South Carolina Driver License: Tires, Belts, Child Seats, Loads, Steering and Backing

28 questions with the correct answer and an explanation for each. Topic: Tires, Belts, Child Seats, Loads, Steering and Backing. Free, no account needed.

1. A driver wants to catch tire problems before they cause a blowout. How often should tire pressure be checked, and under what condition?

Monthly, with a gauge, when the tires are cold
Every time the tank is filled with gas, right after highway driving
Every 3,000 miles at an oil change, regardless of temperature
Only when a dashboard warning light comes on

Answer: A — Monthly, with a gauge, when the tires are cold

Pressure should be checked monthly with a gauge while the tires are cold, comparing the reading to the door sticker.

2. A driver puts a penny head-first into a tire's deepest-looking tread groove and can see all of Lincoln's head. What does this mean?

The tire simply needs rotating
The tread is worn out and the tire must be replaced
The tire is properly inflated and safe
The tire pressure should be compared to the door sticker

Answer: B — The tread is worn out and the tire must be replaced

If the entire head is visible, the tread is too shallow and the tire is unsafe to keep using.

3. A driver checks a cold tire with a gauge and finds the reading is higher than the number printed on the door sticker. What should be done?

Let air out until it matches the sticker
Add more air until the tire feels firm
Leave it, since a bit of over-inflation is safer than under-inflation
Replace the tire immediately

Answer: A — Let air out until it matches the sticker

Air should be released when the gauge reads higher than the door sticker's specified pressure.

4. While adjusting a seat before driving, about how far should there be between the driver's chest and the steering wheel?

About 6 inches, for maximum control
As close as possible so the wheel is easy to reach
At least 15 inches
At least 10 inches

Answer: D — At least 10 inches

At least 10 inches should separate the chest from the wheel, leaving room for the air bag.

5. A driver is adjusting a head restraint before starting a trip. Where should it be positioned?

Touching the back of the head, not below ear level
A few inches below the ears for comfort
Tilted forward against the neck
At shoulder height

Answer: A — Touching the back of the head, not below ear level

The head restraint should touch the back of the head and not sit below ear level.

6. A driver sets the outside mirrors so that only a sliver of the car's own side is barely visible, instead of centering the car's body in the mirror. What does this achieve?

It improves visibility only at night
It doubles the total field of view behind the vehicle
It prevents the mirrors from vibrating at highway speed
It adds 12 to 16 degrees of view on each side, cutting down blind spots

Answer: D — It adds 12 to 16 degrees of view on each side, cutting down blind spots

Adjusting the mirrors to just barely show the car's edge adds 12 to 16 degrees of viewing angle on each side.

7. An officer sees a driver clearly not wearing a seat belt but observes no other traffic violation. Can the officer stop the vehicle for that alone?

No, only an unrestrained child can trigger a stop
Yes, because it is a primary belt law
No, another violation must be observed first
Yes, but only after a written warning has already been issued

Answer: B — Yes, because it is a primary belt law

Under a primary belt law, an officer with a clear view of an unbelted occupant may stop the vehicle for that violation alone.

8. A passenger tucks the shoulder belt under an arm because it feels more comfortable that way. What is the risk?

It triggers a continuous warning chime with no safety effect
Nothing, as long as the lap belt is snug and low across the hips
It disables the vehicle's air bags
It can cause serious internal injuries in a crash

Answer: D — It can cause serious internal injuries in a crash

Wearing the shoulder belt under the arm or behind the back can cause serious internal injuries in a crash.

9. A vehicle has air bags on both front seats. Should occupants still wear seat belts?

Belts are only needed until the air bag has deployed once
Only the driver needs a belt; the air bag covers the passenger
No, air bags alone provide equivalent protection
Yes, air bags are supplements designed to work with belts, not replace them

Answer: D — Yes, air bags are supplements designed to work with belts, not replace them

Air bags are supplements meant to work together with belts, so belts should still always be worn.

