HI Permit Practice Test 15

All 20 questions in test 15

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. How does the Hawaii manual say a funeral procession is usually identified?

   1. By four-way flashers on every car
   2. By white flags tied to the antenna
   3. By a magnetic sign on the door
   4. By headlamps turned on
   Show answer

   By headlamps turned on. Vehicles in a convoy or procession usually use their headlamps for identification, and the first and last vehicles often carry a distinctive marking. The headlamps tell other drivers that the line is one unit, which is why you should not slip into the middle of it. Four-way flashers, antenna flags and door signs are not the signals the manual describes. If you see a line of cars with lights on moving together through intersections, treat it as a procession and wait for a clear break.

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

2. 2. Which habits does the manual list as diverting a driver's attention while driving?

   1. Checking the mirrors at regular, careful intervals
   2. Scanning the road two blocks ahead
   3. Looking at maps or lighting smoking materials
   4. Adjusting the seat before the trip
   Show answer

   Looking at maps or lighting smoking materials. Among the habits the manual flags as diverting attention are looking at maps or lighting smoking materials while driving. Both take your eyes and hands away from the task at speed. Mirror checks and scanning ahead are defensive habits the manual wants more of, not distractions, and seat adjustment belongs before the trip starts. The pattern to remember is that anything which must be read, lit, found or handled while rolling is a distraction to schedule before you leave or handle after you stop.

   Study this in the handbook: Attitude, age and distraction

3. 3. A front tire blows out at highway speed. What does the manual say about braking immediately?

   1. Do not apply the brakes at once
   2. Brake hard to shorten the emergency
   3. Pump the brakes to restore grip
   4. Set the parking brake immediately
   Show answer

   Do not apply the brakes at once. If you experience a tire blowout, the manual's first instruction is do not apply the brakes, because braking at that moment may cause the vehicle to become uncontrollable. The sequence is to grip the wheel firmly, hold your lane against the pull, and reduce speed gradually without the brakes until you are moving very slowly. Hard braking, pumping and the parking brake all load the damaged tire or the rear axle at the worst time. Hold, coast, then brake gently once slow.

   Study this in the handbook: Blowouts, brake failure, skids and fires

4. 4. Before starting a long drive, what does the manual say to ensure about fuel?

   1. A spare fuel can rides in the trunk
   2. The tank is only half full to save weight
   3. The vehicle contains enough fuel to complete the trip
   4. The low-fuel warning lamp works
   Show answer

   The vehicle contains enough fuel to complete the trip. The manual says to ensure that the vehicle contains enough fuel to complete the trip. Running dry strands you on the roadway, and a stalled car on a high-speed road is exactly the hazard the freeway section warns about. A spare can is an afterthought, not a plan; a half tank saves nothing that matters; and a working low-fuel lamp still leaves you short if you pass no station. Fill before you go, and refill early rather than stretching the remainder.

5. 5. You will be walking on or alongside the roadway. What clothing does the manual advise?

   1. Bright colored clothing that stands out
   2. Dark clothing so headlights reflect less
   3. Loose clothing that moves in the wind
   4. Matching clothing for your walking group
   Show answer

   Bright colored clothing that stands out. A person walking on or alongside the roadway should wear bright colored clothing. Drivers pick out a bright figure sooner against pavement, shadow and roadside clutter, which adds reaction time for both of you. Dark clothing does the opposite by blending into the road at dawn, dusk and night. Loose fabric moving in the wind does not supply the color contrast drivers need, and matching a group helps the group stay together without helping a driver spot anyone sooner. Choose bright colors before the walk, especially when light is poor.

   Study this in the handbook: Pedestrian safety

6. 6. What does a Hawaii yield sign indicate?

   1. Other traffic has the right of way
   2. A complete stop is required at every approach
   3. A railroad crossing is ahead
   4. A work zone is ahead
   Show answer

   Other traffic has the right of way. The manual says a yield sign indicates that other traffic has the right of way. A driver approaching it must be ready to stop and give way when traffic with priority is present, but a stop is not automatic at every approach. That makes the complete-stop choice too broad. A railroad crossing warning and a work-zone warning communicate different hazards, so neither describes the yield sign's meaning. The rule tested here is the action required by the sign's message: recognize that other traffic has priority and yield when necessary.

   Study this in the handbook: Speed rules

7. 7. White directional arrows or words are painted in a Hawaii traffic lane. What must the driver do?

