South Carolina Driver License: Night, Work Zones, Rural Roads, Winter and Trailering

25 questions with the correct answer and an explanation for each. Topic: Night, Work Zones, Rural Roads, Winter and Trailering. Free, no account needed.

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1. At night, roughly how much farther do high beams let you see compared to low beams?

  1. About twice as far
  2. About the same distance
  3. About half as far
  4. About three times as far

Answer: A — About twice as far

High beams show about twice as far as low beams, which is why they should be used whenever no vehicle is coming.

2. You are driving at night with high beams on and see an oncoming vehicle approaching. At what distance should you switch to low beams?

  1. 300 feet
  2. 500 feet
  3. 200 feet
  4. 1,000 feet

Answer: B — 500 feet

High beams should be dimmed when you are 500 feet or more from an oncoming vehicle.

3. An oncoming driver at night fails to dim their high beams and the glare makes it hard to see. What should you do?

  1. Look directly at their headlights to judge their position
  2. Glance toward the right edge of the road
  3. Stop immediately in your lane
  4. Flash your own high beams back at them

Answer: B — Glance toward the right edge of the road

If an oncoming driver leaves their high beams on, glance toward the right edge of the road instead of looking into the glare.

4. You are driving at night directly behind another vehicle, about 150 feet back. Which headlight setting should you use?

  1. Low beams, since you are within 200 feet of the vehicle ahead
  2. High beams, since you are not approaching an oncoming vehicle
  3. Alternating high and low beams
  4. Parking lights only

Answer: A — Low beams, since you are within 200 feet of the vehicle ahead

Low beams should be used when following another vehicle within 200 feet, to avoid blinding the driver ahead.

5. Driving at night in heavy fog, why should you use low beams instead of high beams?

  1. High beams overheat faster in wet conditions
  2. High beams glare back off the fog and reduce visibility
  3. Low beams are required by law in all weather
  4. High beams use significantly more battery power

Answer: B — High beams glare back off the fog and reduce visibility

In fog, rain or snow, high beams glare back at the driver, so low beams (and fog lights if available) should be used instead.

6. Should you wear sunglasses or colored lenses while driving at night?

  1. Only on rural roads without streetlights
  2. Only if they are polarized
  3. No, never wear them at night or on overcast days
  4. Yes, they reduce glare from oncoming headlights

Answer: C — No, never wear them at night or on overcast days

Sunglasses or colored lenses should never be worn at night or on overcast days because they further reduce visibility.

7. About how many people are injured in work zone collisions each year?

  1. 40,000
  2. 4 million
  3. 400,000
  4. 4,000

Answer: A — 40,000

About 40,000 people a year are injured in work zone collisions.

8. You approach a work zone and see no workers present at the moment. Should you still slow down?

  1. Yes, but only at night
  2. No, the posted limit only applies when equipment is active
  3. Yes, because narrow lanes and rough pavement are hazards on their own
  4. No, only slow down when workers are visible

Answer: C — Yes, because narrow lanes and rough pavement are hazards on their own

You should always slow down in a work zone even when no workers are present, because narrow lanes and rough pavement are hazards in themselves.

9. What happens if you endanger a worker while driving through a work zone?

  1. License suspension on the first offense
  2. A verbal warning only
  3. No penalty unless a collision occurs
  4. A fine and points

Answer: D — A fine and points

Endangering a worker in a work zone means a fine and points.

10. How long should you continue to obey work zone signs and reduced speed after passing through construction?

  1. Until you no longer see any workers
  2. Until you pass the last cone or barrel
  3. Until you see a sign reading "End Road Work"
  4. For one mile past the work zone

Answer: C — Until you see a sign reading "End Road Work"

Work zone signs should be obeyed until you see the "End Road Work" sign.

11. What do work zone warning signs typically look like?

  1. White signs with orange borders
  2. Yellow signs with black symbols
  3. Orange signs with black symbols
  4. Red signs with white letters

Answer: C — Orange signs with black symbols

Work zones are marked with orange signs bearing black symbols.

12. You are driving on a gravel road. How does this affect your driving?

  1. You should speed up to maintain momentum through loose surfaces
  2. Traction increases, so normal speed is safe
  3. Traction drops, so you should slow down and lengthen your following distance
  4. Traction is unaffected but visibility drops

Answer: C — Traction drops, so you should slow down and lengthen your following distance

On gravel or dirt, traction drops, so you should slow down, lengthen your following distance, and expect skids when stopping.

13. You are on a narrow rural road with ditches instead of shoulders. Where should you position your vehicle in the lane?

  1. Straddling the centerline for a wider view
  2. As far right as possible, near the ditch
  3. Centered in your lane
  4. As far left as possible, near the centerline

Answer: C — Centered in your lane

Narrow roads with ditches or drop-offs instead of shoulders call for a centered lane position along with lower speed.

14. You reach a narrow, single-lane rural bridge just ahead of another vehicle approaching from the opposite direction. Who generally has the right-of-way?

