HI Permit Practice Test 21

All 20 questions in test 21

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 should a driver handle speed when approaching a marked curve?

   1. Slow before the curve, then maintain a steady speed through it
   2. Brake sharply only after the vehicle begins turning
   3. Accelerate into the bend to shorten the maneuver
   4. Move onto the shoulder if the curve tightens
   Show answer

   Slow before the curve, then maintain a steady speed through it. The manual sequence is to complete the main speed reduction before the curve and then hold a steady pace while steering. Braking sharply after turn-in can make the vehicle harder to control. Acceleration reduces the available margin, and the shoulder is not a normal lane for negotiating a bend. Read the road shape early, choose a speed that fits visibility and traction, and make calm steering inputs all the way through.

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

2. 2. If a broken-down vehicle cannot be moved from a hazardous position, where should its occupants generally remain?

   1. On the freeway shoulder beside the vehicle
   2. In the traffic lane to warn approaching drivers
   3. In the vehicle, unless a safe location can be reached
   4. Walking in the roadway toward the nearest exit
   Show answer

   In the vehicle, unless a safe location can be reached. The breakdown procedure distinguishes between a safe place that occupants can reach and every other situation. If the vehicle cannot move but a safe location is reachable, occupants should go there. In all other cases, remaining inside is the stated guidance. Standing in a travel lane, beside a freeway, or walking along the roadway increases exposure to moving traffic. Turn on hazard warning lights and use other warning equipment as needed, but do not leave the vehicle casually while the position remains dangerous.

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

3. 3. How does the manual say to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning from your vehicle?

   1. Run the engine with the garage door cracked open
   2. Open the windows while idling
   3. Idle the engine to clear the pipes
   4. Keep the exhaust system free of leaks
   Show answer

   Keep the exhaust system free of leaks. The exhaust system carries gases to an exit point chosen to keep fumes out of the passenger compartment, and the manual says to keep it free of leaks to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, replacing defective parts immediately. A cracked garage door or an open window does not seal a leaking system, and idling only produces more exhaust. Carbon monoxide is odorless, so you cannot rely on smell to warn you. Have leaks repaired at once, and never run the engine in a closed space.

4. 4. What is defensive driving, as the manual defines it?

   1. Driving below the limit at all hours
   2. Keeping both hands clamped on the wheel
   3. Letting faster traffic pass without comment
   4. Identifying dangers and acting before a crash develops
   Show answer

   Identifying dangers and acting before a crash develops. The manual defines defensive driving as a driving technique in which you identify dangerous driving situations and take action to defend against the danger before a crash situation develops. The emphasis is on early detection and early action, aimed at avoiding drivers who are aggressive, careless, inattentive or intoxicated, among others. Driving slowly, gripping the wheel and yielding to speeders can all play a part, but none of them is the definition. Scan for trouble early, and act while the problem is still small.

   Study this in the handbook: Attitude, age and distraction

5. 5. When leaving a diagonal parking space, what maneuver does the Hawaii manual describe?

   1. Back into the traffic lane first, a more dangerous maneuver
   2. Pull forward directly into the nearest lane
   3. Turn across the center line before backing
   4. Wait for a gap and drive out forward
   Show answer

   Back into the traffic lane first, a more dangerous maneuver. A diagonal parking space faces the vehicle toward the stall, so leaving it requires first backing into the traffic lane. Hawaii calls that maneuver much more dangerous and difficult than moving forward from a parallel space and says it requires more time. Pulling forward directly and waiting for a gap both describe a forward exit that does not fit the nose-in position. Turning across the center line adds a crossing movement that the passage does not authorize. Backing into the traffic lane first states both the required movement and the manual's warning about its difficulty.

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

6. 6. What does the Hawaii manual say about stopping a large vehicle?

   1. It needs more distance than a passenger car
   2. It stops in the same distance as a car
   3. It stops faster because of its weight
   4. It needs less distance on a downgrade
   Show answer

   It needs more distance than a passenger car. Hawaii states that large vehicles require greater stopping distances than other vehicles. A passenger car cannot be used as the stopping-distance baseline for a heavy truck or bus, and a downgrade makes stopping more demanding rather than easier. Treating the vehicles as equal ignores the greater distance required, while treating weight as an advantage reverses the rule. Assuming a downgrade reduces the needed distance also reverses the effect of a downhill grade. The practical reading of the rule is to leave a large vehicle enough room to slow and stop without a late emergency maneuver.

7. 7. On a Hawaii freeway, which lanes should through traffic use?

