Sharing the Road — South Dakota
South Dakota CDL practice test: 460 free practice questions (Based on the official driver handbook). The official format is not yet verified; check the official site before your test. Sharing the Road: 24 questions.
Pedestrians, cyclists, school buses, emergency vehicles and heavy trucks.
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 | Sharing the Road |
| License test | South Dakota CDL permit (CLP) knowledge tests |
| Topic questions | 24 (5% of 460 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
Advertisement
Questions (24)
1. If driving a school bus, your four-way flashers should:
- Be activated before crossing railroad tracks. ✓
- Never be used.
- Only be used after crossing railroad tracks.
- Only be used near railroad tracks if a train is approaching.
Answer: A. Be activated before crossing railroad tracks.
Your four-way flashers should be activated before crossing railroad tracks. The handbook lists the steps a school bus driver should follow at railroad crossings. As the vehicle approaches the crossing, the driver activates the four-way flashers. Later steps include stopping within the required distance, setting the parking brake, and looking and listening for a train. The same section says to deactivate the flashers after the vehicle crosses the tracks. Together these show the flashers are on during the approach and crossing, so they must be turned on before crossing, not only afterward or only when a train is approaching.
2. Where are danger zones of a school bus located?
- In the front of the bus
- To the sides of the bus
- To the front, rear, and sides of the bus ✓
- On top of the bus
Answer: C. To the front, rear, and sides of the bus
The danger zones of a school bus are the areas to the front, rear, and sides of the bus. The handbook defines the danger zone as the area on all sides of the bus where children are most at risk of being hit, either by another vehicle or by their own bus. It gives the reach in each direction: up to 30 feet ahead of the front bumper, 10 feet out from the left and right sides, and 10 feet behind the rear bumper. It also singles out the left side as always dangerous because of passing cars. So the zone wraps the whole bus, not just one end.
3. When approaching a railroad crossing:
- You will likely be able to outdrive a train.
- You should not rely only on warning signals. ✓
- You should roll a window down to listen for an approaching train.
- You should only worry about the track closest to your vehicle.
Answer: B. You should not rely only on warning signals.
You should not rely only on warning signals; treat signals, gates, and flagmen as aids, not guarantees, and keep looking and listening for a train. The handbook's crossing section says you should not rely solely on warning signals, gates, or flagmen. It also warns that trains may not sound horns at some crossings and that noise inside the cab can keep you from hearing a horn until the train is close. So the safe approach is to slow down, look and listen in both directions, and stay alert even when a signal or gate appears to clear the way.
4. What should you do if your vehicle gets stuck on railroad tracks?
- Stay in the vehicle.
- Get out of the vehicle and call for assistance. ✓
- Continue trying to get your vehicle off the tracks until you are successful.
Answer: B. Get out of the vehicle and call for assistance.
If your vehicle gets stuck on the tracks, get out of the vehicle and call for assistance. The handbook says that if you get stuck on the tracks for any reason, you should get out of the vehicle and away from the tracks. Then you check the signposts or signal housing at the crossing for emergency notification information and call 911 or another emergency number, giving the location with all identifiable landmarks, especially the DOT number if it is posted. So the right move is to leave the vehicle and phone for help, not to sit inside it or keep working the controls.
5. Which of the following vehicles is not exempted in requiring the driver to hold a CDL?
- A military vehicle
- A school bus ✓
- An emergency vehicle
Answer: B. A school bus
A school bus is the vehicle that is not exempt from the requirement for the driver to hold a CDL. The handbook passage on endorsements says that a driver who wants to drive a school bus must add a school bus endorsement to their CDL or CLP. It also says that driver must pass a special knowledge exam on school bus passenger safety and pass skills tests in a school bus. That treatment shows school bus driving is handled as CDL work, not as an exempt vehicle category. The supplied passages do not discuss military or emergency vehicle exemptions.
6. Properly adjusted mirrors on a school bus allow the driver to see ____ behind the bus.
- 50 feet
- 100 feet
- 200 feet ✓
- 1,000 feet
Answer: C. 200 feet
Properly adjusted school bus mirrors should let you see 200 feet behind the bus. The handbook's mirror section says to adjust the outside flat mirrors so you can see 200 feet, or four bus lengths, behind the bus. It also lists seeing along the sides and the rear tires on the ground as part of proper adjustment. That specific viewing distance matches the 200-foot choice. The passage does not say mirrors are set for 50, 100, or 1,000 feet behind the bus.
7. If approaching a railroad crossing that is being approached by a train, you should:
- Try to cross the tracks quickly.
- Drive around any lowered gates.
- Stop and wait for the train to pass before beginning across the tracks. ✓
Answer: C. Stop and wait for the train to pass before beginning across the tracks.
Stop and wait for the train to pass before you begin crossing the tracks. The handbook says flashing red lights and bells at a crossing mean a train is approaching, and you must stop and yield the right of way. It tells you to remain stopped until the gates go up and the lights stop flashing, then proceed only when it is safe. It also warns against driving around a gate that stays down. Waiting keeps you from starting across while the train is still coming.
8. The inside rearview mirror of a school bus is used to:
- Moniter passengers. ✓
- See potential hazards on the road.
- See vehicles trying to switch lanes.
- See in front of the bus.
Answer: A. Moniter passengers.
The inside rearview mirror of a school bus is used to monitor passengers inside the bus. The handbook describes the overhead inside rearview mirror as mounted above the windshield on the driver's side, and it says the mirror is for watching passenger activity inside the bus. It can give only limited visibility directly behind the bus when there is a glass-bottomed rear emergency door. The handbook also notes blind spots behind the driver's seat and behind the bus, and it directs you to the exterior side mirrors for traffic approaching from behind. That makes passenger monitoring the supported purpose.
9. At a passive railroad crossing:
- The decision to proceed rests with each driver. ✓
- The decision to proceed should be based on a control device.
- The decision to proceed should be based on surrounding vehicles.
- The decision to proceed is left to passengers in each vehicle.
Answer: A. The decision to proceed rests with each driver.
At a passive railroad crossing, the decision to proceed rests with each driver. The handbook explains that a passive crossing has no traffic control device of any kind, so nothing at the crossing tells you when to go. Because there are no lights, bells or gates to give you the answer, you have to recognize the crossing, look for a train, and judge whether there is enough clear space on the other side. That judgment call belongs to the driver alone, which is why the handbook says the decision to proceed is entirely in your hands.
10. When near a railroad crossing:
- You should expect to hear every approaching train.
- You may not hear a train, even if one is approaching. ✓
- You will hear two short blasts of a train's horn if a train is approaching.
Answer: B. You may not hear a train, even if one is approaching.
You may not hear a train, even if one is approaching, so do not rely on hearing it. The handbook warns that trains may not sound their horns at some crossings, and signs identify public crossings where horns are not used. It also says noise inside your vehicle can keep you from hearing a horn until the train is dangerously close. Since your ears are not a dependable warning, approach crossings expecting a train, stay alert, and look both ways.
Advertisement
Source
Last checked: 2026-10-17 · Verified from official source
Updated: · Based on the official driver handbook