10. A family is driving with their 6-year-old child. Where must the child ride?

In a booster seat in the front seat
In a car seat in the back seat
In the front seat with an adult seat belt
In the front seat with the air bag manually disabled

Answer: B — In a car seat in the back seat

Children seven and younger must ride in a car seat in the back seat to avoid air bag injuries.

11. A one-year-old infant is being placed in a vehicle. How should the infant be positioned?

Forward-facing in the front seat with a booster
Forward-facing in the back seat
Rear-facing in the front seat, away from the air bag
Rear-facing in a rear seat

Answer: D — Rear-facing in a rear seat

An infant under two rides rear-facing in a rear seat until exceeding the seat's height or weight limit.

12. A four-year-old child has outgrown the forward-facing car seat's limits. What should the child use next?

An adult seat belt alone
A booster seat in the back seat, secured with lap and shoulder belts
No restraint is required at that age
A rear-facing seat again

Answer: B — A booster seat in the back seat, secured with lap and shoulder belts

A child at least four who has outgrown the forward-facing seat uses a booster in a rear seat with lap and shoulder belts.

13. A parent is installing a rear-facing child seat. Where must it never be placed?

In the third row of an SUV
In front of an air bag
Directly behind the driver's seat
On the passenger side of the back seat

Answer: B — In front of an air bag

A rear-facing seat must never be placed in front of an air bag.

14. An eight-year-old child is 55 inches tall, below the 57-inch mark. Which restraint applies to this child?

A forward-facing car seat must be used
No restraint is required once a child turns eight
A booster seat must still be used until 57 inches is reached, regardless of age
An adult seat belt may be used if it fits properly, since the child is at least eight

Answer: D — An adult seat belt may be used if it fits properly, since the child is at least eight

A child at least eight, or at least 57 inches tall, may use an adult belt if it fits properly — age alone is enough to qualify.

15. A pickup truck's cargo isn't tied down, and a piece falls onto the highway. What is the legal consequence of driving with an unsecured load?

It is legal as long as no accident results
It is legal if the load is under a certain weight
It is only a civil matter between drivers
It is a misdemeanor with a fine and cleanup costs

Answer: D — It is a misdemeanor with a fine and cleanup costs

Driving with an unsecured load is a misdemeanor carrying a fine and cleanup costs.

16. Before setting off with a loaded trailer, a driver reviews some self-check questions to judge whether the load is secure. Which of these is one of them?

Does the load stay below the height of the vehicle's roof?
Would you feel safe driving behind your own vehicle?
Is the load covered by the vehicle's insurance?
Is the load visible in the rearview mirror?

Answer: B — Would you feel safe driving behind your own vehicle?

One of the suggested checks is whether the driver would feel safe driving behind their own vehicle.

17. What makes a load on a vehicle properly secured?

It is clearly visible to following drivers
It weighs less than the vehicle itself
It is covered with any lightweight cloth
Nothing on it can slide, shift, fall, sift onto the road, or blow away

Answer: D — Nothing on it can slide, shift, fall, sift onto the road, or blow away

A load is secure only when nothing can slide, shift, fall, sift onto the road, or blow away.

18. A car equipped with automatic emergency braking and lane keeping assist is being driven on the highway. Can the driver stop paying attention because these features are active?

Yes, but only on divided highways
Yes, once enabled they fully control speed and steering
No, because such features are illegal to use while driving
No, these features assist but do not drive; the driver must stay engaged

Answer: D — No, these features assist but do not drive; the driver must stay engaged

Driver assistance features assist the driver but do not drive the car, so the driver must remain engaged, do head checks, and use mirrors and cameras.

19. A vehicle is equipped with cruise control and an active parking assist feature. May a candidate use these during the driving test?

Only cruise control is allowed, not parking assist
Yes, all driver assistance features are allowed
They may be used only if factory-installed
No, features such as parking assist and cruise control may not be used

Answer: D — No, features such as parking assist and cruise control may not be used

On the driving test, features such as parking assist and cruise control may not be used.

20. In which conditions should a driver expect features like lane keeping and forward collision warning to become less reliable or fail?

