HI Permit Practice Test 25

All 20 questions in test 25

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. Why does the manual cap the volume of your stereo or radio?

   1. Loud music drains the battery faster
   2. It violates the vehicle equipment statute
   3. You must be able to hear things outside your vehicle
   4. It annoys pedestrians near crosswalks
   Show answer

   You must be able to hear things outside your vehicle. The manual says to keep your stereo or radio at a volume low enough so you can hear things outside the vehicle. If it is turned up too loud, you may not hear a siren, a horn honking, screeching tires or other cues that would let you react to an emergency and prevent a crash. Battery drain, equipment statutes and pedestrian annoyance are not the manual's reasoning. Your ears are a driving sensor: keep them available, and never drive with headsets or earphones covering both ears.

   Study this in the handbook: Attitude, age and distraction

2. 2. In how many U.S. fatal crashes each year is alcohol a factor, according to the Hawaii manual?

   1. About 500
   2. Over 18,000, about 40 percent
   3. About 100,000
   4. About 1,000, or 2 percent
   Show answer

   Over 18,000, about 40 percent. The use of alcohol is a factor in over 18,000, about 40 percent, of the fatal motor vehicle crashes that occur every year in the United States, and the manual calls it every driver's problem whether or not you drink. The problem is not limited to alcoholics who drive drunk; it includes anyone who drives after consuming alcohol, even alcohol contained in medicine.

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

3. 3. You face a red traffic signal and want to turn right. What must you do first?

   1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop
   2. Slow to a rolling pace through the crosswalk
   3. Sound the horn before moving
   4. Flash your high beams once
   Show answer

   Bring the vehicle to a complete stop. The manual says to always bring the vehicle to a complete stop before making a right turn when facing a red traffic signal. A rolling turn treats the red light as a yield, which is not what the rule allows, and pedestrians or cyclists may be crossing from the right. Horns and headlight flashes are not signals the law recognizes for this maneuver. Stop fully behind the line, check the crosswalk and the intersection, then turn when it is safe to do so.

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

4. 4. While cruising on a clear road and not braking, what should you avoid doing with your foot?

   1. Tapping it on the floorboard
   2. Holding it over the accelerator
   3. Bracing it against the door panel
   4. Resting it on the brake pedal
   Show answer

   Resting it on the brake pedal. Hawaii warns drivers not to rest a foot on the brake pedal when they are not braking, because the brake lamps can give following drivers a false stop signal. The instruction applies while the vehicle is moving without a braking need, not to a driver who is actually holding the brake at a red light. The floorboard, accelerator position, and door panel do not activate the stop lamps. Resting a foot on the brake pedal is the action that can mislead traffic behind you. Keep the brake pedal free until braking is needed.

   Study this in the handbook: Turn signals and railroad crossings

5. 5. How does Hawaii treat each violation of its motor vehicle insurance law?

   1. As a warning for a first violation
   2. As a single offense no matter how many violations
   3. As a civil matter handled by the insurer
   4. As a separate offense
   Show answer

   As a separate offense. The manual says each violation of the motor vehicle insurance law is deemed a separate offense. That means a driver with more than one lapse or more than one uninsured vehicle can face more than one citation from the same set of facts. It is not a civil dispute left to the insurer, and the law does not reduce a first violation to a warning. Keep continuous coverage on every registered vehicle so a lapse does not multiply into several offenses.

   Study this in the handbook: Crashes, reports and insurance

6. 6. Almost half of the pedestrians killed in Hawaii traffic are in which age groups?

   1. Under 15 or over 65
   2. Between 15 and 24
   3. Between 25 and 45
   4. Over 80 only
   Show answer

   Under 15 or over 65. The manual says almost half of the fatally injured pedestrians are under 15 or over 65. Children are quick but inexperienced and often misjudge how fast a car is closing, while older people may have slower reactions, poorer vision and less ability to move out of the way. The 15 to 24, 25 to 45 and over 80 groups do not account for that near-half share on their own. Watch especially near schools, parks and senior centers, and give yourself time to stop.

   Study this in the handbook: Pedestrian safety

7. 7. What does the Hawaii manual call amphetamines sold as stimulants or diet pills?

   1. Downers and tranquilizers
   2. Pep pills and speed
   3. Cold pills and allergy remedies
   4. Pain pills and sleeping tablets
   Show answer

   Pep pills and speed. Amphetamines appear in stimulants and diet pills, and the manual gives their illegal trade names as pep pills and speed. They are not downers; that term belongs to tranquilizers and sedatives, which slow the body instead of speeding it up. Cold and allergy remedies are separate over-the-counter products, and pain or sleeping tablets are not the amphetamine group. Knowing the street names matters because a driver may be offered a pill without being told what it is. Refuse unknown drugs and check any prescription with a doctor.

