South Dakota: Seat belts and child safety
South Dakota’s seatbelt and child passenger restraint laws, air bags, and choosing and using a car seat. Split into 2 shorter tests so you're not stuck in one long quiz.
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Seat belts and child safety — Part 1
Questions in this part include: “In South Dakota, who may not be in the front seat without wearing a seatbelt?”
StartSeat belts and child safety — Part 2
Questions in this part include: “Under 32-37-1, a child under five years old who weighs at least how much may be secured with a seatbelt?”
StartAll 43 Seat belts and child safety questions with answers
Choose a part above to take a practice test, or study every question and answer here.
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In South Dakota, who may not be in the front seat without wearing a seatbelt?
- Only the driver
- Only passengers under 18
- Only front-seat passengers under age 5
- The driver and front-seat passengers
Show answer
Correct answer: The driver and front-seat passengers
The manual says it is illegal to drive or to be a front-seat passenger without wearing a seatbelt.
Source: South Dakota Driver License Manual (Revised 11/2024), page 25
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What do seatbelts help you do in a crash?
- Stop the vehicle in a shorter distance
- Stay in the vehicle and keep control
- Avoid the other vehicle
- Keep the engine running
Show answer
Correct answer: Stay in the vehicle and keep control
Seatbelts keep you from being thrown from the vehicle and help you keep control.
Source: South Dakota Driver License Manual (Revised 11/2024), page 25
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How should the shoulder harness be worn?
- Under the arm with some slack
- Behind the back with the lap belt
- Across the shoulder and chest with minimal slack
- Across the neck, loose enough to allow movement
Show answer
Correct answer: Across the shoulder and chest with minimal slack
The shoulder harness goes across the shoulder and chest with minimal, if any, slack.
Source: South Dakota Driver License Manual (Revised 11/2024), page 25
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What could wearing the shoulder harness the wrong way cause in a crash?
- Serious internal injuries
- A broken windshield
- A jammed buckle
- Air bag failure at low speeds
Show answer
Correct answer: Serious internal injuries
Wearing the shoulder harness the wrong way could cause serious internal injuries in a crash.
Source: South Dakota Driver License Manual (Revised 11/2024), page 25
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How should the lap belt be adjusted?
- Snug and low across your hips
- Loose across your stomach
- Snug across your ribs
- Loose across your chest
Show answer
Correct answer: Snug and low across your hips
The lap belt should be snug and lie low across the hips, otherwise you could slide out of it in a crash.
Source: South Dakota Driver License Manual (Revised 11/2024), page 25
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In which situation do air bags NOT protect you, according to the manual?
- If you hit the steering wheel or dashboard in a head-on crash
- If you hit the windshield
- If you are hit from the side or rear or the vehicle rolls over
- If you are wearing your seatbelt
Show answer
Correct answer: If you are hit from the side or rear or the vehicle rolls over
Air bags protect against hitting the steering wheel, dashboard or windshield, but not in side or rear hits or rollovers.
Source: South Dakota Driver License Manual (Revised 11/2024), page 25
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Who is required by law to wear appropriate safety restraints while the vehicle is in motion?
- Only operators and passengers in the rear seat
- Operators, front seat passengers and children under 18
- Only operators and passengers over 18 in the front seat
- Only front seat passengers over 18
Show answer
Correct answer: Operators, front seat passengers and children under 18
The manual says all operators, front seat passengers and children under 18 must wear appropriate restraints while the vehicle moves.
Source: South Dakota Driver License Manual (Revised 11/2024), page 26
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Where should you never secure a child, especially if your vehicle has an air bag?
- In the center of the rear seat
- Behind the driver
- Behind the front passenger seat
- In the front passenger seat
Show answer
Correct answer: In the front passenger seat
A child in the front passenger seat could be severely injured if the air bag deploys.
Source: South Dakota Driver License Manual (Revised 11/2024), page 26
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What does the manual say about a child safety device you cannot afford?
- The state gives one free at the exam station
- You may go without one
- Insurance companies must pay for one
- Several organizations will loan you one
Show answer
Correct answer: Several organizations will loan you one
The manual says several organizations will loan you a child safety device if you cannot afford one.
Source: South Dakota Driver License Manual (Revised 11/2024), page 26
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Under South Dakota Codified Law 32-38-1, the driver must secure a seatbelt on any front seat passenger of what age?
