HI Permit Practice Test 17

All 20 questions in test 17

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. Where must a trailer's safety chains be attached?

   1. To the trailer hitch
   2. To the bumper
   3. To the frame of both vehicles
   4. To the license plate bracket
   Show answer

   To the frame of both vehicles. Safety chains must be attached to the frame of the towing vehicle and the trailer, not to a part of the trailer hitch. If the hitch fails, the chains are the backup that keeps the trailer from breaking free, so they need a connection stronger than the hitch itself. A bumper, a license bracket or the hitch body may tear away under load. Cross the chains when the setup allows it, check the links for wear before each trip and make sure there is enough slack to turn without dragging.

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

2. 2. A funeral procession is crossing a Hawaii intersection. What should you avoid doing?

   1. Remain stopped until the procession has passed
   2. Wait for the last vehicle before proceeding
   3. Drive between the vehicles in the procession
   4. Proceed only after the procession clears the intersection
   Show answer

   Drive between the vehicles in the procession. The Hawaii manual tells drivers not to drive between vehicles in a funeral procession. The vehicles are moving as one group, so entering the gap can split the procession and create a conflict at the intersection. Remaining stopped, waiting for the last vehicle, and proceeding after the procession clears all describe waiting until the group has cleared before moving. The prohibited action is the one that inserts your vehicle into the line, even if a gap appears large enough. Let the procession pass as a unit, then continue when the intersection and your path are clear.

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

3. 3. Your right wheels drop off the pavement onto gravel. What should you not do?

   1. Continue with the wheels off the pavement
   2. Reduce your speed
   3. Use the brakes gently
   4. Jerk the steering wheel hard to get back on
   Show answer

   Jerk the steering wheel hard to get back on. The manual says not to force the vehicle back onto the pavement by jerking the steering wheel. At speed, a hard pull can make the car cross the lane or spin when the tires catch the pavement edge. Instead, keep the wheels off the pavement, reduce speed, use the brakes gently and turn back on only when you are slow enough to stay in your lane. Loose gravel and a pavement lip both reduce grip, so the return should be a smooth, deliberate move.

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

4. 4. Who must carry motor vehicle insurance in Hawaii?

   1. Only drivers under 25 who are still on a learner permit
   2. Only cars that are financed through a bank or credit union lender
   3. Every owner of a car, bus, or truck that is registered or operated
   4. Only vehicles used for commercial purposes
   Show answer

   Every owner of a car, bus, or truck that is registered or operated. Every owner of a car, bus or truck must have motor vehicle insurance to register or operate the vehicle in Hawaii. The requirement is not limited to young drivers, financed cars or commercial vehicles. A lender may add its own coverage condition, but that is a separate contract, not the state rule. Keep the insurance identification card with the vehicle, because it is also needed for the safety inspection. Letting a policy lapse can lead to a citation and license or registration consequences.

   Study this in the handbook: Crashes, reports and insurance

5. 5. How does the manual describe a large vehicle's ability to accelerate and maneuver?

   1. It accelerates faster than a car
   2. It accelerates slowly and maneuvers less quickly
   3. It handles turns better than a car
   4. It needs no extra room to change lanes
   Show answer

   It accelerates slowly and maneuvers less quickly. The manual says large vehicles accelerate very slowly and cannot make maneuvers as quickly as other vehicles. A loaded truck may take a long time to build speed, so a driver who pulls out in front and then slows can force the truck to brake hard or lose momentum. The size and weight that limit acceleration also make turns and lane changes slower. Give a large vehicle room to complete a turn or a merge, and do not assume it can speed up to avoid a conflict.

6. 6. How should rear-view mirrors be adjusted?

   1. Downward to watch the rear tire
   2. Toward the driver's face for quick checks
   3. Level with the door handles
   4. To give the maximum view to the rear horizon
   Show answer

   To give the maximum view to the rear horizon. The manual says rear-view mirrors should be adjusted to give you the maximum view to the rear horizon, and all mirrors should stay clean and firmly attached. A mirror aimed at the rear tire wastes its field on your own car, and angling it toward your face turns it into a vanity mirror rather than a safety tool. Door-handle level is not the aiming standard the manual gives. Set each mirror so the lane behind and the horizon fill the glass, then recheck after any body shift.

7. 7. When turning at an intersection or entering or leaving a driveway, whom does the manual tell you to watch for?

   1. Parked cars pulling out without signaling
   2. Drivers waiting to enter the roadway
   3. Children playing near the curb
   4. Pedestrians on foot in your path
   Show answer

   Pedestrians on foot in your path. Drivers must watch for pedestrians when turning at intersections and when entering or leaving driveways. A turn crosses the very lines where people walk, and a driveway entry or exit crosses the sidewalk where a walker may be hidden by a hedge or a parked car. Parked cars, waiting drivers and playing children all deserve attention in other moments, but the rule for turns and driveways names pedestrians because your path bends across theirs. Slow the turn, look both ways along the sidewalk, and yield before your bumper crosses the walking line.

