South Carolina SCDMV Motorcycle Practice Test 32
- Questions30
- Correct to pass24
- Passing score80%
- Minimum age15 years
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1. How many points does a reckless driving conviction add in South Carolina?
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Answer C: Six points
Reckless driving carries six points, the same value as passing a stopped school bus or a hit-and-run causing only property damage.
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2. Outside the permitted daylight hours, who must supervise a South Carolina motorcycle permit holder?
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Answer B: A motorcycle-licensed driver at least 21 with a year of experience, staying within a safe viewing distance
At other times the permit holder must be accompanied by a motorcycle-licensed driver 21 or older with at least one year of experience who stays within a safe viewing distance.
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3. What should motorcycle footwear provide?
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Answer B: Sturdy support above the ankle with hard, slip resistant soles
Boots that cover the ankle support and protect it, while hard slip resistant soles keep the rider steady at stops, and laces should be tucked in so they cannot catch.
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4. Someone has stepped into a marked crosswalk in the middle of a block ahead of you. What should you do?
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Answer A: Slow down, stop before the markings and let the person cross the street
A marked mid-block crosswalk carries the same duty as one at a corner: give way to the person crossing, stopping if that is what letting them cross safely takes.
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5. You come up behind a bicyclist who is descending a steep hill in the middle of the traffic lane. What should you take into account?
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Answer D: The rider may be moving at close to the speed of the traffic
A bicycle can reach the speed of traffic on a descent, so there is little to gain from a pass and the rider needs the whole lane to steer around surface hazards.
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6. What fine range applies to a base-tier second DUI conviction in South Carolina?
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Answer A: Not less than 2,100 dollars nor more than 5,100 dollars
Section 56-5-2930(A)(2) sets the second-offense base fine between 2,100 and 5,100 dollars, alongside 5 days to 1 year imprisonment.
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7. What is a marked loading zone for?
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Answer A: Loading and unloading only, not for general parking
A loading zone is reserved for actively loading or unloading goods or passengers; leaving a vehicle there for other reasons is a parking violation.
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8. A driver who is passing you cannot complete the pass because a vehicle is coming. What should you do?
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Answer C: Ease off the accelerator and make room for them to drop back in
The only place for the passing vehicle to go is the gap behind you, and easing off opens that gap immediately.
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9. Besides the certification label, what does a novelty helmet typically lack?
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Answer B: A thick, firm liner of impact absorbing foam under the shell
The energy absorbing layer is what makes a helmet work, and a novelty shell has little or none of it, so it offers almost no protection in a crash.
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10. What must a South Carolina driver do under the move-over law if changing lanes away from a stopped emergency vehicle is unsafe or impossible?
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Answer C: Maintain a safe speed for the road conditions
Section 56-5-1538(G)(2) requires maintaining a safe speed for conditions when a lane change is not possible or safe.
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11. Roughly how far does a vehicle travel at 55 mph during the few seconds a driver spends reading a text message?
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Answer D: About the length of a football field
Sending or reading a message takes the eyes off the road for about five seconds, which at 55 mph covers roughly the length of a football field with nobody watching the road.
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12. The circular sign shape is reserved for which warning?
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Answer C: Advance warning of a highway-rail grade crossing
A round yellow sign with a black X and the letters RR is the grade crossing advance warning sign, and the circular outline is used for no other message.
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13. A flashing red lamp is mounted above a stop sign at a rural intersection. What does it add?
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Answer C: Emphasis, while the required stop stays the same
A stop beacon makes an easily missed stop sign more visible, but it neither adds to nor takes away from the obligation the sign already imposes.
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14. Why is an underinflated tire especially risky on a long drive in hot weather?
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Answer C: It flexes more, builds up heat and can fail at speed
A soft tire flexes on every rotation, and that flexing makes heat that the hot road and high speed add to until the tire can come apart.
