South Dakota permit test: lanes, passing & merging
Lane choice, changing lanes, blind spots, passing rules and merging. 4 questions.
After passing a vehicle, when is it safe to return to your lane?
Keyboard: press 1–4 or A–D to answer, Enter for the next question, S to save, R to read aloud, P to pause reading, L to listen and answer.
Sample lanes, passing & merging questions
After passing a vehicle, when is it safe to return to your lane?
- A When the other driver flashes the headlights
- B After counting two seconds from starting the pass
- C As soon as your rear bumper clears its front bumper
- D When you can see both of its headlights in your rearview mirror
Show answer
D. When you can see both of its headlights in your rearview mirror
Leave enough room before moving back. When you can see both headlights of the vehicle you passed in your rearview mirror, it is safe to return to the driving lane.
At 55 mph, about how much clear road do you need to pass a vehicle on a two-lane highway?
- A About 6 seconds, or 500 feet
- B About 4 seconds, or 400 feet
- C About 10 seconds, or over 1,600 feet
- D About 20 seconds, or 2 miles
Show answer
C. About 10 seconds, or over 1,600 feet
At 55 mph you need about 10 seconds to pass, which means a 10-second gap in oncoming traffic. You and an oncoming car each travel over 800 feet in that time, so you need over 1,600 feet, about one-third of a mile.
Where are you never allowed to pass another vehicle on a multi-lane road?
- A In the left-most lane
- B During daylight hours
- C On a straight, dry road with good visibility
- D On the shoulder, paved or not
Show answer
D. On the shoulder, paved or not
On multi-lane roads, the left-most lane is intended for passing slower vehicles. Never pass on the shoulder, whether it is paved or not. Pass as quickly and safely as possible.
Another driver is passing you. What should you do?
- A Stay in your lane and keep a steady speed
- B Move onto the shoulder to give them more room
- C Brake hard so they can get by sooner
- D Speed up so they can merge behind you
Show answer
A. Stay in your lane and keep a steady speed
When you are being passed, stay in your lane and maintain a constant speed so the other driver can complete the pass. Changing speed makes it hard for them to judge when to return.