NH Permit Practice Test 1

All 20 questions in test 1

Every question below comes from the New Hampshire 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. A right turn arrow with a red slash is posted at an intersection. Which of the manual's sign shapes and colors does it use, and what does it forbid?

   
   1. A red prohibition symbol on a regulatory sign forbidding a right turn there
   2. A green guide sign recommending a left turn
   3. An orange work zone sign forbidding trucks
   4. A yellow warning diamond forbidding right turns in rain
   Show answer

   A red prohibition symbol on a regulatory sign forbidding a right turn there. Regulatory signs are square or rectangular, and some carry a red circle with a red slash over a symbol to prohibit an action. No Right Turn is one of the manual's named prohibition signs, and its red color means stop or do not do something. Yellow diamonds warn, green rectangles guide, and orange signs mark road work, so none of those describe this sign. The ban applies at the location where the sign is posted, so turn right at another intersection instead.

2. 2. Another vehicle is passing you on a New Hampshire road. What must you never do?

   1. Maintain a constant speed
   2. Stay in your lane
   3. Increase speed to prevent the pass
   4. Let the vehicle return ahead of you
   Show answer

   Increase speed to prevent the pass. When being passed, the manual tells drivers to stay in the lane they are traveling, maintain a constant speed so the other driver can complete the pass, and never increase speed to prevent someone from passing. Speeding up stretches out the time the passing driver spends in the oncoming lane and can force a crash. Staying in your lane and holding speed are the correct behaviors, and letting the vehicle back in ahead of you finishes the pass safely.

3. 3. What does a purple sign or lane marking mean in New Hampshire?

   1. A hospital route
   2. E-ZPass electronic toll collection
   3. An evacuation route
   4. A school zone
   Show answer

   E-ZPass electronic toll collection. Purple is the newest color on the manual's list and it means E-ZPass, the electronic toll collection system that lets drivers pass through designated lanes without stopping to pay cash. In an E-ZPass lane, obey the posted speed limit but do not come to a stop, never back up or reverse direction, and do not get out of the vehicle. Cash only lanes are different: come to a complete stop at staffed lanes.

4. 4. What does this five-sided sign with two walking figures mean in New Hampshire?

   
   1. A hospital zone
   2. A pedestrian only street
   3. A playground with no vehicle access
   4. A school zone or school crossing
   Show answer

   A school zone or school crossing. The pentagon, or five sided sign, is reserved for school zones and school crossings. Seeing it means children may be crossing and that a posted school zone speed limit may apply, which in New Hampshire is 10 mph below the usual limit from 45 minutes before school opens until opening and from closing until 45 minutes after. Where a crossing guard is present, stop and yield when signaled. The shape is not used for hospitals or playgrounds.

5. 5. What does the New Hampshire manual describe as the best way to avoid traction loss from hydroplaning?

   1. Slow down in the rain or when the road has pooled water
   2. Drive in the tire tracks of the vehicle ahead at full speed
   3. Brake firmly as soon as the road is wet
   4. Use cruise control to hold a steady speed
   Show answer

   Slow down in the rain or when the road has pooled water. Hydroplaning happens when the steering tires start to ride up on pooled water, like water skis. The manual says the best way to avoid traction loss from hydroplaning is to slow down in the rain or when the road is wet with pooled water or puddles. Good tread depth and proper tire pressure also help. Cruise control and hard braking on standing water both invite a skid, and following in tracks does not fix speed that is too high.

6. 6. In the New Hampshire manual, which group of signs includes this DO NOT ENTER sign?

   
   1. Warning signs
   2. Guide signs
   3. Prohibition signs
   4. Route number signs
   Show answer

   Prohibition signs. The manual's examples of prohibition signs are the stop sign, the yield sign, Do Not Enter, No Trucks, Wrong Way, No Left Turn, No Right Turn and No U-Turn. Red is the standard color for prohibition, meaning stop or do not do something. Warning signs are yellow diamonds, guide signs are green, brown or blue rectangles, and route number signs identify highways. Seeing this sign means the road or ramp ahead is closed to your direction of travel, so do not enter.

7. 7. What does a solid white line between lanes prohibit in New Hampshire?

