HI Permit Practice Test 19

All 20 questions in test 19

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. You pass your intended exit while driving through a Hawaii roundabout. What should you do?

   1. Stop and back up to the exit
   2. Turn across the central island to save time
   3. Wave traffic through and reverse
   4. Drive around again to reach the exit
   Show answer

   Drive around again to reach the exit. If you miss your exit, the manual says to drive through the roundabout again until you reach it. Stopping, backing up or turning across the central island puts your car where other drivers and pedestrians do not expect it and can cause a collision. Continue around the circle at a low speed, signal for the correct exit on the next lap and check for bicycles before leaving. A missed exit costs a few seconds; a sudden reversal can cost much more. Stay calm, keep moving with the flow and take the exit when it comes around again.

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

2. 2. When using the parking brake to stop a car with failed brakes, how should you apply it?

   1. All at once, as hard as possible
   2. Only after the car has stopped
   3. Gradually, without great force
   4. In short jerks while steering
   Show answer

   Gradually, without great force. The manual warns not to apply the parking brake rapidly or with great force, because that can make you lose control. Apply it gradually and let the car slow to a stop. Waiting until the car has already stopped defeats the purpose, and jerking the brake while steering adds another loss-of-control risk. Use the pedal first, shift to a lower gear, aim for an escape route, and then bring the parking brake on smoothly while you keep the steering steady.

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

3. 3. Why can a motorcycle's speed and distance be hard for a car driver to judge?

   1. Its headlight is always too bright for oncoming traffic
   2. It travels only in the left lane of the highway
   3. Its narrow profile makes it look farther and slower
   4. Its tires are wider than a passenger car's tires
   Show answer

   Its narrow profile makes it look farther and slower. The manual explains that a motorcycle presents a narrow silhouette and is usually shorter than a car, so it may appear farther away and traveling slower than it actually is. The missing width gives the eye less to work with, especially at dusk or against a busy background. A bright headlight, a fixed lane or tire width do not explain the misjudgment. Take a second and third look before turning or entering an intersection, and give the rider enough time to clear the path.

4. 4. What shape and colors does the manual describe for standard warning signs?

   1. Round with white lettering on orange
   2. Diamond-shaped with a black legend and border on yellow
   3. Rectangular with white lettering and arrows on green
   4. Triangular with red lettering on white
   Show answer

   Diamond-shaped with a black legend and border on yellow. Warning signs are usually diamond-shaped with a black legend and border on a yellow background. The diamond on yellow is the profile you should expect to carry a hazard message: curves, merges, crossings and the like. Green rectangles are guide signs, red-and-white triangles are yield signage, and orange belongs to road work rather than this standard warning look. When you see the diamond silhouette ahead, start reading the road for the hazard it announces before the words become legible.

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

5. 5. The Hawaii manual's 100-foot signaling distance is about how many car lengths?

   1. Two car lengths
   2. Five car lengths
   3. Seven car lengths
   4. Ten car lengths
   Show answer

   Five car lengths. A signal given at least 100 feet before a lane change, turn or stop equals about five car lengths. The comparison helps you judge the distance without measuring: pick a spot five cars ahead and start your signal before you reach it. The manual also advises signaling for a greater distance when driving at higher speeds, because faster traffic covers 100 feet sooner. Two, seven or ten car lengths misstate the equivalence the manual gives, and a late signal gives drivers behind no time to react.

   Study this in the handbook: Turn signals and railroad crossings

6. 6. A lane's pavement shows arrows for both straight ahead and a left turn. What may you do from that lane?

   1. Move straight only
   2. Turn left only
   3. Back up and choose another lane
   4. Choose either direction the arrows indicate
   Show answer

   Choose either direction the arrows indicate. Directional markings are white arrows or words painted in a lane to show the movements that lane serves. Where the arrows indicate more than one direction, you may choose any direction indicated. That means straight or left are both lawful from this lane, but movements outside the arrows are not. Backing up in a live lane to reach a different one is dangerous and unnecessary. Read the pavement early, commit to one of the marked choices, and signal for the turn if that is your path.

7. 7. Why does the Hawaii manual call for extraordinary care when backing in residential areas?

   1. Mailboxes and fences sit close to the curb
   2. Children often play behind and between parked vehicles
   3. Residential streets ban all backing
   4. Pets sleep under cars during the day
   Show answer

   Children often play behind and between parked vehicles. Children are small, quick and easy to miss in mirrors, and the manual says to exercise extraordinary caution when backing up in residential areas because children often play behind and between parked vehicles. Back slowly, check the mirrors and look over your shoulder repeatedly, and be ready to stop at once. Mailbox clearance, a total backing ban and pet behavior are not the hazard the manual names. If children are nearby, wait, or get out and look behind the car before you move it.