   Study this in the handbook: Pedestrian safety

8. 8. What do the large X and two Rs painted in a traffic lane before a crossing identify?

   1. A railroad crossing
   2. A school crossing
   3. A fire station entrance
   4. A dead end
   Show answer

   A railroad crossing. Railroad crossing markings are white markings painted in the traffic lane before crossings, using a large X and two Rs. The same layout adds a solid yellow centerline extending the entire distance to prevent passing, plus a white stop line across the lane. Together they warn you to hold your lane position, keep speed down and be ready to stop at the marked line. School crossings, fire stations and dead ends each use different signs and markings, not the X and RR symbols.

9. 9. What does a Hawaii warning sign about reduced speed ahead ask the driver to start doing?

   1. Begin to reduce speed
   2. Maintain speed until the new sign
   3. Change to the left lane
   4. Stop before proceeding
   Show answer

   Begin to reduce speed. Advance speed warnings in Hawaii tell you that you should begin to reduce your speed, using the distance before the restriction to slow smoothly. Holding speed until the new limit sign forces hard braking at the boundary. A lane change does nothing to meet a lower ceiling. A full stop overshoots the instruction where no stop control exists. Lift off early, let engine braking help, and arrive at the tighter zone already at its pace. Passengers should feel one long, gentle slowdown rather than a sudden dive.

   Study this in the handbook: Traffic device types, warning, guide and work zone signs

10. 10. On a road with two lanes in your direction and light traffic, what is the left lane for?

    1. Driving at a steady cruising speed in the left lane
    2. Trucks making wide turns
    3. Parking during short errands
    4. Passing or vehicles entering from the right
    Show answer

    Passing or vehicles entering from the right. In a free-flowing two-lane situation, the right lane is the normal travel lane and the left lane is meant for passing or for vehicles entering from the right. Using the left lane as a permanent cruising lane blocks faster traffic and pushes passes to the right, where drivers expect slower cars. Trucks may need extra room to turn, but that does not make the left lane a truck lane, and a travel lane is not a parking space. Drive right, move left to pass, then return to the right when the lane is clear.

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

11. 11. What does a plain green light mean at a Hawaii signal?

    1. Go ahead or turn, unless signs prohibit turns
    2. Stop, then proceed with caution
    3. Turn only; straight movement is barred
    4. Proceed at the posted limit without yielding to anyone
    Show answer

    Go ahead or turn, unless signs prohibit turns. A green light means go straight ahead or turn, except when signs prohibit turns, and you must yield to all pedestrians and vehicles already in the intersection. Green is permission to enter, not a guarantee the path is empty: a car caught in the box or a late pedestrian keeps the right of way you must honor. Stopping first misreads the signal, a turn-only reading invents a restriction, and yielding never lapses. Enter on green only when your path is actually clear.

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

12. 12. A driver takes an allergy remedy bought without a prescription. What does the manual warn?

    1. It may contain ingredients that affect driving
    2. It is always safe because no prescription is needed
    3. It only affects drivers under 21
    4. It improves alertness on long trips
    Show answer

    It may contain ingredients that affect driving. The manual warns that some allergy remedies and cold pills sold without a prescription may contain ingredients that affect driving ability. A product being available over the counter does not mean it is safe behind the wheel; many cold and allergy medicines cause drowsiness or slow reactions. The effect is not limited to young drivers, and these products do not improve alertness. Read the label for drowsiness warnings, ask a pharmacist when unsure, and avoid driving until you know how the medicine affects you. Never add alcohol to the mix.

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

13. 13. You are about to drive a car you have never driven. What does the manual say to do first?

    1. Adjust the radio to a familiar station
    2. Learn where the signals, lamps, wipers, brakes and horn are
    3. Take a short freeway drive to learn the car
    4. Check only the fuel gauge and mirrors
    Show answer

    Learn where the signals, lamps, wipers, brakes and horn are. For an unfamiliar vehicle, the manual says to take a few minutes to familiarize yourself with the location and operation of the turn and hazard warning signals, head lamps and beam selector, windshield wipers and washers, brakes, gear selector and horn, and to correct any defects before the vehicle is driven. Hunting for the wiper switch in a downpour or the horn in an emergency is a preventable hazard. The radio can wait, a freeway trial is the worst classroom, and fuel and mirrors alone leave the controls unknown.

14. 14. You park a manual-transmission car on a Hawaii hill and it has no PARK position. What should you do?