- Younger than five
- At least five but younger than eighteen
- At least twelve but younger than sixteen
- Eighteen or older
Show answer
Correct answer: At least five but younger than eighteen
The law makes the driver responsible for seatbelts on front seat passengers who are at least five and younger than eighteen.
Source: South Dakota Driver License Manual (Revised 11/2024), page 26
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How does South Dakota Codified Law 32-38-1 classify a violation of its front seat seatbelt requirement?
- It is a moving traffic offense
- It is a felony
- It is not a moving traffic offense
- It is a Class 1 misdemeanor
Show answer
Correct answer: It is not a moving traffic offense
The law states that a violation of this section is not a moving traffic offense.
Source: South Dakota Driver License Manual (Revised 11/2024), page 26
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How are air bags designed to work best?
- In combination with seatbelts
- Instead of seatbelts in newer cars
- Only in head-on crashes
- Only at highway speeds
Show answer
Correct answer: In combination with seatbelts
Air bags are supplemental restraints that work best together with seatbelts.
Source: South Dakota Driver License Manual (Revised 11/2024), page 26
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Children of what age and younger should sit in the rear seat to avoid injury from an air bag?
- 12
- 6
- 8
- 16
Show answer
Correct answer: 12
The manual says children age 12 and younger should sit in the rear seat to avoid air bag injury.
Source: South Dakota Driver License Manual (Revised 11/2024), page 26
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Where should a rear-facing child safety seat never be placed?
- In the rear seat
- Behind the front passenger seat, facing back
- In front of an active passenger air bag
- Behind the driver’s seat
Show answer
Correct answer: In front of an active passenger air bag
A rear-facing child safety seat must never be placed in front of an active passenger air bag.
Source: South Dakota Driver License Manual (Revised 11/2024), page 26
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In which direction does a child ride in an infant car carrier?
- Forward
- Backwards
- Sideways
- Whichever way the child prefers
Show answer
Correct answer: Backwards
In an infant car carrier the child rides facing backwards with the head and body cushioned.
Source: South Dakota Driver License Manual (Revised 11/2024), page 26
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How is an infant car carrier securely attached to the vehicle’s seat?
- By a tether bolted to the floor
- By the parent holding it
- By the head restraint
- By the lap belt
Show answer
Correct answer: By the lap belt
The carrier is attached to the vehicle’s seat with the lap belt, while its built-in harness holds the baby.
Source: South Dakota Driver License Manual (Revised 11/2024), page 26
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What does the manual say about baby seats in a vehicle?
- They are fine for short trips only
- They are safe when the baby is strapped in firmly
- They are safe if they are secured to the seat with the lap belt only
- They are not made to protect a baby in a vehicle and should not be used there
Show answer
Correct answer: They are not made to protect a baby in a vehicle and should not be used there
Baby seats are meant for the house, not to protect a baby in a vehicle.
Source: South Dakota Driver License Manual (Revised 11/2024), page 27
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Until about what age should an infant car carrier be used?
- About 3 months, when the child can hold up its head
- About 9 months, when the child can sit well alone
- About 15 months, when the child can walk
- About 24 months, when the child is two years old
Show answer
Correct answer: About 9 months, when the child can sit well alone
The carrier is used from birth until the child can sit well alone, at about 9 months.
Source: South Dakota Driver License Manual (Revised 11/2024), page 27
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Why should you never put a belt around yourself and a child on your lap?
- The belt would be too short to reach around both of you in normal driving
- The belt would tear in a crash and the child would be thrown free
- Your weight, increased by collision forces, would press the belt deeply into the child
- The child could not see out of the windows
Show answer
Correct answer: Your weight, increased by collision forces, would press the belt deeply into the child
In a collision your own weight, greatly increased by the forces, would press the belt into the child’s body and could cause fatal injuries.
Source: South Dakota Driver License Manual (Revised 11/2024), page 27
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When should a baby first be carried in an approved safety restraint?
- From the very first ride, the drive home from the hospital
- Once the baby can sit well alone and no longer needs a carrier
- At about age 1
- Only on trips of more than 25 miles
Show answer
Correct answer: From the very first ride, the drive home from the hospital
The baby should be in an approved safety restraint beginning with the very first ride home from the hospital.
Source: South Dakota Driver License Manual (Revised 11/2024), page 27
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Which seating position is safer for a passenger, as a rule?
