HI Permit Practice Test 14

All 20 questions in test 14

Every question below comes from the Hawaii question bank on this page. Open a question to see the correct answer and the explanation. Nothing here is hidden behind a signup.

1. 1. A traffic signal shows a green arrow for your lane. What does it mean?

   1. Stop, then proceed straight
   2. The arrow controls the opposing lane
   3. Proceed in the direction the arrow points
   4. Yield to all traffic before moving
   Show answer

   Proceed in the direction the arrow points. A green arrow has the same meaning as a green light for the indicated lane, but you must turn or proceed in the direction the arrow shows. It is a protected movement for that lane, not a general go-ahead. Stopping defeats the purpose of the signal, and the arrow governs your lane rather than the opposing one. While the arrow is showing, conflicting traffic is held, so treating it as a plain yield wastes the protection. Go where the arrow points and watch for pedestrians as usual.

   Study this in the handbook: Traffic signals and lane control signals

2. 2. What does the manual say about following distance on a freeway?

   1. Tailgate to keep the traffic flow moving smoothly
   2. Follow as close as the car ahead of you does
   3. The gap does not matter at equal speeds
   4. Keep a generous gap; rear-end crashes are common on freeways
   Show answer

   Keep a generous gap; rear-end crashes are common on freeways. The manual warns not to follow too closely because rear-end collisions are common on freeways and usually involve several vehicles. Close spacing turns one panic brake into a chain reaction that sweeps up every car behind. Matching the next car's bad habit does not make it safe, and equal speeds do not remove the need for reaction distance. Keep a generous gap, stretch it further in rain or heavy traffic, and if a tailgater rides behind you, move right when you can and let it pass.

   Study this in the handbook: Following distance, turns and freeways

3. 3. Where must the vehicle registration be kept, according to the manual?

   1. In the vehicle
   2. At the owner's home or office
   3. With the county agency
   4. In the owner's wallet
   Show answer

   In the vehicle. The registration is issued to the purchaser, who must keep the certificate in the vehicle. That way the document is available whenever an officer, an inspector or another driver needs to see it during a stop, an inspection or a crash exchange. A registration filed at home or in a wallet fails that purpose, and the county agency keeps its own copy rather than yours. Store it where the manual says, and replace it promptly if it is lost or damaged.

   Study this in the handbook: Vehicle equipment, inspection and registration

4. 4. A large truck is about to descend a steep Hawaii hill. What should its driver do?

   1. Ride the brakes all the way down
   2. Shift to neutral and coast
   3. Speed up before the grade
   4. Shift to a lower gear before the descent
   Show answer

   Shift to a lower gear before the descent. The manual tells drivers of large vehicles to shift to an appropriate lower gear before descending a steep hill so the brakes do not overheat. Continuous brake use can make them ineffective, and a heavy vehicle loses more braking ability than a car when that happens. Coasting in neutral removes engine braking, riding the brakes builds heat, and extra speed at the top makes the problem worse. Other drivers should give a truck on a downgrade room and stay out of its way.

5. 5. What does the manual identify as the most common cause of tire blowouts?

   1. Road debris alone
   2. Improper tire care and maintenance
   3. Manufacturing defects in the tire itself
   4. Cold weather alone
   Show answer

   Improper tire care and maintenance. A blowout is the sudden release of air that collapses a tire and can cost you control, and the manual says blowouts are most often the result of improper tire care and maintenance. It directs you to check air pressure and tire condition every month. Debris, defects and cold weather can contribute, but the leading cause is neglect you can fix: wrong pressure, worn tread and unnoticed damage. Monthly checks catch all of them, and the manual pairs this with replacing tires below the tread minimum.

   Study this in the handbook: Following distance, turns and freeways

6. 6. Which of these places does Hawaii list as a no-parking area?

   1. A roadside pullout with a guardrail
   2. A dirt shoulder wide enough for two cars
   3. A dead-end street beside a park
   4. A bridge, elevated structure, or tunnel
   Show answer

   A bridge, elevated structure, or tunnel. Bridges, elevated structures and tunnels are named in the manual's list of places where parking is prohibited. These sections usually have no shoulder, narrow lanes and no safe path for a driver to step away from traffic. A wide-looking pullout or a dead-end street is judged by other rules, and a dirt shoulder is not automatically legal either. Use a designated space rather than stopping on a structure where a breakdown would block a travel lane.

   Study this in the handbook: Speed rules

7. 7. What does the manual call stopping unnecessarily in a traffic lane?

   1. Allowed for a quick directions stop
   2. Safe if the flashers are on
   3. A minor courtesy issue only
   4. Dangerous and illegal
   Show answer

   Dangerous and illegal. The manual calls stopping unnecessarily in a traffic lane dangerous, discourteous, inconsiderate and illegal. A stopped car in a live lane forces every driver behind to react to a surprise, and hazard flashers do not convert a travel lane into a parking space. A directions stop belongs in a legal parking spot, and the harm is far more than a manners problem. If you must stop, work your way to a designated space, a loading zone or some place out of the lane.

