South Dakota Car / Permit practice
South Dakota Car / Permit: Handling Emergencies practice test
What to do when things go wrong — brake failure, tire blowouts, skids, and stalling on railroad tracks.
Content reviewed against official driver handbooks · August 12, 2026
14 questions · pass with 11 correct. You get instant feedback and an explanation after every answer.
Study questions with answers
12 sample Handling Emergencies questions with the correct answer, a short explanation, and the official handbook reference. Read through them, then take the quiz above.
Show all 12 questions with answers
1. Your brakes stop working while you are driving. What does the manual tell you to try first?
Correct answer: Apply the parking brake slowly
Apply the parking brake gradually so the rear wheels do not lock and skid, and be ready to let it off if they do.
Source: South Dakota Driver License Manual — Emergency Situations and Avoiding Crashes, Brake Failure
2. How should you use an anti-lock braking system in a panic stop?
Correct answer: Press hard and keep steady pressure on the pedal
Push the pedal down hard and hold it there; the pedal may pulse and click, which is normal, and you keep the ability to steer.
Source: South Dakota Driver License Manual — Emergency Situations and Avoiding Crashes, Emergencies and Avoiding Crashes
3. The engine shuts down while you are driving. What does the manual warn you about the steering?
Correct answer: The steering gets harder to turn but still works
The wheel gets harder to turn but it still turns, so keep a firm grip, brake with steady pressure and get off the road.
Source: South Dakota Driver License Manual — Emergency Situations and Avoiding Crashes, Power Failure
4. Besides flares, how does the manual suggest signaling that your vehicle has broken down?
Correct answer: Put the hood up or tie a white rag to the antenna or mirror
Put the hood up, or knot a white rag onto the antenna, a side mirror or a door handle.
Source: South Dakota Driver License Manual — Safe Driving Tips, Communicating
5. A tire blows out at highway speed. What should you do?
Correct answer: Grip the wheel, hold it straight and ease off the accelerator
Hold the wheel firmly, keep the vehicle straight, lift off the accelerator and let it slow on its own rather than braking hard.
Source: South Dakota Driver License Manual — Emergency Situations and Avoiding Crashes, Tire Blowout
6. How far behind a disabled vehicle does the manual say to place emergency flares?
Correct answer: About 200 to 300 feet
Set them roughly 200 to 300 feet back so following drivers have time to change lanes.
Source: South Dakota Driver License Manual — Emergency Situations and Avoiding Crashes, Vehicle Breakdown
7. Someone is injured at a crash scene. When does the manual say to move them?
Correct answer: Only if the vehicle is burning or they are in immediate danger
Leave them where they are unless the vehicle is burning or another vehicle is about to strike them, because moving an injured person can worsen the injuries.
Source: South Dakota Driver License Manual — Emergency Situations and Avoiding Crashes, Crashes
8. Your vehicle begins to skid. What are the first two things the manual tells you to do?
Correct answer: Release the brake or accelerator and look where you want to go
Ease off whichever pedal you are on, brake or accelerator, and look toward the place you want the vehicle to go.
Source: South Dakota Driver License Manual — Emergency Situations and Avoiding Crashes, Dealing with Skids
9. You dent a parked car and cannot find its owner. What does South Dakota require?
Correct answer: Notify law enforcement and leave your contact and license details
Notify the nearest law enforcement agency and leave a note giving your name, address, phone number, license number, plate number, the date and time and the damage done.
Source: South Dakota Driver License Manual — Emergency Situations and Avoiding Crashes, Damaging Unattended Vehicles
10. The accelerator sticks and the vehicle speeds up on its own. What does the manual advise?
Correct answer: Shift into neutral and turn off the engine
Switch off the engine, shift into neutral, look for a way out, and steer smoothly to the roadside while braking gently.
Source: South Dakota Driver License Manual — Emergency Situations and Avoiding Crashes, Stuck Accelerator
11. You are about to be struck from behind. What does the manual say to do?
Correct answer: Press back into the seat with your head against the restraint
Press back into the seat with your head against the head restraint and be ready to brake so you are not shoved into the vehicle ahead.
Source: South Dakota Driver License Manual — Emergency Situations and Avoiding Crashes, Protect Yourself in Collisions
12. What three actions does the manual list for avoiding a crash or lessening its impact?
Correct answer: Braking, steering and accelerating
Braking, steering and accelerating are the three choices available to a driver.
Source: South Dakota Driver License Manual — Emergency Situations and Avoiding Crashes, Emergencies and Avoiding Crashes
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Every South Dakota question is written from the official South Dakota driver handbook and checked against its current edition. DMV Test Free is a free, independent study resource — not affiliated with any DMV or government agency. About DMV Test Free