Only at speeds below 10 mph
Bright, clear highway driving
Rain, snow, ice, fog, hills and curves
Only while the vehicle is in reverse

Answer: C — Rain, snow, ice, fog, hills and curves

Driver assistance features are expected to fail or degrade in rain, snow, ice, fog, hills and curves.

21. Before turning the key or pressing the start button, what should the driver's right foot and the gear selector be doing?

Right foot off the pedals, selector in reverse
Right foot on the accelerator, selector in drive
Right foot on the brake, selector in park
Left foot on the brake, selector in neutral

Answer: C — Right foot on the brake, selector in park

Starting the car requires the right foot on the brake and the selector in park.

22. A driver has shifted to drive and is about to press the accelerator. What should be done first to check for hazards around the vehicle?

Check only the rearview mirror before moving
Rely on the backup camera exclusively
Check the fuel gauge before checking traffic
Check ahead, to the sides, behind, and the blind spots by looking over the shoulder, then signal

Answer: D — Check ahead, to the sides, behind, and the blind spots by looking over the shoulder, then signal

Before moving, the driver should check ahead, to the sides, behind and in the blind spots by looking over the shoulder, then signal.

23. For ordinary hand placement on the steering wheel (before any specific turning technique is applied), where should the left and right hands rest?

Left hand at 12 o'clock, right hand at 6 o'clock
Left hand at 7 to 9 o'clock, right hand at 3 to 5 o'clock
Left hand at 8 to 9 o'clock only, right hand resting in the lap
Left hand at 10 o'clock, right hand at 2 o'clock

Answer: B — Left hand at 7 to 9 o'clock, right hand at 3 to 5 o'clock

The left hand belongs at 7 to 9 o'clock and the right hand at 3 to 5 o'clock.

24. A driver cruising above 15 mph turns the wheel using a technique where the hands never cross. Which steering method is this, and why is the 10-and-2 hand position discouraged for it?

Hand-to-hand (push/pull) steering, because 10-and-2 raises the risk of injury from the driver's air bag
Hand-over-hand steering, because it requires using the top third of the wheel
Hand-to-hand steering, because 10-and-2 makes it hard to reach the turn signal
One-hand steering, because both hands would tire too quickly

Answer: A — Hand-to-hand (push/pull) steering, because 10-and-2 raises the risk of injury from the driver's air bag

Hand-to-hand (push/pull) steering is used above 10 to 15 mph, and 10-and-2 is discouraged because it increases the risk of injury from a driver's air bag.

25. A driver is parking in a tight space at very low speed and needs to make a sharp turn using the top third of the wheel. Which steering method fits this situation?

Hand-over-hand steering
Hand-to-hand (push/pull) steering
Standard 10-and-2 steering
One-hand steering

Answer: A — Hand-over-hand steering

Hand-over-hand steering is used at low speeds such as intersections and parking, using the top third of the wheel.

26. Before getting into a vehicle to back out of a parking space, why should the driver walk around and look behind it first?

To confirm the load in the back is still tied down
Because the vehicle steers poorly in reverse
Children and small objects can be invisible from the driver's seat
It is required only for trucks and vans

Answer: C — Children and small objects can be invisible from the driver's seat

Checking behind the vehicle before getting in matters because children and small objects are invisible from the driver's seat.

27. While backing up, where should the driver's left hand be placed and where should the driver be looking most of the time?

Left hand at 3 o'clock, looking only in the side mirrors
Left hand at 9 o'clock, looking only at the backup camera
Left hand at 12 o'clock, looking directly through the rear window
Left hand at 6 o'clock, looking only over the right shoulder

Answer: C — Left hand at 12 o'clock, looking directly through the rear window

While backing, the left hand goes at 12 o'clock and the driver looks directly through the rear window, glancing at mirrors and camera occasionally.

28. Why should a driver keep speed very low while backing up?

Reverse gear produces less engine power
Mirrors cannot be used while the vehicle is in reverse
The vehicle steers poorly in reverse
Backing above 5 mph is illegal everywhere

Answer: C — The vehicle steers poorly in reverse

Speed should stay slow while backing because the vehicle steers poorly in reverse.