South Carolina SCDMV Motorcycle Practice Test 46
- Questions30
- Correct to pass24
- Passing score80%
- Minimum age15 years
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1. What should the operator do before a bump, a sharp turn or a sudden stop?
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Answer C: Warn the passenger so they can brace for it
A warning lets the passenger tighten their grip and prepare, which keeps the passenger weight from shifting unexpectedly at the worst moment.
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2. You and an oncoming driver are both turning left at the same intersection. What is the usual rule?
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Answer D: Both turn in front of each other unless markings show otherwise
The normal practice is to pass driver side to driver side, turning in front of one another, unless pavement markings or signs direct a different path.
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3. You are approaching the crest of a hill and cannot see the road beyond it. What should you do?
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Answer C: Slow down and keep well to the right
Beyond a blind crest there may be a stopped vehicle, a cyclist or an oncoming driver crossing the center line, so reduce speed and hold your own side.
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4. Which of these would appear as a symbol on a blue general service sign?
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Answer A: A hospital
General service signs cover facilities such as hospitals, fuel, food, lodging, camping, telephones and rest areas, all shown in white on blue.
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5. A pedestrian signal changes to a flashing upraised hand. What does that indication mean?
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Answer C: Do not start crossing, but finish a crossing already begun
The flashing upraised hand is the pedestrian change interval: nobody may start to cross, but a pedestrian already in the crosswalk may continue to the far side or to a median.
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6. Which combination best reduces the chance of hydroplaning?
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Answer D: Good tread depth, correct tire pressure and lower speed in the rain
Tread channels water away, correct pressure keeps the tire's shape, and lower speed gives the tire time to push water aside. Hydroplaning can begin at surprisingly modest speeds.
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7. What is the maximum posted speed on the interstate highway system in South Carolina?
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Answer B: 70 miles per hour
State law sets 70 miles per hour as the maximum on the interstate system and other freeways where signs give notice of that speed.
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8. Which feature suggests that a helmet is an uncertified novelty helmet?
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Answer D: A shell less than one inch thick with no firm foam liner
Novelty helmets are typically thin and very light because they lack the stiff energy absorbing liner that a certified helmet uses to manage an impact.
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9. How far forward should a rider sit on the seat?
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Answer D: Far enough forward that the arms are slightly bent on the grips
Slightly bent arms let the rider steer with the handlebars instead of using the arms to prop up the upper body.
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10. You have just passed a vehicle on a two-lane road. When may you return to your lane?
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Answer B: When you can see the whole vehicle in your inside mirror
Seeing the entire vehicle you passed in your rearview mirror shows there is room to pull back in without cutting it off.
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11. You have entered a work zone where crews are working close to the open lane. What should you do?
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Answer A: Slow down and be ready for workers and machines
Workers and equipment cross the open lane without warning in a work zone, so reduced speed and attention on the road ahead are what keep them safe.
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12. Where should you be looking as you steer through a turn?
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Answer C: Toward the point on the new road where you want to end up
Drivers steer toward what they look at, so looking through the turn to where you want to go keeps the path smooth and accurate.
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13. You are driving on the through road of a T-intersection and want to turn left into the side road. Oncoming traffic is approaching on the through road. What must you do?
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Answer C: Yield to the oncoming traffic before you turn
The vehicle waiting in the stem of the T yields to both of you, but you still owe the right of way to oncoming through traffic before turning across it.
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14. A city transit bus ahead of you has stopped at the curb with its passenger door open. What does the law require of you?
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Answer D: Nothing special, but pass slowly and watch for people
The mandatory stop applies to a school bus showing red flashing lights, not to a transit bus, though a careful driver still slows for crossing passengers.
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15. How does South Carolina's basic speed law describe an unlawful driving speed, apart from posted numeric limits?
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Answer D: A speed greater than is reasonable and prudent under the conditions then existing
Section 56-5-1520(A) defines the basic speed law as prohibiting a speed greater than reasonable and prudent under existing conditions.
