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South Carolina driving lesson · Basic Driving Skills

Starting, moving & stopping

A 2-minute lesson from the South Carolina course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.

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Read time
2 minutes
Course unit
Basic Driving Skills
Checkpoint questions
6
Source pages
54, 55

Every drive starts the same way: brake down, check the gear, start the engine, check the dash. Then look all around before you roll, and brake smoothly when you stop.

Starting the engine:

  • Check the owner's manual for how to start your vehicle
  • Put your right foot on the brake pedal
  • Check that the gear selector lever is in park
  • Turn the key to on, or push and release the engine start button
  • Check gauges and dashboard lights (fuel, oil, ABS, air bags, etc.)
Handbook p. 54 ↗

Moving the vehicle:

  • Move the gear selector to "D" (drive)
  • Look in front to make sure your path forward is safe
  • Check the sides, behind and blind spots by looking over your shoulder
  • Signal, and if safe, move your foot to the accelerator and press gently
Handbook p. 54 ↗

Know the rule

Accelerate gradually and smoothly, with the top of your foot on the pedal and your heel on the floor.

Handbook p. 54 ↗

Know the rule

Check your blind spots by looking over your shoulder. Mirrors alone don't show them.

Handbook p. 54 ↗

Stopping the vehicle:

  • Check your mirrors for traffic behind you
  • Move your foot from the accelerator to the brake pedal
  • Press with steady pressure until the vehicle stops
Handbook p. 54 ↗

Know the rule

Brake with steady pressure all the way to a stop.

Handbook p. 55 ↗

Put it into practice

You're pulling away from the curb. Shift to drive, look ahead, check your mirrors, then look over your left shoulder for a cyclist in your blind spot. Signal, and only then press the accelerator gently.

Check your understanding

Read the question, decide on an answer, then open it to check the explanation. These are Roadwise study questions based on the source handbook.

Before starting the engine, where should your right foot be placed?
  1. On the accelerator
  2. On the parking brake
  3. Off the pedals entirely
  4. On the brake pedal

Answer: On the brake pedal

To start the engine, place your right foot on the brake pedal and check that the gear selector is in park.

Handbook p. 54 ↗
Before starting the engine, the gear selector lever should be in:
  1. Park
  2. Drive
  3. Neutral
  4. Reverse

Answer: Park

Check the gear selector lever for park before starting the engine.

Handbook p. 54 ↗
After starting the engine, you should check:
  1. The tire pressure on each tire
  2. The gauges and dashboard warning lights
  3. Only the mirrors
  4. The engine oil dipstick

Answer: The gauges and dashboard warning lights

Once the engine is started, check the gauges and any indicator lights that need attention.

Handbook p. 54 ↗
Before moving the vehicle forward, you should check for traffic or obstacles by:
  1. Only checking the rearview mirror
  2. Relying on the backup camera
  3. Looking over your shoulder to check blind spots
  4. Listening for other vehicles

Answer: Looking over your shoulder to check blind spots

Check for traffic or obstacles on the sides, behind, or in blind spots by looking over your shoulder before moving.

Handbook p. 54 ↗
To stop the vehicle, you should press the brake pedal with:
  1. A single hard tap
  2. Rapid pumping motions
  3. Light, intermittent taps only
  4. Steady pressure until stopped

Answer: Steady pressure until stopped

Press the brake pedal with steady pressure until the vehicle comes to a complete stop.

Handbook p. 55 ↗
Before moving the vehicle, you should first move the gear selector lever to:
  1. N (neutral)
  2. D (drive)
  3. P (park)
  4. R (reverse)

Answer: D (drive)

Move the gear selector lever to D (drive) before moving the vehicle forward.

Handbook p. 54 ↗
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