NH Permit Practice Test 15

All 20 questions in test 15

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. Before entering a multi lane roundabout in New Hampshire, what should guide the driver's lane choice?

   1. The color of the car ahead
   2. Entry signs and lane use markings
   3. Whichever lane moves first
   4. The lane with the fewest brake lights
   Show answer

   Entry signs and lane use markings. Entry signs and pavement markings assign lanes to exits, so reading them before the yield line puts you in the branch that matches your destination. Chasing whichever lane moves first can strand you in an exit only lane or force a late cut across circulating traffic. Choose the lane early, yield to traffic in both lanes, then hold your position. A calm entry in the right lane beats a heroic swerve inside the circle every time.

   Study this in the handbook: Roundabouts and school buses

2. 2. How many hours of driving observation does New Hampshire driver education require with a certified instructor?

   1. 30 hours of observation
   2. 10 hours of observation
   3. 6 hours of observation
   4. 40 hours of observation
   Show answer

   6 hours of observation. Observation time sits at six hours inside an approved program, spent watching instruction from the back while another student drives. Classroom study takes thirty hours, separate work behind a desk and screen. Families later add long supervised practice on public roads, counted in tens of hours with night driving folded in. Keeping buckets apart protects enrollment records. A teen short on observation cannot borrow spare classroom minutes to fill the gap before applying for a license.

   Study this in the handbook: Driver education and practice driving

3. 3. Passing a large truck in New Hampshire, when is it safe to pull back in front of it?

   1. Its whole front shows in your mirror
   2. Once your rear bumper clears its cab
   3. After one second in the passing lane
   4. When the truck flashes its lights
   Show answer

   Its whole front shows in your mirror. Seeing the truck's entire front in your mirror proves your car has cleared its stopping zone before you occupy it. Cutting in at cab clearance leaves your rear inside the distance the truck needs to stop. Maintain speed after returning so the gap survives. The mirror test is simple and absolute: no full front in the glass, no lane change, whatever traffic behind you thinks about the delay.

   Study this in the handbook: Motorcycles, large trucks and slow vehicles

4. 4. What attitude toward driver assistance technologies does New Hampshire guidance require?

   1. Depend on them solely over time
   2. Avoid complacency and sole reliance
   3. Disable them before every single trip
   4. Trust them over mirrors always
   Show answer

   Avoid complacency and sole reliance. Warning systems add a monitoring layer beside mirrors and head checks; they never graduate into the driver. Sole dependence invites the one failure the brochure omitted. Curve, collision, blind spot, and camera aids all share that passive warning nature. Enjoy the extra eyes, keep your own moving, and practice maneuvers unassisted often enough that a dead sensor never leaves you helpless.

   Study this in the handbook: Vehicle checks, seating and restraints

5. 5. A funeral procession approaches your New Hampshire intersection. What duty applies?

   1. Yield the right of way to the procession
   2. Break into the middle of it
   3. Pass it on the shoulder quickly
   4. Treat it as ordinary parked cars
   Show answer

   Yield the right of way to the procession. Processions join emergency vehicles, first arrivals, and people in the intersection on the yield list. Vehicles with headlights on following a hearse should pass as a group without being split. Cutting inside fractures a ceremony and strands half the mourners at your bumper. Wait the minute it takes the line to clear; grief keeps a schedule no errand outranks. Ceremony aside, safety argues the same pause.

   Study this in the handbook: Yielding the right of way

6. 6. Pulling away from a curb into traffic in New Hampshire, what signal duty applies?

   1. No signal is needed from a curb
   2. Wave an arm out the window
   3. Signal only at night
   4. Use the appropriate turn signal
   Show answer

   Use the appropriate turn signal. Leaving a curb is a lane entry, so the turn signal announces it like a lane change, turn, merge, or pass. Arm waves read inconsistently and vanish at night. Traffic behind needs the warning early enough to open a gap rather than brake for your surprise. Signal, mirror, shoulder check, then roll only when the lane agrees to receive you, in daylight as much as after dark.

   Study this in the handbook: Speed limits

7. 7. How much sleep does the New Hampshire manual say an average person needs to stay properly alert during the day?

   1. 5 to 6 hours
   2. 7 to 9 hours
   3. 10 to 12 hours
   4. Sleep length does not matter
   Show answer

   7 to 9 hours. Seven to nine hours keeps an average adult properly alert, while short nights leave fatigue that dulls vision and slows decisions. Five to six hours sounds efficient yet builds a sleep debt that coffee cannot repay. On long trips, plan a stop at least every 2 hours, and pull off for a short nap before exhaustion takes over. Treat the night before a drive like part of the trip itself, since the steering wheel collects whatever rest you skipped.