   1. Driving faster than 45 mph
   2. Stopping for pedestrians
   3. Using the lane for trucks
   4. Changing lanes or passing another vehicle
   Show answer

   Changing lanes or passing another vehicle. Solid white lines are a boundary: drivers are prohibited from changing lanes or passing another vehicle across them. Broken white lines are the ones that permit a lane change when safe. Solid white also appears near intersections and exits where a late lane change would be dangerous. The marking has nothing to do with speed, pedestrians or vehicle type. Wait until the line becomes broken before moving over.

8. 8. What is the maximum engine power of a motor-driven cycle under New Hampshire licensing?

   1. No more than 5 brake horsepower
   2. No more than 10 brake horsepower
   3. No more than 50 cubic centimeters
   4. No more than 2 brake horsepower
   Show answer

   No more than 5 brake horsepower. The motor-driven cycle license allows the operator to operate a bicycle with a motor attached which has no more than 5 brake horsepower. The manual defines this class by horsepower, not by engine displacement, so the 50 cubic centimeter figure is not the New Hampshire test. Ten horsepower would exceed the class, and two would be well under it. Anything more powerful falls under the motorcycle license, which also covers motor driven cycles and mopeds.

9. 9. When may a New Hampshire driver under 21 transport liquor or alcoholic beverages in a vehicle?

   1. Whenever the containers are sealed
   2. Only when accompanied by a parent, legal guardian, or legal age spouse
   3. Whenever the alcohol is in the trunk
   4. Never, under any circumstances
   Show answer

   Only when accompanied by a parent, legal guardian, or legal age spouse. No driver under 21 may transport any liquor or alcoholic beverage in any part of a vehicle except when accompanied by a parent, legal guardian or legal age spouse. Sealed containers and trunk storage do not create an exception, because the rule is about who is in the car, not where the bottle is. It is also not an absolute ban, since the accompanied cases are allowed. The same section makes it illegal for an operator under 21 to have physical control of a vehicle at .02 or more.

10. 10. When swerving to avoid a vehicle suddenly approaching from the opposite direction, which direction does the New Hampshire manual say never to swerve?

    1. To the right
    2. Toward the shoulder
    3. To the left
    4. Back into your own lane
    Show answer

    To the left. Swerving means quickly steering around a problem. The manual says to keep a good grip with both hands, steer in the direction you want to go while avoiding other traffic, and never swerve to the left to avoid a crash, because the left puts you into the oncoming lane the other vehicle came from. Once the problem clears, steer in the opposite direction to straighten out and regain control. Accelerating may also be needed to avoid being hit from behind or the side.

11. 11. When must a New Hampshire accident report be filed with the DMV, and within how many days?

    1. Within 10 days for any crash
    2. Within 30 days only if someone is injured
    3. Only when police request it
    4. Within 15 days if there is a fatality, injuries, or combined property damage over $1,000
    Show answer

    Within 15 days if there is a fatality, injuries, or combined property damage over $1,000. New Hampshire law requires an accident report to be filed with the Division of Motor Vehicles within fifteen days if there is a fatality, injuries, or if the combined property damage totals more than $1,000. If a police officer investigates the crash, the police report satisfies the requirement and the driver need not file separately, although they may. The Operator Accident Report, form DSMV 400, is available at DMV offices, police departments and online. When unsure whether damage exceeds $1,000, file anyway.

12. 12. How far behind a large truck can its rear blind spot extend?

    1. Up to 20 feet
    2. Up to 50 feet
    3. Up to 500 feet
    4. Up to 200 feet
    Show answer

    Up to 200 feet. Large vehicles have huge blind spots directly behind them that can extend up to 200 feet. Twenty or fifty feet understates the rear No-Zone, and 500 feet is the distance to stay behind a fire truck using its siren or lights. If you follow too closely, the truck driver cannot see you and you cannot see what is ahead. Drop back and position the car so the driver can see it in the side mirrors.

13. 13. You are pulling out of a private road onto a New Hampshire public highway. To whom must you yield?

    1. No one, if you signal first
    2. Only vehicles approaching from your left
    3. Drivers already on the public highway
    4. Only trucks and buses
    Show answer

    Drivers already on the public highway. When entering a public highway from a driveway or private road, a driver yields to drivers on the public highway. Signaling does not create the right of way. Vehicles from both directions matter, not only those from the left, because a gap on one side does not make the crossing safe. The rule applies to all traffic on the highway, not only large vehicles. Pedestrians on a sidewalk across the driveway also have the right of way.