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

8. 8. What awareness should a defensive driver in Hawaii maintain around the vehicle?

   1. Awareness only of the car directly ahead
   2. Focus on dashboard gauges most of the time
   3. Constant awareness of conditions around the vehicle
   4. Attention only at intersections
   Show answer

   Constant awareness of conditions around the vehicle. Defensive driving in Hawaii rests on a constant awareness of conditions in the vicinity of your vehicle, front, sides and rear. Watching only the car ahead blinds you to merging traffic and pedestrians at the edges. Gauges deserve glances, not the majority of your attention. Intersections demand extra scanning, yet hazards also appear mid block and in mirrors. Build a rhythm: far ahead, near ahead, mirrors, sides, then repeat. That moving picture lets few events surprise you, and surprises are what turn routine drives into emergencies.

   Study this in the handbook: Attitude, age and distraction

9. 9. You want to ask drivers for a ride or guard a parking place. Where does the manual say you may stand?

   1. In the travelled portion if you stay near the curb
   2. In the travelled portion for up to five minutes
   3. On the roadway if you wear bright clothing
   4. Not on the travelled portion of the roadway for that purpose
   Show answer

   Not on the travelled portion of the roadway for that purpose. A person must not walk or stand upon the travelled portion of the roadway to solicit for any reason or to guard a vehicle or parking place. The travelled portion is where vehicles move, and a standing person there forces drivers to swerve or brake without warning. Staying near the curb still leaves you in that moving area, a five minute limit does not appear in this prohibition, and bright clothing improves visibility without making the position lawful. Stand on the sidewalk or another place clear of moving traffic for any request or errand.

   Study this in the handbook: Pedestrian safety

10. 10. Why should a Hawaii driver avoid resting a foot on the brake pedal while not braking?

    1. It wears the brake pedal pad down much faster than normal use over time
    2. It can give following drivers a false stop lamp signal
    3. It improves the fuel economy figures claimed for the vehicle on the highway
    4. It locks the parking brake on so the car cannot move when parked
    Show answer

    It can give following drivers a false stop lamp signal. Riding the brake pedal in Hawaii can light the stop lamps without any real braking, sending following drivers a false stop signal. That false warning erodes trust in your brake lights and can trigger needless hard stops behind you. Pedal pad wear is trivial beside the safety issue. Fuel economy and parking brake locking have nothing to do with the habit. Keep your left foot on the floor and your right foot fully off the pedal between stops. Clear signals, given only when you truly slow, keep traffic behind you calm.

    Study this in the handbook: Turn signals and railroad crossings

11. 11. You have parallel parked on a street with no special markings. How much space should you leave between your bumpers and the vehicles in front and behind?

    1. At least six inches
    2. At least one foot
    3. At least two feet
    4. At least five feet
    Show answer

    At least two feet. After the parallel parking steps, Hawaii's manual adds a spacing rule: front and rear bumpers should not be closer than two feet from the other vehicles when in the parked position, unless the street is otherwise marked. Six inches and one foot are both closer than that two foot minimum. Five feet is more than the manual asks for, so it is not the figure to remember. Do not confuse this with the separate curb rule, which keeps the curbside wheels within 12 inches of the curb. If painted stalls or other markings are present, follow them instead.

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

12. 12. Which situation may constitute interference with the Hawaii driver?

    1. Driving with more than three people in the front seat
    2. Driving alone in the front seat
    3. Carrying one passenger in the back seat
    4. Driving with all seat belts fastened
    Show answer

    Driving with more than three people in the front seat. Hawaii prohibits interference with the driver and identifies driving with more than three persons in the front seat as a situation that may constitute it. The rule is about too many people in the front seat, not about having a driver alone, carrying one rear-seat passenger, or using seat belts. Driving with more than three people in the front seat states the condition named in the manual. The other arrangements do not match that condition. The number applies to persons in front, so a passenger sitting in the rear does not count toward this particular interference rule.

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

13. 13. A light rain has just begun after a long dry spell. What does the manual warn about the road surface?

    1. Traction improves as dust washes away
    2. The road stays grippy until an inch falls
    3. The road is most slippery right then
    4. Rain only matters after dark
    Show answer

    The road is most slippery right then. The first few drops of rain are a danger signal because the road is most slippery at that moment: oil dropped by passing cars has not yet been washed away, and oil plus water can feel like ice under the tires. Traction does not improve until the film is flushed off, and a serious hazard exists well before an inch accumulates. Daylight does not change the surface. Slow down early in the shower, keep the gap doubled, and watch for cars ahead braking on the same film.

    Study this in the handbook: Rain, fog and night driving

14. 14. Once you are inside a roundabout, what does the manual say about speed?