   Study this in the handbook: Following distance, turns and freeways

8. 8. On a road with two or more lanes in each direction, how may you pass a slower vehicle?

   1. You may pass only on the left, as on a two-lane road.
   2. You may pass on either side using proper lane changes.
   3. You may pass only on the right on a multilane road.
   4. You may pass from behind within the same lane.
   Show answer

   You may pass on either side using proper lane changes.. On roadways with two or more lanes for traffic moving in the same direction, the manual says you may pass a vehicle on either side by using the proper lane change procedures. The multi-lane setting is what opens both sides; the habit of signaling, checking and moving cleanly still governs. A left-only rule belongs to two-lane roads, a right-only custom does not exist, and passing from directly behind in the same lane is not passing at all. Choose the side with the cleaner gap and change lanes properly.

   Study this in the handbook: Following distance, turns and freeways

9. 9. No gates or signals guard a Hawaii crossing, but you hear a train horn. Within what distance of the crossing must an approaching train sounding its horn cause you to stop?

   1. 1,500 feet
   2. 600 feet
   3. 2,000 feet
   4. 900 feet
   Show answer

   1,500 feet. The manual requires a stop not less than 15 feet from the nearest rail when a train approaching within 1,500 feet gives audible warning of its approach. At crossings without installed signals, the horn is the warning system, so sound plus that distance triggers the stop. Figures like 600, 900 or 2,000 feet do not match the manual. Stop, look and listen both ways, and start across only when the rails are clear long enough to finish the crossing.

   Study this in the handbook: Turn signals and railroad crossings

10. 10. While waiting to turn left, the light turns green. Where should your front wheels point as you enter the intersection?

    1. Turned fully toward the left
    2. Angled toward the right curb
    3. Pointing straight ahead
    4. Turned toward the center line
    Show answer

    Pointing straight ahead. The manual's left-turn procedure is to move slowly into the intersection, keep the wheels pointing straight ahead and turn when the intersection is clear and it is safe to do so. Straight wheels mean a rear-end hit pushes you forward, not into the oncoming lane. Wheels already turned left aim your car into opposing traffic if you are struck from behind. The right curb and the center line are the wrong directions entirely. Creep straight ahead, then turn when the path is clear.

    Study this in the handbook: Following distance, turns and freeways

11. 11. In which conditions does the Hawaii manual call head lamps critically important?

    1. Night driving, rainy weather, fog, and tunnels
    2. Dry daytime driving in a city
    3. A clear afternoon on an open road
    4. A sunny morning on a rural road
    Show answer

    Night driving, rainy weather, fog, and tunnels. The manual names four conditions in which head lamps are critically important: night driving, rainy weather, fog, and driving through tunnels. The other choices describe ordinary daylight conditions that are not the set listed in the passage. Head lamps matter both for seeing and for being seen, which is why the rule includes rain, fog, and tunnels as well as darkness. The list of night driving, rainy weather, fog, and tunnels reproduces the manual's complete list. The study cue is the combination of low visibility or a covered roadway, not simply any trip outside the daytime.

12. 12. How does the manual say motorcycles must be registered and insured?

    1. Only if they exceed 50cc
    2. Only when ridden on freeways
    3. To the same standards as an automobile
    4. They are exempt from both requirements
    Show answer

    To the same standards as an automobile. The manual states that motorcycles must be registered and insured to the same standards as an automobile. A motorcycle is a vehicle in the traffic mix, not an exception to the registration and insurance rules, regardless of engine size or where it is ridden. That also means the rider needs the proper license class and the plates and insurance card the law requires. Treat a motorcycle as a full road user: check for it before turning, give it a full lane and do not crowd it at a light.

    Study this in the handbook: Trucks, motorcycles, bicycles and school buses

13. 13. How does the Hawaii manual describe the effect of LSD, heroin, and cocaine?

    1. Users become unaware of or indifferent to their surroundings
    2. Users become more alert to traffic hazards
    3. Users develop better night vision
    4. Users drive more slowly and carefully than they did before
    Show answer

    Users become unaware of or indifferent to their surroundings. The manual names LSD, heroin and cocaine as dangerous illegal drugs that can make users completely unaware of or indifferent to their surroundings. A driver in that state may not register a red light, a pedestrian or a closing car, so alertness and caution are the opposite of the effect. The drugs do not sharpen night vision or produce careful driving. Because the strength and purity of illegal drugs are unknown, the reaction can be worse than expected. Never ride with a driver who is using them, and never drive after taking them.

    Study this in the handbook: Alcohol, drugs and the law

14. 14. What does the manual say can happen when alcohol and drugs are combined?

    1. The drugs cancel each other out
    2. The effect can be much more pronounced
    3. The alcohol leaves the blood faster than either alone
    4. The combination only affects older drivers
    Show answer

    The effect can be much more pronounced. Combining alcohol with drugs can produce a much more pronounced effect than either substance taken alone, and the manual says never to mix them. The interaction can deepen drowsiness, slow reaction time or distort judgment beyond what either would do by itself. Neither substance cancels the other, and alcohol does not leave the body faster because a drug is present. The warning is not limited to older drivers. Read the label on any medicine, ask the pharmacist about alcohol, and treat the combination as a reason not to drive.