   1. The right lane only
   2. The left or center lanes
   3. The shoulder beside the exit lane
   4. Any lane, as long as it is below the limit
   Show answer

   The left or center lanes. Through traffic belongs in the left or center lanes, moving at or near the posted limit. The right lane is meant for vehicles that cannot keep up with through traffic and for cars entering or leaving the freeway, so filling it with cruising traffic blocks merges and forces lane changes near ramps. The shoulder is not a travel lane at all. Choosing the correct lane early keeps the merge area open and reduces the weaving that causes freeway crashes.

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

8. 8. What does the manual say about how alcohol affects a person from one occasion to another?

   1. The effect is identical every time
   2. The effect depends only on the type of drink
   3. The effect disappears after one hour
   4. The effect can differ at different times
   Show answer

   The effect can differ at different times. Alcohol can affect you differently at different times, so a drink that felt mild last week may hit harder tonight. Food, fatigue, medication, body weight and how quickly the drink was consumed all change the result. The effect is not identical on every occasion, does not depend only on whether the beverage is beer, wine or whiskey, and does not clear in a fixed hour. That variability is why a driver cannot rely on a past experience to judge fitness. Track the number of drinks and the time, and arrange a sober ride before the first one.

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

9. 9. When backing a Hawaii vehicle, what should the driver rely on instead of rear view mirrors alone?

   1. A passenger calling directions from outside the vehicle at all times
   2. Turning around and looking to the rear
   3. The backup camera screen without looking behind the vehicle
   4. Horn taps before moving to clear the path behind the vehicle
   Show answer

   Turning around and looking to the rear. The Hawaii manual tells a driver who is backing to turn around and look to the rear rather than rely on rear-view mirrors. A passenger can help, but the driver still needs a direct look. A camera screen and horn taps do not replace seeing the area behind the vehicle, especially close to the bumper. Turning around and looking to the rear states the required action without adding a second device as a substitute. The driver's direct view is the basis for deciding whether the backing path is clear enough to move.

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

10. 10. Which Hawaii license class is required to operate a moped on Hawaii highways?

    1. Class 2 license
    2. Class 3 license
    3. Class 1 license
    4. Any class with a moped endorsement added later
    Show answer

    Class 1 license. The Hawaii manual names class 1 as the license required to operate a moped on the state's highways. The passage does not say that class 2, class 3, or a later endorsement is the moped license. Those choices substitute other license categories or add a process the cited rule does not describe. This item turns on the class assigned to the moped, not on the size of the trip or the driver's familiarity with the vehicle. Match the vehicle to the class stated in the licensing chapter.

    Study this in the handbook: The instruction permit

11. 11. What should a Hawaii driver who must travel but is unfit to drive do instead?

    1. Drive slowly on back roads
    2. Wait one hour regardless of condition
    3. Drive with windows open for air
    4. Seek help from friends, neighbors or public transit
    Show answer

    Seek help from friends, neighbors or public transit. Hawaii gives unfit drivers a clear alternative: if you must make the trip, seek assistance from friends or neighbors or use some form of public transportation. Slow back road driving still places an impaired driver at a wheel. A fixed one hour wait may be far too short for alcohol or medication effects. Open windows do not restore judgment or reaction time. Keep ride service numbers and a trusted friend contact in your phone before you need them. Planning the ride home is part of planning any evening out.

12. 12. You are on foot and about to cross the street. What should you look for before stepping out?

    1. Only vehicles coming from the left
    2. Turning vehicles that may cross your path
    3. Parked cars with their engines running
    4. Bicycles parked along the curb
    Show answer

    Turning vehicles that may cross your path. Before crossing the street on foot, look for turning vehicles. A driver turning into your crossing may be watching for a gap in traffic rather than for a person stepping from the curb, and the turn brings the vehicle across your line from the side. Vehicles from the left are only part of the picture, a parked car with its engine running has not yet entered your path, and parked bicycles do not move into the crossing. Check left, right and behind for turns, make sure drivers see you, and cross without running.

    Study this in the handbook: Pedestrian safety

13. 13. Why does the manual call for extra care when passing on the right?

    1. Right-side passes are always illegal on any road
    2. The right lane has worse pavement
    3. The other car cannot see you in its blind spot
    4. Oncoming traffic uses that side
    Show answer

    The other car cannot see you in its blind spot. The manual says to be extra careful about passing on the right because you will approach the overtaken vehicle in the driver's blind spot. A driver who never checks over the right shoulder will not know you are there, and a drift or a lane change can squeeze you against the curb. Right-side passes are legal in the conditions the manual lists, pavement quality is not the stated reason, and oncoming traffic never uses your side of the road. Pass briskly, and stay out of the blind spot.

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

14. 14. You pass a car that has just pulled into a parking space. What should you assume?