   1. Treat them as advice only
   2. Stop before crossing them
   3. Use the lane for parking
   4. Move only as the arrow directs
   Show answer

   Move only as the arrow directs. Lane arrows bind movement in Hawaii: travel only in the direction the arrow indicates. Words painted with the arrows carry the same force, so a lane marked for turning is not a through lane. Treating the paint as advice invites head on or sideswipe conflicts. No stop is owed at the arrow itself, and parking in a marked travel lane blocks directed traffic. Read the pavement early on approach. Choosing the correct arrow lane two blocks ahead beats a late swerve across solid paint.

8. 8. In Hawaii's parallel parking steps, at what angle should the car be to the street before straightening the wheels?

   1. About 90 degrees
   2. About 10 degrees
   3. About a 45 degree angle
   4. Parallel to the curb
   Show answer

   About a 45 degree angle. To parallel park, pull even with the front car about 18 inches from it with rear bumpers even, then back slowly turning the wheel sharp right until the car is at about a 45 degree angle with the street, quickly straighten the front wheels and back slowly, and when your front bumper is even with the other car's rear bumper turn sharply left as far as possible to finish.

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

9. 9. What does the manual say an overdose of stimulants, tranquilizers, or sedatives can do?

   1. Only cause a headache that fades by morning
   2. Improve driving skill for a short time after the dose
   3. Wear off after a meal and a cup of coffee
   4. Greatly impair driving and even cause death
   Show answer

   Greatly impair driving and even cause death. An overdose of amphetamines or of tranquilizers and sedatives can greatly impair the ability to drive and can be the sole cause of death. These are not mild side effects that fade with a meal or a night's sleep. A stimulant may make a driver feel sharp while hiding fatigue, and a sedative may slow reactions enough to miss a stop. The manual groups both under drugs that interfere with safe driving. Follow the prescribed dose, never mix these medicines with alcohol, and do not drive if you feel drowsy or unsteady.

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

10. 10. Why does the manual say people who drink can misjudge their own intoxication?

    1. Alcohol improves the ability to estimate BAC
    2. The label on a drink states the BAC
    3. Intoxication is always obvious to the drinker
    4. Alcohol and drugs can distort judgment
    Show answer

    Alcohol and drugs can distort judgment. Alcohol and other drugs can have an adverse effect on judgment, so people who consume them can easily misjudge their level of intoxication. The same impairment that slows reaction time also weakens the self-check a driver would normally use. A drink label does not report blood alcohol, intoxication is not always obvious to the person experiencing it, and alcohol does not improve estimation. That is why the manual puts the responsibility on knowing your limits and refusing to drive after drinking. Use a planned ride and a counted number of drinks rather than a feeling.

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

11. 11. What does the manual say about driving into or across a traffic island?

    1. It is allowed at low speed
    2. You should never do it
    3. It is allowed when the island is painted only
    4. It is allowed with a passenger spotting
    Show answer

    You should never do it. Traffic islands direct you into separate traffic lanes, and when they protect pedestrians standing in the roadway they are called safety islands. The manual is blunt: you should never drive into or across a traffic island. The raised or painted area exists to channel movement, and cutting across it puts you where opposing or crossing traffic and pedestrians do not expect a car. A low speed, a painted-only island or a passenger's help does not create an exception. Follow the island around.

12. 12. Why must a car's hood latches be kept in proper working order?

    1. So the engine cools faster
    2. So the hood will not open and block your vision
    3. So the hood opens easily at inspections
    4. So the latch passes the safety check only
    Show answer

    So the hood will not open and block your vision. Front-opening hoods carry a primary latch and a secondary catch, and the manual says both should operate properly so the hood will not open and block your vision while you are driving. A hood that flies up at speed hides the road, traffic and signals, forcing you to stop blind. Cooling, inspection convenience and a checklist pass are not the safety point. If the hood ever starts to lift, slow down, steer by looking through the gap or the side window, and pull off safely.

13. 13. You reach a freeway entrance lane and traffic on it is congested. What does the manual direct?

    1. Slow down or stop near the entrance
    2. Creep to the end of the entrance lane and wait there
    3. Accelerate into the first opening you see
    4. Use the shoulder to reach the freeway
    Show answer

    Slow down or stop near the entrance. The manual says to observe traffic in the entrance lane and, if it is congested, to slow down or stop near the entrance. It warns specifically not to move slowly to the end of the entrance lane and stop, because entering freeway traffic from a stopped position at the end of the lane is very difficult and dangerous. Accelerating into a first opening ignores the congestion, and the shoulder is not a ramp. Hold back near the entrance and wait for a real gap.

14. 14. You are driving to an unfamiliar area. What does the manual say to do first?