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16. You want to turn left across the oncoming lane into a shopping center driveway. Who must you yield to?
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Answer B: Oncoming traffic and anyone using the sidewalk
A left turn into a driveway crosses both the oncoming lane and the sidewalk, so you give way to traffic and to pedestrians before completing it.
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17. You reach a stretch of road covered by moving flood water of unknown depth. What is the correct decision?
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Answer D: Turn around and take another route
About a foot of moving water is enough to carry away most cars, and the roadbed under the water may already be washed out, so the only safe choice is to turn around.
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18. You are ready to pull out of a parallel parking space into the traffic lane. What should you do?
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Answer C: Signal, check the mirror and blind spot, and wait for a gap
A driver leaving a parking space must yield to traffic already in the lane, so signal, look for the gap and only then move out.
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19. Which of these does NOT affect how fast alcohol reaches the bloodstream?
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Answer A: How confident the drinker feels
Food, the strength of the drinks and the speed of drinking all change how fast alcohol is absorbed, but a drinker's confidence changes nothing at all.
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20. What do the numbers on a pedestrian countdown display show?
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Answer A: The seconds remaining to finish a crossing already under way
The countdown runs during the pedestrian change interval and shows how many seconds are left before the crossing time ends.
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21. A shared-use path crosses the road ahead at a marked crossing and people are already crossing on it. What should you do?
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Answer C: Yield and let them finish crossing the road
People already crossing at a marked crossing have the right of way, and a path crossing is a crossing of the roadway like any other.
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22. From which lane should a permitted U-turn be started?
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Answer A: The lane nearest the center line, the same one used for a left turn
A U-turn is begun from the far left lane for your direction, the same position used for a left turn, so you do not cut across traffic beside you.
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23. What happens to points on a South Carolina driving record one year after the violation date?
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Answer D: They are reduced by half
SCDMV reduces points by half one year after the violation date shown on the ticket, so four points become two.
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24. Why are motorcycles so often missed by other drivers?
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Answer C: Their narrow shape is easily hidden in traffic
A motorcycle presents a narrow outline that disappears behind pillars, mirrors and other vehicles, and it is harder to judge its speed and distance.
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25. A strong wind is blowing across an open stretch of road. Besides the gusts, what else should you watch for?
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Answer A: Branches, dust and loose objects blown into your path
High wind strips branches, litter and dust onto the roadway and can push other vehicles out of their lane, so scan much further ahead than usual.
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26. You are traveling beside a solid white lane line. What does it tell you?
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Answer B: Crossing it is discouraged or prohibited, so stay in your lane
A solid white line separates lanes going the same direction where lane changing is discouraged or prohibited, such as where a through lane meets a mandatory turn lane.
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27. The leader gives a hand signal that you can see clearly from your place in the group. What should you do with it?
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Answer A: Repeat the signal so the riders behind you also receive it
Signals are passed down the line rider by rider, because riders further back cannot see the leader through the machines in between.
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28. What do zero tolerance laws mean for a driver who is under 21?
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Answer B: They commit a violation at an alcohol level far below the adult limit
Drivers under 21 may not legally drink, so every state sets a limit far below the adult one and treats even a trace reading as a violation. The exact figure is set by each state, and the penalty usually includes losing the license.
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29. A disabled vehicle is blocking your lane on a two-lane road with a single solid yellow line on your side. What should you do?
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Answer C: Wait until the oncoming lane is clear, then go around carefully
The solid line prohibits overtaking a moving vehicle, but in most states a driver may go around an obstruction such as a disabled vehicle once the oncoming lane is clear and the move can be made safely.
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30. Why is a pothole a bigger problem for a motorcycle than for a car?
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Answer C: A motorcycle has only two wheels, so an impact can deflect it off line
A car crosses a hole on four wheels and stays balanced, while a hole can knock a motorcycle off its line or damage a wheel, so scan the pavement well ahead and plan a path around holes.