    1. Accelerate to clear the circle quickly
    2. Keep your speed low inside
    3. Match the fastest circulating vehicle
    4. Brake to a crawl at each exit
    Show answer

    Keep your speed low inside. Among the manual's tips for driving through a roundabout is to keep your speed low while in the roundabout. The circle works because every driver enters slowly, yields to circulating traffic, and moves through at a modest pace. Accelerating to clear it quickly endangers entering vehicles and pedestrians, matching the fastest car ignores your own exit, and crawling at each exit disrupts the flow behind you. Enter slow, circulate slow, signal right, and exit at the first safe opening.

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

15. 15. A car started to pass you but is now trapped by oncoming traffic. How does the manual say you can help avoid a collision?

    1. Steer as far to the right as you safely can, even onto the shoulder
    2. Speed up to stay ahead of the passing driver
    3. Brake hard in your lane to force the passer back
    4. Move to the left to block the pass
    Show answer

    Steer as far to the right as you safely can, even onto the shoulder. When another vehicle is attempting to pass you but cannot complete the pass because of oncoming traffic, the manual says you can help by steering your vehicle as far to the right as you safely can, even onto the shoulder if possible. That opens room in your lane for the passer to escape into. Speeding up extends the trap, hard braking can trigger the very crash you fear, and blocking the pass is dangerous retaliation, not driving. Give the struggling passer space and be ready to slow as well.

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

16. 16. You are riding a bicycle straight through an intersection, but your lane is marked for right turns only. What should you do?

    1. Stay in the lane and go straight with turning cars
    2. Move out of the right-turn-only lane
    3. Ride on the sidewalk until past the intersection
    4. Stop in the lane and wait for turning cars to clear
    Show answer

    Move out of the right-turn-only lane. A bicyclist going straight should move out of a right-turn-only lane. Lane markings assign each lane a movement, and a rider who goes straight from a turn lane places the bicycle where turning drivers expect the lane to empty to the right. Staying with turning cars invites a driver to turn across the bicycle. The sidewalk is not the through route for this maneuver, and stopping in the lane blocks turning traffic while leaving the conflict unsolved. Signal, check behind, and move to the through lane before the intersection when the way is clear.

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

17. 17. What color edge line marks the right edge of a Hawaii roadway?

    1. White
    2. Yellow
    3. Red
    4. Blue
    Show answer

    White. Edgelines are solid white or yellow lines along the edge of the roadway used as a safety guide. White lines run along the right edge, while yellow edge lines may appear along the left edge of divided streets and highways. Knowing the color scheme helps you confirm at a glance that you are on the correct side of the road, which matters most at night or in rain when the pavement edge is hard to judge. Red and blue are not edge line colors in this scheme.

    Study this in the handbook: Pavement markings

18. 18. Your steering fails completely. What does the manual say to do?

    1. Accelerate to keep the wheels straight
    2. Turn off the engine immediately
    3. Slow down and brake smoothly to a stop
    4. Jerk the wheel to test the linkage
    Show answer

    Slow down and brake smoothly to a stop. If the steering fails completely, the manual says to reduce speed slowly, apply the brakes as necessary to avoid an object and try to stop as smoothly as possible. Jerking the wheel tests nothing and may cause a sudden swerve, while shutting off the engine can lock the steering and remove power assist. Accelerating makes the car harder to control. Ease off the accelerator, brake gently and look for an open place to stop clear of traffic. Turn on your hazards once you are slowing.

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

19. 19. Which factor should never determine the speed of a Hawaii vehicle?

    1. The posted speed limits
    2. Fog
    3. A wet road surface
    4. Your emotions
    Show answer

    Your emotions. Hawaii says never to let emotions determine the speed of the vehicle. Anger, excitement, worry, or haste can push a driver toward a speed chosen by mood instead of by the road. Posted limits, fog, and a wet surface are legitimate conditions to consider because they affect what speed is safe. Your emotions are the factor the manual tells drivers to exclude. The rule does not say to ignore road information; it separates useful driving conditions from the driver's emotional state when selecting speed.

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

20. 20. How do large vehicles travel relative to the posted limit, and what should you do?

    1. They always exceed it; give up the road
    2. They may travel below it; use caution
    3. They match it exactly, so pass whenever you wish
    4. They ignore it; report them to police
    Show answer

    They may travel below it; use caution. The manual tells drivers to be aware that large vehicles may be traveling at a speed less than the posted speed limit, and to use caution when approaching or passing them. A loaded truck on a grade or in wind travels slower than cars expect, and misjudging that difference causes unsafe passes and sudden braking. They do not automatically speed, they do not match every car exactly, and the response is caution, not a complaint. Check the gap, pass only with real room, and signal early.