   Study this in the handbook: Vision, fatigue, emotions and hot vehicles

8. 8. At a highway emergency scene in New Hampshire, whose directions must drivers obey besides signals and devices?

   1. Any bystander with a phone
   2. Tow truck operators only
   3. The very first driver who arrived
   4. Authorized people directing traffic
   Show answer

   Authorized people directing traffic. Authorized traffic direction at an incident scene binds every approaching driver, alongside emergency signals and control devices. Random bystanders and arrival order confer no authority. Sherrill's Law pairs this obedience with reduced speed, wide berth, and vacant blocked lanes. When a trooper, firefighter, or flagger waves you wide or holds you short, that gesture is your traffic law until the scene clears behind you.

   Study this in the handbook: Emergency vehicles, Sherrill's Law and traffic stops

9. 9. Under New Hampshire's Under 20 law, which driving behavior can lead to suspension for misuse of privileges?

   1. Driving once at the posted limit in clear weather
   2. Carrying a licensed adult passenger on a short trip
   3. Using turn signals early before every turn
   4. Driving in a way that poses an immediate hazard to others
   Show answer

   Driving in a way that poses an immediate hazard to others. Young licenses face suspension when driving poses an immediate hazard to the young driver or to safety and property near the road, or when conduct shows repeated disregard for public safety. Ordinary lawful trips at the limit, riding with a licensed adult, and signaling early create no hazard at all. Officials judge misuse from conduct and surrounding offenses together. One reckless moment near a crosswalk can trigger a hearing even before a pattern forms across months of tickets.

   Study this in the handbook: Suspensions, points and habitual offenders

10. 10. How far before a turn should a New Hampshire driver start signaling?

    1. At least 100 feet
    2. At least 50 feet
    3. At least 300 feet
    4. Only after starting the turn
    Show answer

    At least 100 feet. A turn signal needs to begin at least 100 feet before the turn so drivers behind, beside, and approaching get time to react. Waiting for 50 feet cuts that warning in half and can surprise a following driver who is closing the gap. Highway lane changes and exits use the longer 500 foot rule, which is a separate figure for higher speeds. Count off roughly a third of a football field of travel before the corner, then begin the signal while the vehicle is still moving straight.

    Study this in the handbook: Speed limits

11. 11. Your wheels drop off the pavement edge in New Hampshire. How should you return to the road?

    1. Yank the steering wheel back all at once
    2. Brake hard on the shoulder
    3. Speed up quickly to climb over the edge
    4. Slow down gradually, return when safe
    Show answer

    Slow down gradually, return when safe. Gradual slowing keeps the car stable on the low shoulder until a safe moment lets you ease back up. Yanking the wheel climbs the lip sideways and can fling the car across lanes. Panic steering is the named enemy on uneven drop offs. Hold a straight line, let speed bleed off, check traffic, then roll back at a shallow angle with both hands firm.

    Study this in the handbook: Emergency braking, swerving and skids

12. 12. What does driving defensively mean in New Hampshire?

    1. Assuming others will always yield
    2. Driving as fast as traffic allows
    3. Trusting signals alone to prevent collisions
    4. Watch others and adjust to avoid trouble
    Show answer

    Watch others and adjust to avoid trouble. Defensive driving watches for the illegal acts and plain errors of others, then adjusts speed and position so their mistake never becomes your crash. Assuming universal courtesy surrenders that watch. Signals and signs guide honest drivers, yet the defensive driver plans around the one who ignores them. Keep an exit path in mind beside every vehicle you pass, and no single stranger's error gets to finish your trip.

    Study this in the handbook: Crashes, reports and financial responsibility

13. 13. Besides slowing down, what should a New Hampshire driver maintain on the tires to help prevent hydroplaning?

    1. Extra wide tires in place of standard tires
    2. Lower pressure for a softer ride
    3. Good tread depth and proper pressure
    4. Tread worn smooth for better road contact
    Show answer

    Good tread depth and proper pressure. Good tread depth channels water away and proper inflation keeps the tread planted, so both help the tires cut through pooled water instead of riding on top of it. Dropping pressure for comfort works against that goal by distorting the contact patch, and a tread worn smooth has no channels left to move water aside. Slowing down remains the primary defense whenever rain pools on the surface. Before a wet trip, run a thumb across the tread and check pressure against the vehicle placard.

    Study this in the handbook: Rural roads and night driving

14. 14. How many drinks does it take before a person's driving ability can be affected?

