Vehicle checks, seating and restraints

Key points

1. Have your tire pressure checked once a month.

   Source: Handbook p. 11

   “It is recommended that drivers have the tire pressure checked once a month.”
   New Hampshire Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 11

2. Adjust the head rest so it touches the back of your head, not below the ears.

   Source: Handbook p. 11

   “Head rests should be adjusted so the head rest comes in contact with the back of the driver's head, but not below the ears.”
   New Hampshire Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 11

3. Keep 10 inches between your chest and the steering wheel.

   Source: Handbook p. 11

   “There should be 10 inches between the driver's chest and the steering wheel.”
   New Hampshire Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 11

4. Safety restraints are required for anyone under 18, and recommended for everyone.

   Source: Handbook p. 11

   “In New Hampshire, safety restraints are required for anyone under the age of 18; however, it is highly recommended that drivers and passengers of all ages use safety restraints.”
   New Hampshire Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 11

5. A child under 7 and under 57 inches tall must ride in an approved child passenger restraint.

   Source: Handbook p. 12

   “A child less than 7 years old and less than 57 inches in height must be properly fastened and secured in a child passenger restraint”
   New Hampshire Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 12

6. Motorcycle riders and passengers under 18 must wear approved helmets.

   Source: Handbook p. 12

   “New Hampshire law requires all riders and passengers under the age of 18 to wear helmets approved by the United States Department of Transportation.”
   New Hampshire Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 12

7. A load is secure only when nothing can slide, shift, fall or sift onto the road, or become airborne.

   Source: Handbook p. 12

   “A load must be securely fastened and is only considered secure when nothing can slide, shift, fall or sift onto the roadway, or become airborne.”
   New Hampshire Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 12

8. You must remove all snow and ice from your vehicle before driving.

   Source: Handbook p. 13

   “It is the responsibility of a driver to ensure that all snow and ice are removed from a vehicle prior to driving.”
   New Hampshire Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 13

9. Under the snow and ice law, Negligent Driving can bring a penalty of $250.00 to $500.00 for a first offense, with more for later offenses.

   Source: Handbook p. 13

   “the driver may be considered guilty of a violation under Negligent Driving. Penalties for this offense can be $250.00 to $500.00 for the first offense with increased penalties for subsequent offenses.”
   New Hampshire Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 13

10. Vehicle warning systems are an extra aid to mirrors and head checks; do not depend on them alone.

    Source: Handbook p. 19

    “These technologies are intended to provide an additional monitoring resource to mirrors and head checks. Drivers should not become complacent and dependent on these technologies alone”
    New Hampshire Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 19

Numbers to know

3 questions from the New Hampshire practice test

1. 1. How often does the New Hampshire manual recommend having tire pressure checked?

   1. Once a week
   2. Once a year
   3. Only before long trips
   4. Once a month
   Show answer

   Once a month. Accidents due to tire maintenance are preventable. Driving on underinflated or overinflated tires, or on tires with low tread, can lead to safety problems, so the manual recommends having tire pressure checked once a month. Weekly is more than it asks, yearly is far too seldom, and waiting for a long trip ignores daily driving. Proper pressure and good tread depth also matter for hydroplaning, which the manual says is best prevented by slowing down in rain and keeping tires properly inflated.

2. 2. How does the New Hampshire manual say a head rest should be adjusted?

   1. Level with the driver's shoulders
   2. As low as it will go
   3. Tilted away so it never touches the head
   4. So it touches the back of the driver's head, not below the ears
   Show answer

   So it touches the back of the driver's head, not below the ears. Head restraints exist to prevent whiplash in a crash, so the manual says to adjust them to come in contact with the back of the driver's head, but not below the ears. A rest set at shoulder level or pushed all the way down lets the head snap backward over it. Tilting it away from the head leaves a gap that defeats its purpose. Adjust the seat, mirrors, and head rest before the vehicle starts moving.

3. 3. A vehicle's blind spot monitor shows the lane is clear. What does the New Hampshire manual say the driver should still do before changing lanes?

   1. Nothing further, the monitor is reliable
   2. Sound the horn
   3. Check the mirrors and look over the shoulder
   4. Turn on the hazard lights
   Show answer

   Check the mirrors and look over the shoulder. The blind spot monitor helps a driver be more aware of other traffic, and its warnings can be helpful when changing lanes, but the manual says the driver should still always check their mirrors and look over their shoulders before doing so. Like the other warning systems, it is a backup to head checks rather than a replacement. A horn or hazard lights are not part of a lane change, which needs a mirror check, a head check, a signal and a second look.

Source: the New Hampshire Driver's Manual, Section 4: Before Driving. This lesson is a plain English summary, not the law itself; where it differs, the manual and the statute govern. Last checked 2026-09-27.