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15. To make a motorcycle lean into a turn at normal riding speed, the rider should:
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Answer C: Press forward on the handgrip on the side of the turn
This is countersteering: press left to lean left and go left, press right to lean right and go right.
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16. 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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17. Is it safe to check your phone while stopped at a red light?
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Answer B: No, you may miss the signal change and hazards around you
Attention does not return instantly when the light changes, and emergency vehicles, pedestrians or a rear-end threat can appear while you are stopped. Stay focused on the road.
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18. Under the South Carolina Hands-Free and Distracted Driving Act, what may a driver NOT do?
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Answer A: Hold or support a mobile electronic device with any part of the body
The statute forbids holding or supporting a mobile electronic device with any part of the body while driving, while earpieces, wrist-worn devices and factory-installed equipment remain allowed.
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19. A small plate under a stop sign reads CROSS TRAFFIC DOES NOT STOP. What is it telling you?
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Answer D: Traffic on the cross street is not required to stop at all
The plate warns that the other road is uncontrolled, so you must wait for a gap instead of expecting anyone to take turns with you.
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20. On loose gravel or deep fresh snow, how does an antilock system affect the stopping distance?
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Answer D: It can lengthen it, although you keep the ability to steer
On loose surfaces a locked wheel piles up a wedge of gravel or snow that helps it stop, so the antilock stop can be longer even though steering still works.
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21. How should a rider use a motorcycle fitted with antilock brakes in an emergency stop?
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Answer D: Apply firm, steady pressure to both brakes and keep it there
An antilock system releases and reapplies pressure far faster than a rider can, but only while the rider keeps holding the brakes on.
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22. You are approaching the entry of a modern roundabout. Who must you yield to?
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Answer C: Traffic already circulating in the roundabout, which approaches from your left
Traffic in a United States roundabout circulates counterclockwise, so drivers entering must look left and yield to vehicles already in the circulating roadway.
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23. Which of the four blind spots around a tractor-trailer is the largest?
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Answer A: The one on the right side of the truck
A truck has no-zones on all four sides, and the right-side blind spot is the largest because it runs back along the trailer and reaches across more than one lane.
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24. Why is the staggered formation abandoned in a curve?
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Answer D: Because each rider needs the full width of the lane to choose a line through the curve
In a curve every rider must be free to use the whole lane to set up an entry and an exit line, which is impossible while holding a fixed side position.
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25. A pedestrian signal displays a steady walking person symbol. What does it mean for a pedestrian at that corner?
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Answer B: The pedestrian may start crossing in the direction of the signal
The steady walking person permits a pedestrian to begin the crossing, while still yielding to vehicles already lawfully in the intersection.
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26. You are turning left across tracks that run along the center of the street. What should you do before crossing them?
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Answer B: Look along the tracks in both directions and cross only when clear
Rail vehicles running in the street can arrive from either direction and cannot stop quickly, so look along the tracks before you turn across them.
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27. What changes most when a rider moves from a light motorcycle to a much heavier one?
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Answer A: It takes longer to stop and is harder to hold up at low speed
Extra mass means longer stopping distances and more effort in slow maneuvers and when holding the machine up, so build up gradually on an unfamiliar heavy motorcycle.
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28. You notice at night that one of your headlights has burned out. What should you do?
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Answer B: Get it replaced promptly, because other drivers may take you for a motorcycle
A single light makes your vehicle look narrower and further away, so other drivers misjudge you, and one light is also illegal.
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29. You are passing a crash on the other side of a divided highway. What should you do?
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Answer D: Keep your eyes on your own lane and the traffic around you
Staring at a crash scene, often called rubbernecking, causes sudden slowing and secondary collisions. Your attention belongs on the traffic in front of you.
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30. A traffic signal is displaying a flashing red light. How must you treat it?
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Answer D: Stop completely, then proceed when the way is clear
A flashing red carries the same meaning as a stop sign: come to a full stop, then go only when it is safe.