- The back seat, and the center of the vehicle over the sides
- The front seat, and the sides over the center
- The front seat, and the center of the vehicle over the sides
- The back seat, and the sides over the center
Show answer
Correct answer: The back seat, and the center of the vehicle over the sides
The manual says the back seat is safer than the front, and the center is safer than the sides.
Source: South Dakota Driver License Manual (Revised 11/2024), page 27
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Why should you insist that every passenger buckle up?
- Belted passengers are never injured by loose passengers
- It lets the driver go faster
- Unrestrained passengers often injure others who are belted in
- It keeps the doors from opening
Show answer
Correct answer: Unrestrained passengers often injure others who are belted in
Besides their own risk, unrestrained passengers often injure other passengers who are belted in.
Source: South Dakota Driver License Manual (Revised 11/2024), page 27
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Under South Dakota Codified Laws 32-37-1, an operator must secure a child younger than what age in a child passenger restraint system?
- Three years
- Five years
- Eight years
- Twelve years
Show answer
Correct answer: Five years
The law requires a child under five to be properly secured in a child passenger restraint system.
Source: South Dakota Driver License Manual (Revised 11/2024), page 27
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Under 32-37-1, a child under five years old who weighs at least how much may be secured with a seatbelt?
- Twenty-five pounds
- Sixty pounds
- Ninety pounds
- Forty pounds
Show answer
Correct answer: Forty pounds
The child restraint requirement is met if a child under five weighing at least forty pounds is secured in a seatbelt.
Source: South Dakota Driver License Manual (Revised 11/2024), page 27
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What does an operator commit by violating the child passenger restraint requirement in 32-37-1?
- A felony
- A Class 2 misdemeanor
- A moving traffic offense
- A petty offense
Show answer
Correct answer: A petty offense
The law says an operator who violates 32-37-1 commits a petty offense.
Source: South Dakota Driver License Manual (Revised 11/2024), page 27
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The child passenger restraint and seatbelt provisions in Chapter 32-37 do not apply in passenger cars manufactured before what year, if the cars have no seatbelts?
- 1956
- 1966
- 1976
- 1996
Show answer
Correct answer: 1966
The exemption covers passenger cars made before 1966 that were never equipped with seatbelts.
Source: South Dakota Driver License Manual (Revised 11/2024), page 27
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In a civil trial, how is failure to comply with the child passenger restraint chapter (32-37) treated?
- It proves the driver was at fault
- It is considered contributory negligence
- It is not admissible as evidence
- It raises the penalty for the driver
Show answer
Correct answer: It is not admissible as evidence
The law says the failure is not contributory or comparative negligence and is not admissible as evidence in a civil action.
Source: South Dakota Driver License Manual (Revised 11/2024), page 27
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According to the car seat guide, infant seats are for children up to how many pounds?
- 20 pounds
- 10 pounds
- 15 pounds
- 30 pounds
Show answer
Correct answer: 20 pounds
The car seat guide lists infant seats for children up to 20 pounds.
Source: South Dakota Driver License Manual (Revised 11/2024), page 27
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In the car seat guide, which way do infant seats always face?
- Rearward
- Forward
- Sideways
- Toward the nearest door
Show answer
Correct answer: Rearward
Infant seats always face rearward.
Source: South Dakota Driver License Manual (Revised 11/2024), page 27
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At what angle does the car seat guide say infant seats should recline?
- 15 degrees
- 45 degrees
- 30 degrees
- 60 degrees
Show answer
Correct answer: 30 degrees
The car seat guide says infant seats recline 30 degrees.
Source: South Dakota Driver License Manual (Revised 11/2024), page 27
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According to the car seat guide, toddler/convertible car seats are for infants and children up to how many pounds?
- 25 pounds
- 40 pounds
- 50 pounds
- 60 pounds
Show answer
Correct answer: 40 pounds
Toddler/convertible seats are listed for infants and children up to 40 pounds.
Source: South Dakota Driver License Manual (Revised 11/2024), page 27
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According to the car seat guide, how is a toddler/convertible car seat positioned for toddlers?
- Reclined and rear facing
- Reclined and forward facing
- Upright and rear facing
- Upright and forward facing
Show answer
Correct answer: Upright and forward facing
For toddlers the convertible seat is upright and forward facing; for infants it reclines and faces rearward.