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

8. 8. You are leaving a driveway and entering the roadway. Which turn does the Hawaii manual prefer?

   1. A left turn, because it needs less waiting
   2. Whichever direction has the shorter gap
   3. A right turn into the nearest lane
   4. A left turn into the farthest lane
   Show answer

   A right turn into the nearest lane. When entering traffic from a driveway, the manual says to enter the nearest lane in a right turn whenever possible. A right turn keeps you out of the path of oncoming cars and puts you in the lane closest to your starting point. A left turn from a driveway crosses oncoming traffic and needs a much larger gap. Waiting for a shorter gap in either direction does not change which maneuver is safer. Turn right first, then change lanes later if your route requires it.

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

9. 9. Who may ride in the vehicle during a Hawaii driver performance (road) test?

   1. No passengers are permitted during the test
   2. One parent or guardian
   3. The licensed driver who came with you to the testing station
   4. Up to two passengers who are 21 or older
   Show answer

   No passengers are permitted during the test. The manual states that passengers are not permitted during the road test. You must be accompanied to the testing station by a licensed driver, but that person does not ride along during the test itself. A parent or guardian is not an exception, and there is no allowance for adult passengers. The examiner will not ask you to violate any law, and no tricks are used.

   Study this in the handbook: Documents, tests and renewal

10. 10. What do Hawaii speed limit signs show, and how do they look?

    1. Round yellow signs with suggested speeds
    2. Green signs with route speeds
    3. Orange signs for temporary limits only
    4. Rectangular black and white; maximum and minimum limits
    Show answer

    Rectangular black and white; maximum and minimum limits. Hawaii speed limit signs are rectangular black and white signs used to show the established maximum and minimum speed limits. Both ends of the legal range can appear, so a slow driver can violate the minimum just as a fast driver breaks the maximum. Round yellow signs give advisory speeds for curves, which are guidance rather than the legal limit. Green and orange signs serve guide and work zone roles. Read the black and white rectangle as law: stay between its floor and ceiling whenever both are posted.

    Study this in the handbook: Speed rules

11. 11. A Hawaii vehicle has a defect that may affect safe operation. What should be done?

    1. Wait for the annual inspection to identify it
    2. Correct it as soon as possible
    3. Repair it only if it affects the vehicle's appearance
    4. Continue driving until the next long trip
    Show answer

    Correct it as soon as possible. Hawaii says any defect that may affect safe operation should be corrected as soon as possible. The duty does not wait for an annual inspection, and a cosmetic issue is not the same as a safety defect. Continuing to drive until a long trip keeps a known risk in use instead of addressing it promptly. Correcting the defect as soon as possible matches the timing in the manual. The rule applies to defects that can affect operation, so appearance alone does not set the repair priority and a future inspection is not the trigger.

12. 12. What do regulatory traffic control devices in Hawaii instruct a driver to do?

    1. Stop, proceed in a certain direction, or limit speed
    2. Choose any lane that appears open at the moment of arrival
    3. Park briefly wherever a hazard light can be switched on for others
    4. Ignore pavement arrows when no officer is present to enforce them
    Show answer

    Stop, proceed in a certain direction, or limit speed. Hawaii groups traffic control devices into three categories, and regulatory devices carry legal orders: they instruct you to stop, proceed in a certain direction, or limit your speed. Picking any open lane disregards the direction orders in that list. Brief parking on hazard lights is not a regulatory instruction at all. Arrows on the pavement bind drivers whether or not an officer watches. Read each regulatory sign as a command with the force of law, and set speed and position to obey it well before the point it governs.

    Study this in the handbook: Pavement markings

13. 13. You want to move into a gap ahead but must choose between slowing down and speeding up. What does the manual prefer?

    1. Speed up and cut in ahead
    2. Slow slightly and move in behind
    3. Hold your speed and force the gap beside the car
    4. Stop and wait for the lane to empty
    Show answer

    Slow slightly and move in behind. The manual says it is best to slow slightly and move in behind a vehicle rather than speed up and cut in ahead. When you move in behind, the car you are following stays in sight and the other driver has less reason to brake or react sharply. Speeding up to force the gap can crowd the car ahead, and stopping in a live lane to wait for an empty one creates a new hazard. Adjust your speed early, signal, check the blind spot and settle into the space without forcing anyone to change speed.

14. 14. Your car breaks down in a hazardous spot, but the occupants can reach a safe place. What does the manual say?

