or set under another statute, such as the 80 mph interstate limit.
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22. Why is it better for a passenger to hold the rider's waist or hips rather than the rider's shoulders?
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Answer A: Weight held low is less likely to disturb the rider's steering
Pulling on the shoulders feeds the passenger's movement straight into the rider's arms and handlebars, while a grip at the waist keeps that weight low and central.
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23. What conditions apply to a South Dakota motorcycle instruction permit?
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Answer A: Riding between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m., accompanied by a licensed motorcycle operator at least 18 with a year of experience riding another motorcycle, and no passengers
The motorcycle instruction permit limits riding to the hours of 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. with a qualified licensed motorcycle operator riding along, and the permit holder may not carry another person.
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24. 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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25. What score does the South Dakota Department of Public Safety require on the knowledge test?
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Answer C: 80 percent or higher
The Department of Public Safety states that applicants must pass the knowledge test with a score of 80 percent or higher, and the same standard applies to the driving test.