Source: South Dakota Driver License Manual (Revised 11/2024), page 27
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According to the car seat guide, booster seats are for toddlers weighing at least how much?
- 10 pounds
- 20 pounds
- 50 pounds
- 30 pounds
Show answer
Correct answer: 30 pounds
The car seat guide lists booster seats for toddlers at least 30 pounds.
Source: South Dakota Driver License Manual (Revised 11/2024), page 27
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According to the car seat guide, a booster seat without a shield must be used with what?
- A lap belt alone
- A tethered harness or shoulder straps
- A seat cushion only
- Only the vehicle’s rear head restraints
Show answer
Correct answer: A tethered harness or shoulder straps
A booster without a shield needs a tethered harness or shoulder straps.
Source: South Dakota Driver License Manual (Revised 11/2024), page 27
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According to the car seat guide, when can a booster seat be used with just a lap belt?
- If the child is over age 8
- If it has a tether strap
- If it has a shield
- If it is in the center of the rear seat
Show answer
Correct answer: If it has a shield
A booster seat that has a shield can be used with just a lap belt.
Source: South Dakota Driver License Manual (Revised 11/2024), page 27
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Which of these is a sign that an infant's car seat is being used incorrectly?
- An infant is facing forward
- An infant is facing rearward
- The harness straps are snug
- The seat is secured with a seatbelt
Show answer
Correct answer: An infant is facing forward
The manual lists an infant facing forward as incorrect use of a car seat.
Source: South Dakota Driver License Manual (Revised 11/2024), page 28
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Which of these shows that a car seat with a top tether is being used incorrectly?
- A top tether strap is present but not used
- The top tether strap is used
- The seat is secured with the seatbelt
- The harness straps are snug
Show answer
Correct answer: A top tether strap is present but not used
A top tether strap that is present but not used is listed as incorrect use of a car seat.
Source: South Dakota Driver License Manual (Revised 11/2024), page 28
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Which of these shows that a car seat's harness is being used incorrectly?
- The harness straps are used and snug
- The harness straps lie flat, without twists
- The harness straps are very loose
- The seat is secured with a seatbelt
Show answer
Correct answer: The harness straps are very loose
Harness straps that are unused or very loose are listed as incorrect use of a car seat.
Source: South Dakota Driver License Manual (Revised 11/2024), page 28
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A common worry is that seatbelts can trap you inside a car. How long does it take to undo a seatbelt?
- About 5 seconds
- Less than a second
- About 10 seconds
- About half a minute
Show answer
Correct answer: Less than a second
The manual answers this myth by stating that it takes less than a second to undo a seatbelt.
Source: South Dakota Driver License Manual (Revised 11/2024), page 28
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Why may a seatbelt improve your chance to escape from a vehicle that is on fire or sinks?
- It lets you drive the vehicle out of danger more quickly
- It makes the doors easier to open
- It floats the vehicle longer
- It may keep you from being knocked out, so you stay conscious
Show answer
Correct answer: It may keep you from being knocked out, so you stay conscious
A seatbelt may keep you from being knocked out, and your chance to escape is better if you are conscious.
Source: South Dakota Driver License Manual (Revised 11/2024), page 28
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What can seatbelts keep you from being thrown into the path of?
- A fallen tree
- A railroad crossing
- A traffic signal
- Another vehicle
Show answer
Correct answer: Another vehicle
Seatbelts keep you inside the vehicle so you are not thrown into the path of another vehicle.
Source: South Dakota Driver License Manual (Revised 11/2024), page 28
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When a vehicle is struck from the side, which way do passengers who are not fastened down slide?
- Away from the point of crash
- Toward the point of crash
- Straight toward the front
- Toward the rear seat
Show answer
Correct answer: Toward the point of crash
Everything not fastened down, including passengers, slides toward the point of the crash.
Source: South Dakota Driver License Manual (Revised 11/2024), page 28
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If you cannot avoid a collision, what is the most important thing you can do to lessen injuries?
- Brace your arms against the steering wheel
- Turn off the ignition
- Use the lap and shoulder belts
- Sound the horn to warn other drivers
Show answer
Correct answer: Use the lap and shoulder belts
The manual says the most important thing you can do is use the lap and shoulder belts.
Source: South Dakota Driver License Manual (Revised 11/2024), page 59