    1. Shift to neutral and set the parking brake
    2. Leave it in the highest gear and set the parking brake
    3. Shift to reverse or low gear
    4. Hold the clutch down while you walk away
    Show answer

    Shift to reverse or low gear. For a car without a park position, the manual says to shift to reverse or low gear after setting the hand brake. First gear and reverse both connect the engine to the wheels, so the car has to turn the engine before it can roll. The highest gear is too tall to hold the car, neutral holds nothing, and keeping the clutch pressed defeats the purpose. Set the brake, choose reverse or low, then release the clutch and let the drivetrain help.

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

15. 15. Besides showing impairment, what else can a Hawaii alcohol test do for a driver?

    1. Shorten the license revocation
    2. Replace the need for a hearing before the revocation
    3. Prove the driver is not under the influence
    4. Erase the arrest record
    Show answer

    Prove the driver is not under the influence. The manual notes that the test can also prove you are not under the influence of alcohol. That matters because a test result is evidence in both directions: it can support a charge, and it can clear a driver who has not been drinking. Refusing the test does not preserve that option and can lead to revocation on its own. A test does not shorten a revocation, replace a hearing or erase an arrest record. If you have not been drinking, the result can confirm it, which is one reason the implied-consent law expects cooperation.

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

16. 16. When may bicyclists ride two abreast, according to the manual?

    1. On a bike lane or path wide enough not to impede traffic
    2. On any roadway with a group of three or more
    3. Whenever a parent rides alongside a child
    4. On any street outside school hours
    Show answer

    On a bike lane or path wide enough not to impede traffic. On the roadway, bicyclists must ride single file. They may ride two abreast on a bicycle lane or path if it is wide enough not to impede traffic. The default on the traveled roadway is single file because a side-by-side pair blocks the lane cars need, and the exception lives only where the bike facility is genuinely wide. Group size, family arrangements and time of day are not conditions the manual sets. Expect riders abreast only where the lane or path clearly has room.

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

17. 17. When children are present near a marked School Crossing, what speed rule applies?

    1. Continue at the posted maximum because the sign is advisory
    2. Reduce speed below the posted general limit
    3. Stop only when a crossing guard enters the lane
    4. Increase speed to clear the crossing quickly
    Show answer

    Reduce speed below the posted general limit. Hawaii requires a reduced speed near schools and playgrounds and at locations marked with a School Crossing sign when children are present. The rule is more protective than simply obeying the ordinary posted maximum. A warning sign is not permission to maintain speed, and the manual does not make a crossing guard’s physical presence the trigger. The practical cue is the combination of the School Crossing sign and visible children: ease off the accelerator early, scan both sides, and be prepared for a child to enter the roadway.

    Study this in the handbook: Speed rules

18. 18. What does the manual require before you change lanes on a street marked with traffic lanes?

    1. A tap of the horn to warn the adjacent lane
    2. A check that the change can be made safely
    3. A drop of five mph below the traffic flow
    4. A wave to the driver behind you
    Show answer

    A check that the change can be made safely. When a street or road is marked with traffic lanes, you must drive entirely within the marked lane and not change lanes until you have checked that the change can be made safely. The check means mirrors and a glance at the blind spot, not a horn blast, a speed drop or a hand wave, none of which clears the adjacent lane. Staying fully inside your lane also keeps you out of the space two vehicles might claim at once. Signal, check, then move cleanly.

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

19. 19. When two Hawaii vehicles travel in opposite directions and pass each other, on which side must they pass?

    1. On the left
    2. On the shoulder side only
    3. On whichever side is wider
    4. On the right
    Show answer

    On the right. Opposing traffic in Hawaii passes on the right, each driver keeping right so the vehicles clear each other. Passing on the left would place both vehicles in the same space at the same moment. Width of either side does not rewrite the meeting rule, and the shoulder is not a travel lane for routine passing. On narrow roads without markings, still edge right and slow down. That shared habit gives both drivers the same expectation when headlights appear around a bend at night or in rain.

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

20. 20. What risk does Hawaii note about older drivers and changing capability?

    1. They always recognize any decline in ability quickly and adjust on their own
    2. They often do not recognize gradual decrease in capability and grow more dangerous
    3. Age removes the need for vision checks at license renewal time in Hawaii
    4. Experience behind the wheel fully offsets any decline in vision or reflexes
    Show answer

    They often do not recognize gradual decrease in capability and grow more dangerous. Hawaii warns that older drivers very often do not recognize the gradual decrease in their capability to cope with driving, becoming increasingly dangerous to themselves and others. Decline arrives slowly, in night vision, reaction time and head turning, so it can feel like nothing changed. Vision checks remain part of renewal at every age. Experience helps judgment but cannot restore reflexes or eyesight. Honest family conversations and voluntary refresher courses protect an aging driver far better than waiting for a crash to force the discussion.

    Study this in the handbook: Attitude, age and distraction