    Study this in the handbook: Alcohol, drugs and the law

15. 15. You reach the sign that marks the end of a Hawaii no-passing zone. What does the sign mean?

    1. Passing is now legal at any speed
    2. The road becomes a four-lane highway
    3. You now have increased visibility ahead
    4. The speed limit rises at that point
    Show answer

    You now have increased visibility ahead. The end of a no-passing zone tells you that sight distance has improved; it does not order you to pass or promise an open lane. The sign marks where the highway curve or hill no longer hides oncoming traffic, so you can see farther, but you still need a broken line, a clear gap and enough room to finish. It says nothing about a new speed limit or an extra lane. Treat it as an invitation to look, then decide whether a pass is actually safe.

    Study this in the handbook: Driving on the right and passing laws

16. 16. How is each road approaching a Hawaii roundabout marked?

    1. With stop signs on every approach road
    2. With a speed limit sign and no entry control
    3. With a green arrow granting entry ahead of traffic
    4. With a yield sign and possible yield lines
    Show answer

    With a yield sign and possible yield lines. Each Hawaii road approaching a roundabout is marked with a yield sign and may also have yield line markings on the pavement. Those controls tell entering drivers to give way to traffic already circulating. Stop signs on every approach would impose a different control, while a speed limit sign does not establish entry order. A green arrow is not the roundabout marking named by the manual. The yield sign and possible pavement lines are the approach markings described in the passage.

    Study this in the handbook: Backing, entering traffic, lanes and parking

17. 17. What shape and colors identify a Hawaii stop sign, and what do they signal?

    1. Round and yellow, warning only
    2. Triangular and white, slow down
    3. 8 sided, white on red; others go first
    4. Rectangular and green, proceed freely
    Show answer

    8 sided, white on red; others go first. A Hawaii stop sign is the 8 sided white on red sign, and its message is that other traffic has the right of way. The octagon shape alone should trigger a stop even in fog or with a damaged face. Triangular signs belong to yield control, while green rectangles guide rather than command. A round yellow sign warns of crossings ahead. Shape recognition matters at night when words are hard to read. Count the sides early: eight means a full stop and a yield before moving again.

    Study this in the handbook: Speed rules

18. 18. What windshield condition does Hawaii require for safe driving?

    1. Small cracks are fine anywhere on the glass including the driver view
    2. Free of cracks and breaks that interfere with vision
    3. Tinted across the full width from top to bottom of the glass
    4. Cleaned only on the passenger side where dirt builds up most
    Show answer

    Free of cracks and breaks that interfere with vision. Hawaii expects a clear view ahead: the windshield should be free of cracks and breaks that interfere with your vision. A crack crossing the driver sight line fails that standard even if it looks small from outside. Full width tint is a separate equipment issue and does not cure a damaged pane. Cleaning only the passenger side leaves the driver half obscured. After any stone strike, sight along the glass from the driver seat. If the damage sits in your view of the road, schedule replacement promptly.

    Study this in the handbook: Vehicle equipment, inspection and registration

19. 19. Beyond personal preference, how must a Hawaii driver act toward other street and highway users?

    1. With consideration and courtesy to other users
    2. Only as traffic law minimums require
    3. Courtesy is optional when in a hurry
    4. Each driver looks out only for themselves
    Show answer

    With consideration and courtesy to other users. Hawaii sets courtesy as a driving duty, not a bonus: act always with consideration and courtesy to other users of the streets and highways, not merely from a personal point of view. Legal minimums alone leave out the patience that prevents conflicts at merges and crosswalks. Hurry does not suspend the duty, and looking out only for yourself describes the attitude behind many crashes. Let the bus merge, wave a pedestrian across where you must stop anyway, and leave gaps. Those small yields cost seconds and prevent the closest calls.

    Study this in the handbook: Attitude, age and distraction

20. 20. How should a Hawaii driver try to park to make leaving safer?

    1. Back into traffic so departure faces oncoming cars directly
    2. Park so you will enter traffic in a forward direction
    3. Back out slowly and rely on mirrors alone to watch for traffic
    4. Choose the space closest to the exit, even if you must back out
    Show answer

    Park so you will enter traffic in a forward direction. Departure direction shapes parking safety in Hawaii: try to park the vehicle so that you will enter traffic in a forward direction. Forward entry gives a full windshield view of gaps, cyclists and pedestrians. Backing out into traffic reverses that visibility at the riskiest moment, and mirrors alone leave the widest angles unseen. Choosing a nearer space that forces that blind exit trades safety for a shorter walk. When a lot offers a pull through space, take it. A forward exit turns the hardest part of the maneuver into ordinary driving.

    Study this in the handbook: Backing, entering traffic, lanes and parking