    1. Follow the first highway sign you see
    2. Drive toward the tallest buildings
    3. Plan your trip
    4. Ask for directions at gas stations along the way
    Show answer

    Plan your trip. When driving to an unfamiliar area, the manual says you should plan your trip. That starts with knowing the exact location of your destination rather than starting with a hazy idea, and checking a map before you start if the destination is unfamiliar. Following whichever sign appears first, aiming at skylines and asking directions en route are improvisations that put a lost, distracted driver in traffic. Decide the route before the wheels roll, and you will spend the drive watching the road instead of hunting for turns.

15. 15. Before a lane change, how does the manual say to check the blind spots?

    1. Trust the mirrors alone
    2. Rely on the backup camera's wide field of view
    3. Use the mirrors and turn your head to look
    4. Wait for a horn from the hidden car
    Show answer

    Use the mirrors and turn your head to look. The manual's lane-change procedure starts with checking highway and traffic conditions ahead, to the sides and to the rear, using your rear-view mirrors and physically checking the blind spots by turning your head and looking. Mirrors leave gaps beside and behind the car, and a camera aimed rearward does not cover the adjacent lane. A horn from a car you did not see is a warning that the check already failed. Mirror, then head, then signal, then move.

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

16. 16. What does a red arrow mean for the lane it controls?

    1. The same as a red light
    2. A caution signal for that lane
    3. A protected turn for that lane
    4. A lane closure for maintenance
    Show answer

    The same as a red light. Lighted arrows control turns from a specific traffic lane, and a red arrow has the same meaning as a red light for the indicated lane of traffic. Wait behind the line until the arrow changes. Treat the stop like a red light: stop first, and make a turn only when the rules for a red light allow it and no sign forbids it. It is not a caution signal or a protected movement. Lane closures are shown by the overhead lane-control signals, not by a red arrow at the mast arm.

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

17. 17. What does the manual require for the ignition when you leave your vehicle unattended?

    1. Leave the engine idling for climate control
    2. Lock the ignition and remove the ignition key
    3. Keep the key in the switch for a quick return
    4. Turn the key to accessory mode
    Show answer

    Lock the ignition and remove the ignition key. When you leave your vehicle unattended, the manual's list includes stopping the engine, locking the ignition and removing the ignition key, and setting the parking brake. An idling engine is a theft invitation and a fume hazard, a key left in the switch hands the car to anyone walking by, and accessory mode still allows electrical drain and is not a lock. The full routine takes seconds: engine off, key out, brake set, wheels turned to the curb on a grade.

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

18. 18. Which education credentials must a Hawaii applicant possess before receiving a provisional license?

    1. A vehicle inspection certificate with no driver education record
    2. A certificate from any informal practice session
    3. Only a parent’s written approval
    4. Classroom and behind-the-wheel certificates from a State certified driver’s education course
    Show answer

    Classroom and behind-the-wheel certificates from a State certified driver’s education course. The provisional stage requires completion of a State certified driver’s education course and possession of both the classroom and behind-the-wheel certificates. A parent’s approval may be relevant elsewhere in a minor’s licensing process, but it does not replace these education records. Informal practice has value but is not the credential named here, and a vehicle inspection addresses the car rather than the learner’s training. The check before applying is to have both course components documented, not merely to have driven with family.

    Study this in the handbook: The instruction permit

19. 19. Hawaii prohibits parking where your vehicle would leave less than how much of the street's width for moving traffic?

    1. 5 feet
    2. 10 feet
    3. 20 feet
    4. 30 feet
    Show answer

    10 feet. Hawaii's list of prohibited parking places includes any place where less than 10 feet of the width of the street would remain for the free movement of traffic. Five feet is below that minimum, so parking that leaves only 5 feet open is illegal, and 20 or 30 feet are not the figure the manual uses. The same list also forbids parking more than 12 inches from the curb, double parking on the roadway side of another stopped car, and parking anywhere your vehicle is hazardous to other traffic, where it will be towed away.

    Study this in the handbook: Speed rules

20. 20. You are about to pass a vehicle on a two lane road and the way ahead is clear. How should you alert the driver ahead?

    1. Flash your high beams twice before moving left
    2. Sound your horn so the driver ahead knows you are passing
    3. Wait silently until you are alongside the vehicle
    4. Tap your brakes so your brake lamps warn the driver
    Show answer

    Sound your horn so the driver ahead knows you are passing. Before completing a pass, sound your horn so the driver ahead knows you are going to pass. That warning tells the other driver not to drift left or start a turn into your path while you are in the opposing lane. Flashing high beams can be mistaken for other signals, waiting silently leaves the driver unaware until you are alongside, and tapping your brakes warns drivers behind you rather than the one ahead. Check for opposing traffic, signal, check behind, sound the horn, and pass without lingering beside the other vehicle.

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