    1. Two drinks
    2. One drink
    3. Three drinks
    4. Four drinks
    Show answer

    One drink. Impairment can begin with the first drink. Even a single serving can dull judgment, blur vision, and slow reaction time, which is why the manual warns against driving after any alcohol. A two, three, or four drink answer assumes a safe cushion that the body does not provide. Individual size, food, and timing change how quickly a person feels the effect, but they do not create a guaranteed safe amount. Use one drink as the signal to stop and hand the keys to someone who has had none.

    Study this in the handbook: How alcohol and drugs affect driving

15. 15. What does a pink highway sign indicate in New Hampshire?

    1. Electronic toll collection.
    2. Driver services.
    3. Incident management.
    4. Tourist and recreation guidance.
    Show answer

    Incident management.. In New Hampshire's standard sign colors, pink means incident management. Brown is used for tourist and recreation guidance, blue identifies driver services, and purple identifies E-ZPass. The color tells a driver what kind of information the sign provides; it does not identify a toll system, service area, or recreation destination just because those may appear nearby. Reading pink as incident management keeps the sign category separate from the other listed color meanings. The question concerns the sign's color code, not a particular event or location.

    Study this in the handbook: Sign shapes, colors and warning signs

16. 16. How often should New Hampshire drivers have their eyes examined, in manual guidance?

    1. Only after a crash
    2. Once in a lifetime at 16
    3. On a regular schedule
    4. Only when glasses break
    Show answer

    On a regular schedule. Regular examinations catch declining acuity before it shows up as late sign reading and missed hazards. Waiting for a crash makes the first symptom an impact. Drivers required to wear corrective lenses must always wear them and skip dark or tinted lenses at night. Put the eye appointment on the same annual rhythm as vehicle inspection; both certify machines you steer with.

    Study this in the handbook: Vision, fatigue, emotions and hot vehicles

17. 17. For a motorcycle rider or passenger in New Hampshire, what single action most improves crash survival chances?

    1. Wearing a securely fastened helmet
    2. Wearing bright gloves
    3. Riding only in daylight
    4. Choosing a louder exhaust
    Show answer

    Wearing a securely fastened helmet. A securely fastened helmet tops the survival list for riders and passengers, which is why state law compels one for everyone under 18. Bright gloves help visibility at the margins, never head protection in a fall. Unfastened helmets fly off in the first tumble, so the strap matters as much as the shell. Buckle it snug every ride, and treat any helmet found loose as no helmet at all.

    Study this in the handbook: Vehicle checks, seating and restraints

18. 18. What does slouching in the driver's seat do in a New Hampshire crash?

    1. Reduces how well the restraint system works
    2. Improves belt performance
    3. Moves the air bag closer safely
    4. Nothing at all
    Show answer

    Reduces how well the restraint system works. Slumped posture degrades the whole restraint system, letting the body slide and meet belts at bad angles. The seat belongs upright, never reclined like a lounge chair, with feet planted on the floor. Belts and air bags assume that posture when engineers place them. Sit tall for the first mile and the posture stays; start slouched on a long highway and every safety system aboard works against your position.

    Study this in the handbook: Vehicle checks, seating and restraints

19. 19. Since what year have New Hampshire drivers been legally required to clear snow and ice from vehicles before driving?

    1. Since 1990
    2. Since 2002
    3. Since 2015
    4. Since 2024
    Show answer

    Since 2002. The clearing duty dates to 2002, under the law named for Jessica Smith, killed by ice flying from a tractor trailer. Guessing 2015 erases more than a decade of obligation. Snow left aboard can blind the driver or launch onto windshields behind at highway speed. Brush the roof, hood, and lights before the first mile, not at the first stop, since the sheets break loose exactly when speed builds.

    Study this in the handbook: Vehicle checks, seating and restraints

20. 20. What does New Hampshire's no double parking rule prohibit?

    1. Parking within 20 feet of a crosswalk
    2. Leaving a car on a sidewalk overnight
    3. Stopping beside a car already at the curb
    4. Backing into an angle space without signaling
    Show answer

    Stopping beside a car already at the curb. New Hampshire prohibits parking alongside a vehicle that is already at the curb, a practice called double parking. The second car blocks the travel lane, forces others to cross the center line, and can trap the first driver. A crosswalk buffer of 20 feet is a different rule, and sidewalk parking is its own separate prohibition. Backing into an angle space is a permitted maneuver when done with care, though signaling still matters. If a curb space is taken, circle the block instead of stopping beside the parked car and leaving your hazards on.

    Study this in the handbook: Parking rules and distances