    1. Move the occupants to the safe location
    2. Keep everyone inside with the windows up
    3. Have everyone stand behind the car
    4. Send one person for help and leave the rest
    Show answer

    Move the occupants to the safe location. When the vehicle cannot be moved but a safe location is within reach, the manual says to move the occupants there. Staying in a car stopped in a live lane exposes everyone to a rear-end crash, and standing behind the car or beside it is worse because that is where a skidding vehicle will travel. Sending one person away while the rest remain splits the group without solving the danger. Move everyone together, well off the roadway, and then call for help.

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

15. 15. A Hawaii driver is taking medication that may affect driving. What should that driver do?

    1. Guess at the effect from past use
    2. Drive only at night to test alertness
    3. Obtain and follow a physician advice about driving
    4. Drive only short, familiar trips until the course ends
    Show answer

    Obtain and follow a physician advice about driving. Medication and driving mix only with medical guidance in Hawaii: obtain and follow your physician advice about driving. Past use is a weak guide because dose, health and other drugs change the picture. Night testing puts drowsiness trials in the darkest conditions. Limiting yourself to short familiar trips still puts a possibly drowsy driver on the road. Ask directly at the appointment whether driving is safe, and ask the pharmacist again when collecting the prescription. If either advises against driving, arrange rides until the course of treatment ends.

16. 16. When you drive forward out of a driveway onto a Hawaii street, where should you stop?

    1. At the edge of the traffic lane, after crossing the sidewalk
    2. Nowhere, if no pedestrians can be seen
    3. Only where a stop sign is posted at the driveway
    4. Before crossing the sidewalk area
    Show answer

    Before crossing the sidewalk area. When entering traffic from a driveway, always stop before entering the roadway, and make that stop before crossing the sidewalk area. Stopping only after crossing the sidewalk puts the car in the path of people walking there. The stop is required even when no pedestrian is in view, and the manual says failure to stop is unlawful. No stop sign is needed to create the duty. After stopping, move forward slowly, watch for pedestrians, and make sure the traffic lane is clear of oncoming vehicles.

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

17. 17. Your car overhangs the line of a marked parking space but is not larger than the space. What does Hawaii say?

    1. You may not park outside the marked space
    2. You may park if no other car is beside you
    3. You may park if the overhang is less than two feet
    4. You may park as long as the meter is paid
    Show answer

    You may not park outside the marked space. Parking is prohibited when your vehicle extends outside a marked parking space, unless the vehicle is larger than the space itself. A short overhang still takes room from the neighboring stall or the travel lane, and paying a meter or finding an empty car beside you does not fix that. The exception is about the size of the vehicle, not the driver's convenience. Center the car inside the lines, and choose a larger space if the vehicle does not fit.

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

18. 18. Which description matches a Hawaii speed limit sign?

    1. A red rectangular sign with white lettering
    2. A yellow diamond with black lettering
    3. A green rectangular sign with white lettering
    4. A rectangular black and white sign
    Show answer

    A rectangular black and white sign. Hawaii describes speed limit signs as rectangular black and white signs used to show established maximum and minimum speeds. A red rectangular sign can carry a different regulatory message, while a yellow diamond warns about a hazard and a green rectangle provides guide information. Those color and shape combinations do not identify the speed limit sign described here. The rectangular black and white description gives both features named in the manual. Once the sign is identified, read any number or special condition on it before choosing a safe speed for the road.

    Study this in the handbook: Speed rules

19. 19. According to the manual, what must a driver do about alcohol and other intoxicants?

    1. Know your limits and do not drive after using them
    2. Drive only after drinking a large meal
    3. Use coffee to shorten the effect
    4. Drive only on roads with light traffic and no pedestrians
    Show answer

    Know your limits and do not drive after using them. The manual lists three duties: understand what alcohol and other drugs do, know your limits and do not exceed them, and refrain from driving after ingesting an intoxicant. A meal may slow absorption but does not make driving safe, coffee does not sober anyone up, and light traffic does not remove the impairment. The responsibility sits with the driver before the first drink, not with a remedy afterward. Decide who will drive before the evening starts, hand over the keys if you have been drinking, and use a taxi, transit or a sober friend.

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

20. 20. Why might a motorcyclist move from one side of the lane to another?

    1. To block cars from passing
    2. To make the engine run cooler
    3. To avoid traffic and be more visible
    4. To prepare for parking on the shoulder
    Show answer

    To avoid traffic and be more visible. A motorcycle's lane position changes as traffic and road conditions change. The rider may move toward the center or right side to avoid traffic or to be seen by others on the road. The manual also warns that riders may shift suddenly to increase distance from hazards such as potholes or railroad tracks. The movement is not intended to block cars, cool the engine, or prepare for a shoulder stop. Give the motorcycle its full lane and expect its position to change.