Licensing, Demerits & Penalties — South Carolina
South Carolina CDL practice test: 447 free practice questions (Based on the official driver handbook). The official format is not yet verified; check the official site before your test. Licensing, Demerits & Penalties: 7 questions.
Graduated licensing conditions, demerit points, suspensions, insurance and fines.
This topic page is still being reviewed against the official handbook. Until review is finished it is hidden from search engines.
| Topic / Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Topic | Licensing, Demerits & Penalties |
| License test | South Carolina CDL permit (CLP) knowledge tests |
| Topic questions | 7 (2% of 447 total) |
| Review status | This topic page is still being reviewed against the official handbook. Until review is finished it is hidden from search engines. |
Official handbook
Not yet verified
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Questions (7)
1. When approaching a curve during the on-road driving test, you must do all of the following, except:
- Check traffic thoroughly in all directions.
- Reduce your speed before entering the curve.
- Keep your vehicle in its lane.
- Steadily use the brakes throughout the curve. ✓
Answer: D. Steadily use the brakes throughout the curve.
You should not steadily use the brakes throughout the curve; that is the exception. The handbook says to slow to a safe speed before you enter a curve, and to reduce speed before the curve so you do not need further braking or shifting while in it. It also warns that braking in a curve is dangerous because the wheels can lock and the vehicle can skid. So steady braking all the way through the curve is the action you should not do. Checking traffic in all directions is listed as part of the maneuver.
2. Your vehicle's final position should be:
- Exactly where the examiner has instructed it to be. ✓
- Within five feet of the final position described by the examiner.
- Wherever you can safely park.
- Within two feet of the final position described by the examiner.
Answer: A. Exactly where the examiner has instructed it to be.
Your vehicle's final position should be exactly where the examiner instructed it to be. Passage P1 says you must finish each backing exercise exactly as the examiner instructed, and it ties that to the vehicle's final position as described by the examiner. If you do not put the vehicle into that described final position, you are penalized and fail the Basic Control Skills test. The handbook does not give a foot allowance; the standard is the examiner's stated final position, plus staying within the exercise boundaries.
3. Broken suspension parts:
- Are not a cause for concern.
- Are extremely dangerous. ✓
- Cannot be identified.
Answer: B. Are extremely dangerous.
Broken suspension parts are extremely dangerous. The handbook explains that the suspension holds up the vehicle and its load and keeps the axles in place. Because those jobs are basic to keeping the truck stable, the manual states that broken suspension parts can be very dangerous. The inspection passages reinforce this by telling drivers to check springs, spring mounts, U-bolts, mounting bolts, air ride parts, and whether the vehicle sits level. That makes a broken suspension part a serious defect, not a minor issue.
4. When taking the on-road driving test, you will be evaluated on your lane usage. Which of the following is an example of poor lane usage?
- Not driving over curbs or sidewalks
- Stopping behind crosswalks
- Driving in the leftmost lane if more than one driving lane is available ✓
- Finishing a right turn in the rightmost lane
Answer: C. Driving in the leftmost lane if more than one driving lane is available
Driving in the leftmost lane when more than one driving lane is available is an example of poor lane usage. The lane usage section of the on-road driving test lists what the examiner is watching for. It says you should move to or stay in the right-most lane unless that lane is blocked. Staying out in the leftmost lane when other driving lanes are open goes against that instruction, so it counts against you as poor lane usage. The same section treats the other habits listed, such as staying off curbs and sidewalks and stopping behind crosswalks, as things you should do.
5. Broken suspension parts:
- Should be repaired immediately. ✓
- Should be repaired, but not immediately.
- Cannot be identified.
Answer: A. Should be repaired immediately.
Broken suspension parts should be repaired immediately. The handbook says the suspension holds up the vehicle and its load and keeps the axles in place, so broken suspension parts can be extremely dangerous. It also lists broken leaf springs, coil springs, U-bolts, spring hangers, and other axle positioning parts as things you must inspect for and find not broken, cracked, missing, or damaged. Because a broken part makes the vehicle unsafe, it needs to be repaired before the vehicle is used, not put off until later.
6. During the on-road driving test, you should:
- Develop your own route to show off your driving skills.
- Listen to directions from the examiner. ✓
- Bring a passenger to ride with you.
- Drive in an unsafe manner.
Answer: B. Listen to directions from the examiner.
You should listen to and follow the examiner's directions during the on-road driving test. The Texas CDL handbook says the examiner scores your specific maneuvers and general driving behavior, and you are to follow the examiner's directions. It also says directions are given with enough time to respond and that you will not be asked to do anything unsafe. Another section warns that failing to follow examiner instructions can cause automatic failure, so paying attention to those directions is the expected and safe action.
7. During the driving test, the examiner will be scoring you on:
- How well-spoken you are.
- How quickly you arrive to your destination.
- General driving behavior. ✓
Answer: C. General driving behavior.
The examiner will be scoring your general driving behavior, along with specific driving maneuvers. The handbook says that during the road test the examiner scores both particular maneuvers and your general driving behavior. It also explains that you follow the examiner's directions, get enough time to respond, and are never asked to drive unsafely. That points to a broad judgment of how you drive overall, which is what the correct choice describes. Speaking ability and arrival speed are not what the scoring is about.
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Last checked: 2026-10-17 · Not yet verified
Updated: · Based on the official driver handbook