SC DMV Special Driving Conditions 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What should you do to increase safety when driving in heavy rain in South Carolina?
- Reduce speed, increase following distance, and turn on headlights (Correct answer)
- Use high beams to see farther
- Maintain normal speed to avoid traffic backup
- Keep windows down to hear better
Correct answer: Reduce speed, increase following distance, and turn on headlights
Rain reduces visibility and traction, requiring slower speeds, greater following distance, and headlights so others can see you.
Question 2: In South Carolina, when is black ice most likely to form?
- On bridges and overpasses in near-freezing temperatures (Correct answer)
- Only during snowstorms
- On dry roads after a hot day
- Only in mountainous areas
Correct answer: On bridges and overpasses in near-freezing temperatures
Black ice forms most readily on bridges and overpasses because these surfaces freeze faster than ground-level roads, often at near-freezing temps.
Question 3: When driving through a flooded road in South Carolina, what is the safest action?
- Turn around — never drive through flood water (Correct answer)
- Drive slowly through the center
- Drive through quickly to avoid water damage
- Test depth with your foot then proceed
Correct answer: Turn around — never drive through flood water
Just 6 inches of moving water can knock a person down, and 12 inches can carry away a small vehicle; the SC motto is 'Turn Around, Don't Drown.'
Question 4: What is the safest way to drive through dense fog in South Carolina?
- Use low-beam headlights, reduce speed, and increase following distance (Correct answer)
- Use high-beam headlights to maximize visibility
- Use hazard lights at normal speed
- Pull over and wait with engine off
Correct answer: Use low-beam headlights, reduce speed, and increase following distance
Low beams illuminate the road ahead without reflecting back into your eyes; high beams scatter in fog and reduce visibility.
Question 5: When driving at night in South Carolina, you should be able to stop within:
- The distance illuminated by your headlights (Correct answer)
- 100 feet at any speed
- The same distance as daytime
- 200 feet regardless of speed
Correct answer: The distance illuminated by your headlights
You should always drive at a speed that allows you to stop within the range of your headlights — known as driving within your sight distance.
Question 6: What should a driver do when encountering a dust storm in South Carolina's low country agricultural areas?
- Pull completely off the road, turn off lights, and wait (Correct answer)
- Turn on hazard lights and slow to 25 mph
- Drive through quickly on the shoulder
- Follow the taillights of the car ahead closely
Correct answer: Pull completely off the road, turn off lights, and wait
In zero-visibility conditions, pull well off the roadway, turn off your lights (so others don't follow you off the road), and wait for conditions to improve.