  1. The vehicle that arrived first
  2. Whichever vehicle flashes its lights first
  3. The larger vehicle
  4. The vehicle traveling uphill

Answer: A — The vehicle that arrived first

At narrow and single-lane bridges, drivers take turns, and generally the first to arrive has the right-of-way.

15. You are about to cross a rural bridge with an open steel grating surface. What should you do?

  1. Slow down, add space, and grip the wheel firmly
  2. Speed up slightly to cross quickly
  3. Steer loosely to let the tires follow the grating grooves
  4. Brake hard just before the grating

Answer: A — Slow down, add space, and grip the wheel firmly

Open gratings or steel bridges reduce traction, so you should slow down, add space, and grip the wheel firmly.

16. You approach a rural intersection with no stop or yield signs posted. How should you treat it?

  1. Treat it as very dangerous, slow down and be ready to stop for crossing or oncoming traffic
  2. Proceed at normal speed since no signs means no restrictions
  3. Yield to traffic on your right and otherwise keep your speed
  4. Only slow down if you see another vehicle approaching

Answer: A — Treat it as very dangerous, slow down and be ready to stop for crossing or oncoming traffic

Uncontrolled intersections without stop or yield signs are very dangerous, so you should slow down and be ready to stop.

17. Which locations tend to freeze first in winter conditions?

  1. Busy roads with heavy traffic
  2. Bridges, overpasses and lightly traveled roads
  3. Roads near the coast
  4. Open straightaways in direct sunlight

Answer: B — Bridges, overpasses and lightly traveled roads

Bridges, overpasses and lightly traveled roads freeze first, and can hold ice even when nearby roads are clear.

18. Before winter driving, why might a driver add weight to the trunk of a rear-wheel-drive car?

  1. To reduce fuel consumption
  2. To improve traction
  3. To lower the vehicle's center of gravity for cornering
  4. To keep condensation from freezing in the fuel tank

Answer: B — To improve traction

Adding weight in the trunk of a rear-wheel-drive car improves traction in winter conditions.

19. Your car's rear wheels are spinning uselessly after getting stuck in snow. What should you do?

  1. Press the accelerator hard to power through
  2. Keep the wheels straight and rock the car with steady throttle
  3. Shift into a higher gear to reduce wheel torque
  4. Turn the wheels side to side to push snow away and use a light touch on the gas

Answer: D — Turn the wheels side to side to push snow away and use a light touch on the gas

When stuck, you should not spin the wheels; instead turn the wheels side to side to push snow away and apply the gas lightly.

20. Your car, equipped with ABS, begins to skid on ice. What is the correct braking technique?

  1. Pump the brakes rapidly
  2. Hold steady pressure on the brake pedal and expect pulsing
  3. Release the brake completely and steer only
  4. Apply the parking brake

Answer: B — Hold steady pressure on the brake pedal and expect pulsing

With ABS, you should hold steady pressure on the brakes and expect a pulsing sensation, unlike standard brakes which should be pumped gently.

21. When loading a trailer, how should cargo weight generally be distributed between front and rear?

  1. All weight centered directly over the axle
  2. About 60 percent toward the front, 40 percent toward the rear
  3. Evenly split 50/50
  4. About 40 percent toward the front, 60 percent toward the rear

Answer: B — About 60 percent toward the front, 40 percent toward the rear

Trailers should be loaded heavier in front, with about 60 percent of the cargo weight nearest the tow vehicle and 40 percent behind.

22. While towing, the trailer begins to sway from side to side. What is the correct response?

  1. Brake firmly to slow down quickly
  2. Accelerate slightly to pull the trailer straight
  3. Steer straight and slow gradually without braking or speeding up, then stop fully off the road
  4. Steer sharply opposite the sway direction

Answer: C — Steer straight and slow gradually without braking or speeding up, then stop fully off the road

If a trailer sways or whips, you should steer straight and slow gradually without braking or speeding up, then stop fully off the road.

23. What is the recommended maximum speed for most vehicle-trailer combinations?

  1. The posted speed limit, with no other limit
  2. 45 mph
  3. 65 mph
  4. 55 mph

Answer: D — 55 mph

The recommended maximum speed for most trailer combinations is 55 mph, and the posted limit should never be exceeded.

24. You are towing a trailer and approaching a downhill grade. When should you reduce speed?

  1. After you begin descending, once you feel the trailer push
  2. Before starting down the grade
  3. Only if the trailer is more than half loaded
  4. Speed reduction is unnecessary if brakes are in good condition

Answer: B — Before starting down the grade

You should slow down before starting down a grade when towing a trailer.

25. You are backing up a vehicle-trailer combination and want the trailer to go left. Which way should you move your hand at the bottom of the steering wheel?

  1. Move it left, then immediately right to correct
  2. Keep it centered and use mirrors only
  3. Move it left
  4. Move it right

Answer: C — Move it left

When backing a trailer with your hand at the bottom of the wheel, moving your hand left sends the trailer left.

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