    1. The car will pull back out quickly
    2. The spot will stay clear for minutes
    3. The driver is done driving for the day
    4. The driver will open a door
    Show answer

    The driver will open a door. When you approach a vehicle that has just stopped in a parked position, the manual says to assume that the driver will open the door as you approach. Doors swing into the traffic lane without warning, and a rider or driver stepping out is invisible until the hinge moves. Expecting a quick re-departure, a long clear spell or a finished driver are all guesses the manual refuses to make. Give freshly parked cars a door's width of room as you pass.

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

15. 15. You are third in a line of cars behind a slow vehicle on a two-lane road. What does the manual advise?

    1. Pass the entire line in one move
    2. Let the vehicles ahead pass the lead vehicle first
    3. Sound the horn to move the line along
    4. Use the shoulder to pass the queue
    Show answer

    Let the vehicles ahead pass the lead vehicle first. In a line of vehicles, the manual says to allow the vehicles ahead to pass the lead vehicle before you attempt to pass. Each car needs its own clear gap in the oncoming lane, and bunching the passes stacks several cars in the opposing lane at once. Passing the whole line in one move extends that exposure, a horn does not shorten the sight distance, and the shoulder is not a passing lane. Wait your turn, then make a single, well-spaced pass.

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

16. 16. A two-lane Hawaii road has a paved shoulder on the right. May you use that shoulder to pass a slower car?

    1. Yes, if the car ahead is signaling for a left turn
    2. Yes, when the shoulder is at least eight feet wide
    3. No, passing on the right shoulder is prohibited
    4. No, unless a flagperson waves you around a work zone
    Show answer

    No, passing on the right shoulder is prohibited. Hawaii lists the right shoulder as a place where passing is not allowed. A shoulder is not a travel lane, so it may hold broken pavement, parked cars, mailboxes or a cyclist, and the driver ahead will not expect a car to appear there. Neither a left-turn signal nor a wide shoulder changes the rule, and a flagperson directs traffic through a work zone rather than authorizing a shoulder pass. Wait until a marked passing zone opens on the left and you can see enough clear road.

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

17. 17. Your brakes fail completely on a Hawaii road. What is the first step the manual gives?

    1. Pump the brake pedal quickly
    2. Turn off the engine and coast
    3. Apply the parking brake with full force
    4. Shift to neutral and honk
    Show answer

    Pump the brake pedal quickly. The manual's brake-failure procedure starts with pumping the brake pedal quickly, then shifting to a lower gear. After that, look for an escape route such as a side road or a flat open area, use lights and horn to warn others, and apply the parking brake gradually to stop. Turning off the engine can lock the steering, and full-force parking brake use can cause a skid. Work through the steps in order rather than grabbing the first control that comes to mind.

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

18. 18. There is no sidewalk, so a Hawaii pedestrian must walk on the roadway. Which side should they use?

    1. The left side, facing oncoming traffic
    2. The right side, with their back to traffic
    3. Either side, if they wear bright colors
    4. The center, where drivers can see them sooner
    Show answer

    The left side, facing oncoming traffic. The manual tells pedestrians to walk on the left side of the street facing oncoming traffic. Facing the cars lets a walker see a drifting vehicle or a wide load and step aside before it arrives; walking with traffic leaves the decision to a driver behind them. Bright clothing helps but does not replace the view. The center of the road gives no escape path and puts the walker in both directions of traffic. When a sidewalk is available, use it.

    Study this in the handbook: Pedestrian safety

19. 19. You enter a road work area. What shape are most of the warning signs there?

    1. Round, like railroad crossing signs
    2. Diamond shaped, like other warning signs
    3. Rectangular, like speed limit signs
    4. Triangular, like yield signs
    Show answer

    Diamond shaped, like other warning signs. Most signs in work areas are diamond shaped, matching the warning sign family used elsewhere on the road. A few work area signs are rectangular, but the diamond remains the usual shape a driver should expect beside cones and barricades. Round signs belong to railroad advance warnings, rectangular signs in this setting are the exception rather than the rule, and triangular signs give yield messages. Treat every diamond in a work area as a warning, slow early, and follow the channelizing devices and flagperson directions through the zone.

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

20. 20. A Hawaii driver is moving slower than other traffic. Where should that driver travel?

    1. In the extreme left lane
    2. In the extreme right lane
    3. Straddling two lanes
    4. In the center lane at all times
    Show answer

    In the extreme right lane. Slower traffic belongs in the extreme right lane in Hawaii, leaving faster lanes open for passing. Claiming the extreme left lane at low speed blocks the very lane faster drivers need. Straddling lanes takes two spaces and invites sideswipes. Holding the center lane regardless of speed ignores the keep right instruction tied to slower movement. If traffic keeps overtaking you on a multi lane road, take that as your cue. Move right, settle at a steady pace, and let the flow pass on your left.

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