14. 14. Unless posted otherwise, what is the maximum speed limit in a New Hampshire business or urban residence district?

    1. 25 miles per hour
    2. 30 miles per hour
    3. 20 miles per hour
    4. 35 miles per hour
    Show answer

    30 miles per hour. The maximum speed limits in New Hampshire are set by district. In any business or urban residence district as defined in RSA 259:118 the limit is 30 miles per hour. Thirty five applies in a rural residence district and on Class V highways outside the compact part of a city or town, and 45 or 55 applies in other locations. Twenty and twenty five are lower than the listed limit for these districts. Remember that limits are maximums for ideal conditions, so slow down further when weather, traffic, or visibility require it.

15. 15. What does New Hampshire law require when leaving a vehicle unattended?

    1. Leave the hazard lights on
    2. Turn off the engine and remove the key
    3. Leave the vehicle in neutral
    4. Roll the windows down
    Show answer

    Turn off the engine and remove the key. When parked, drivers should secure the vehicle, and the law requires drivers to turn off the engine and remove the key when leaving a vehicle unattended. The manual also says to lock the vehicle, place an automatic transmission in park or a manual in gear, set the parking brake, and turn the wheels into the curb on a hill. Neutral lets the vehicle roll, and open windows and flashing hazards do nothing to secure it.

16. 16. Where does the New Hampshire manual say a pedestrian should walk when there is no sidewalk?

    1. In the center of the lane
    2. On the right side, with traffic
    3. On the left side of the roadway, facing oncoming traffic
    4. On either side, as long as they wear white
    Show answer

    On the left side of the roadway, facing oncoming traffic. Pedestrians must use crosswalks at intersections, look both ways before crossing, and, where there is no sidewalk, walk on the left side of the roadway facing oncoming traffic so they can see vehicles coming. They should wear white or light colored clothing or carry a light at night and never walk on interstate or limited access highways. Drivers should use extra caution near parked vehicles, when backing, and in school zones where children may step out.

17. 17. 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.

18. 18. Why does the New Hampshire manual warn against following closely behind a large vehicle?

    1. Large vehicles brake more quickly than cars
    2. It limits how far the driver can see down the road
    3. It is illegal to be within 500 feet of any truck
    4. Trucks drift between lanes
    Show answer

    It limits how far the driver can see down the road. Looking ahead means looking down the road past the vehicles in front and continually checking mirrors, which is impossible when a large vehicle fills the windshield. Drivers should avoid situations that limit how far they can see, like following too close to a larger vehicle, and should adjust speed and road position when behind one. Trucks actually take longer to stop, and the 500 foot rule is about not following a fire truck that is sounding a siren or operating flashing lights.

19. 19. A New Hampshire driver leaves the state without renewing and will not return before the license expires. What must the driver do?

    1. Notify the DMV in writing to be eligible for a 6 month temporary
    2. Nothing, because the license extends itself automatically
    3. Call any DMV office after the license expires
    4. Mail the license back and reapply as a new driver
    Show answer

    Notify the DMV in writing to be eligible for a 6 month temporary. Drivers who expect to be temporarily out of state can renew up to six months early. If they leave without renewing and will not be back before expiration, the DMV must be notified in writing for the driver to be eligible for a 6 month temporary. The license does not extend on its own, and a phone call after it expires does not meet the written notice rule. Returning the license and starting over is not what the manual describes.

20. 20. An applicant fails the New Hampshire vision test. What is needed before license testing can continue?

    1. An eye examination with a doctor's recommendation of visual capability
    2. A retest in ten days with no other paperwork
    3. A daylight only temporary license
    4. Nothing; the knowledge test can be taken anyway
    Show answer

    An eye examination with a doctor's recommendation of visual capability. When an applicant does not pass the vision test, New Hampshire requires an eye examination that contains a doctor's recommendation of visual capability before any more license testing can be done. The ten day wait belongs to a failed knowledge or road test, not the vision test. The manual offers no daylight only temporary license in place of the exam, and the knowledge test cannot simply go ahead. The standard is 20/40 in both eyes, or 20/30 with sight in one eye.