South Dakota Driver License Manual: study guide

Key rules by chapter

A few of the rules from each chapter that come up in our practice questions:

1. The Driver's License

• To obtain an Instruction Permit, you must be at least 14 and pass the vision and knowledge tests.
• Minors must hold the permit continuously for 275 days, or 180 days with an approved driver education course.
• Successful completion (80% or better on written and driving portions) shortens the permit period to 180 days.

2. Be in Shape to Drive

• If you are under 21, you can be arrested for alcohol impairment at 0.02%.
• A first zero tolerance offense is a Class 2 misdemeanor with a 30-day loss of license (180 days for a second).
• A first DWI is a Class 1 misdemeanor with loss of license for a minimum of 30 days.

3. Before You Drive

• Windshields and windows beside the driver may not be tinted below 35% light transmittance; rear windows not below 20%.
• Dirt on the lenses can reduce the light by 50%.
• There should be 10 inches between your chest and the steering wheel.

4. Basic Driving

• Hands should be at the 3 and 9 o'clock positions; 10 and 2 is no longer recommended with air bags.
• Grasp the steering wheel at 12 o'clock with your left hand, right arm on the passenger seat back, and look through the rear window.
• Turning the ignition to lock while moving will lock the steering and you will lose control.

5. Rules of the Road

• No one should assume they automatically have the right-of-way; consider the circumstances.
• Only the first vehicle in a funeral procession must obey traffic signs and signals; all must have headlights on.
• On horizontal signals, red is on the left, yellow in the middle and green on the right.

6. General Driving

• Do not U-turn on a curve or near a crest where the vehicle cannot be seen by other drivers within 500 feet.
• Do not make a U-turn mid-block in a business district or on a through highway in a residential district (except at legal openings on divided roads).
• Do not turn into a lane just because an approaching vehicle has a turn signal on; the driver may turn later or forgot to cancel it.

7. Safe Driving Tips

• Always try to keep a minimum following distance of 4 seconds.
• The blind spot to the rear of large trucks can extend for 200 feet.
• At 55 mph you travel over 800 feet in 10 seconds, and so does an oncoming car, so you need over 1,600 feet.

8. Emergency Situations and Avoiding Crashes

• Careless driving ranks first, followed by following too closely and driving under the influence.
• Apply the parking brake slowly so the rear wheels don't lock; if that fails, turn off the engine and find a safe place to stop.
• A front blowout pulls the vehicle sharply toward the blowout; a rear blowout causes wobbling and some pull.

9. Sharing the Road

• Allow a minimum 4-second following distance or more in wet conditions behind a motorcyclist.
• Motorists often misjudge an approaching truck's speed before turning left; when in doubt, don't turn in its path.
• Do not stop, park or drive in a bike lane except to enter or leave an alley or driveway, official duties, police direction or emergencies.

10. Special Driving Situations

• Take turns crossing; generally the first driver to the bridge has the right-of-way.
• Add at least one additional second at night and at least two additional seconds on unfamiliar roads at night.
• The law requires staying at least 200 feet behind a snowplow with red or amber lights on, on roads posted 35 mph or more.

How to study the handbook

Read one chapter, then take a practice test. Every answer explanation names the handbook section it comes from, so when you get one wrong, go back to that section. Pay most attention to exact numbers and to the rules specific to South Dakota, which are where most people lose points.