General Driving Knowledge — South Dakota
South Dakota motorcycle permit practice test: 299 free practice questions (Based on the official driver handbook). The official format is not yet verified; check the official site before your test. General Driving Knowledge: 96 questions.
Questions that do not fit a single topic: lane use, turning, signalling and other rules of the road.
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 | General Driving Knowledge |
| License test | South Dakota Motorcycle permit test |
| Topic questions | 96 (32% of 299 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
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Questions (96)
1. In general, which position within a lane is the best to ride in?
- The left position
- The right position
- There is no single best lane position. ✓
Answer: C. There is no single best lane position.
There is no single best lane position; the rider should choose the position that fits traffic, road conditions, and the curve ahead. The manual tells riders to change lane position based on traffic, road conditions, and the curve of the road. It also says to pick a position that gives the best view of oncoming traffic and increases your visibility near intersections. Because those needs shift as you ride, no one lane position works for every situation. That is why the general answer is that there is no single best position.
2. When looking through a turn, you should:
- Turn just your head, not your shoulders. ✓
- Turn your head and shoulders to improve your view.
- Turn your shoulders, but not your head.
Answer: A. Turn just your head, not your shoulders.
You should turn just your head, not your shoulders, to look through the turn. The manual's LOOK step says to look through the turn to where you want to go. It specifically tells you to turn just your head, not your shoulders, and to keep your eyes level with the horizon. Keeping your shoulders still while your head turns lets you keep your view aimed through the turn without adding a shoulder movement.
3. Passengers should:
- Look over their shoulder when taking a turn or curve. ✓
- Never hold onto the rider.
- Sit as far back as possible.
Answer: A. Look over their shoulder when taking a turn or curve.
Passengers should look over the rider's shoulder in the direction of a turn or curve. The manual's passenger section says a passenger should stay directly behind the rider and lean with the rider through turns and curves, and adds that it helps the passenger to look over the rider's shoulder toward the turn. That keeps the passenger's weight and attention moving with the motorcycle instead of fighting it. The same passage warns against leaning or turning around and against sudden moves that could upset stability, so looking over the shoulder in the turn is the guided behavior, not a free choice.
4. When riding behind another vehicle, you should position yourself:
- To be seen in the vehicle’s side mirror.
- To be seen in the vehicle’s rearview mirror. ✓
- To be seen through the vehicle's passenger window.
Answer: B. To be seen in the vehicle’s rearview mirror.
Ride where the driver can see you in the vehicle's rearview mirror, usually the center portion of your lane. The manual says that when you are behind a car, you should ride where the driver can see you in the inside rearview mirror, and the center portion of the lane usually puts you in that view. It also notes that drivers check their sideview mirrors much less often than the inside mirror. So the rearview mirror is the more reliable place to be seen by the driver ahead.
5. Hearing protection is:
- Not recommended.
- Recommended only for long rides.
- Recommended for all rides. ✓
Answer: C. Recommended for all rides.
Hearing protection is recommended for all rides — the manual treats it as part of your normal riding gear. The manual explains that hearing protection cuts down noise while still letting you hear things you need to hear, like horns and sirens. It also warns that engine and wind noise can permanently damage your hearing over time, and that this can happen even when you wear a full face helmet. Since the risk comes from the noise of riding itself and not from any particular trip length, the protection belongs on every ride, not just now and then.
6. A primary cause of single-vehicle motorcycle collisions is:
- Motorcyclists' tendency to ride too fast for weather conditions.
- Motorcyclists turning too wide in a curve or turn. ✓
- Motorcyclists running off the road while trying to avoid a collision with another vehicle.
Answer: B. Motorcyclists turning too wide in a curve or turn.
The primary cause of single-vehicle motorcycle crashes is riding wide in a curve or turn, so the choice about motorcyclists turning too wide in a curve or turn is correct. The manual states plainly that a leading cause of crashes involving only the motorcycle is riders running wide in a curve or turn. It treats every curve as different, warning that some stay constant, some widen, some tighten, and some have several turns. The suggested response is to ride within your skill level and the posted limit and to pick a lane position that lets you see ahead. Nothing in the passage blames weather speed or avoidance of other vehicles for these crashes.
7. A benefit of keeping a cushion of space between you and surrounding vehicles is that:
- You are better able to draft off of other vehicles.
- You will be able to stop quickly.
- You will have more time to react to the movements of other drivers. ✓
Answer: C. You will have more time to react to the movements of other drivers.
A cushion of space gives you more time to react to the movements of other drivers. The manual tells you to think about your time and space needs so you keep a margin of safety, and to give yourself time to react if an emergency comes up. It also points to the nearby traffic that may move into your path and raise your crash risk. Space buys you that reaction time, which is exactly what the correct choice describes.
8. When you are being passed, you should:
- Ride in the left portion of the lane.
- Ride in the center portion of the lane. ✓
- Ride in the right portion of the lane.
Answer: B. Ride in the center portion of the lane.
Stay in the center portion of your lane when you are being passed. When a vehicle is passing you from behind, the manual's instruction is to stay in the center portion of your lane. It warns that riding close to the passing vehicle can create a hazardous situation. It also lists things to watch for, such as a slight mistake by either driver causing a sideswipe, extended mirrors that stick out farther than fenders, and objects thrown from windows. The center position keeps you away from the passing vehicle rather than shifting toward the left or right side of the lane, and it matches the manual's direct lane-position rule for this situation.
9. Where should you position your motorcycle when entering a curve?
- The outside of the curve
- The inside of the curve
- Wherever traffic and road conditions require ✓
Answer: C. Wherever traffic and road conditions require
Position your motorcycle wherever traffic and road conditions require when entering a curve. The manual says every curve is different, so there is no single fixed side of the lane that always works. It suggests moving to the center of your lane before entering a curve and staying there until you exit, which helps you spot approaching traffic and adjust for traffic crowding the center line or debris in your lane. It also says your best path may not follow the curve of the road and that you should change lane position depending on traffic, road conditions, and the curve itself.
10. The center portion of a lane contains an oily strip. This strip:
- Should be avoided at all times.
- Usually provides adequate traction for riding, unless it is raining. ✓
- Should only be traveled upon if you are sharing the lane with another vehicle.
Answer: B. Usually provides adequate traction for riding, unless it is raining.
The center strip usually gives enough traction for riding, except when the road is wet. The manual says oil drippings and debris tend to collect in the center third of a lane, and that is also where surface covers can be. Even so, it says the typical center strip provides adequate traction unless the road is wet. It also notes you can ride to the left or right of the grease strip while staying in the center third. That makes the exception for rain the key detail, rather than a blanket rule to stay out of the center.
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Last checked: 2026-10-17 · Verified from official source
Updated: · Based on the official driver handbook