NH Permit Practice Test 17

All 20 questions in test 17

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. Why should a New Hampshire driver avoid sounding the horn close to a bicyclist?

   1. The sound can hide the rider's own bell warning
   2. A startled swerve into your path
   3. A horn blast tells the rider to move into traffic
   4. Riders are required to yield to any horn they hear
   Show answer

   A startled swerve into your path. A blast beside a balancing rider can trigger a startled swerve straight into the vehicle that honked. Horns stay reserved for a genuine chance of a crash near bicycles. The same caution applies near blind pedestrians and horses, where sound replaces sight. Use distance and patience as your signal instead; a quiet wide pass communicates safety better than any horn tap at close range.

   Study this in the handbook: Pedestrians and bicyclists

2. 2. Your stalled car will not restart on a New Hampshire road. What signals for help are advised?

   1. Hood down and lights off
   2. Wave from the travel lane
   3. Hood up, flashers on, call for help
   4. Leave without any signal
   Show answer

   Hood up, flashers on, call for help. A raised hood plus flashing hazards advertise a dead vehicle, while a phone call brings actual assistance. Standing in the lane to wave trades your safety for visibility the flashers already provide. Get the car off the road first if momentum allows. Then set the signals, step behind a barrier or well onto the shoulder, and make the call from ground traffic cannot reach.

   Study this in the handbook: Brake failure, blowouts and breakdowns

3. 3. A 17 year old New Hampshire Youth Operator wants to carry three friends, but the car has seat belts for the driver plus two passengers. What does the law say?

   1. Friends may share belts
   2. One friend may sit on the floor
   3. Belts matter only during highway trips
   4. Never more riders than belts fitted
   Show answer

   Never more riders than belts fitted. Passenger count can never outrun the belts and restraints fitted in the vehicle for a young operator. Sharing a belt leaves one rider half secured and both riders badly positioned in a crash. The cap applies on short neighborhood hops as much as highway trips. Count belts before promising rides: driver plus two belts means one friend stays behind, however unfair that feels at the curb.

   Study this in the handbook: Youth Operator license, restrictions and renewal

4. 4. Passengers start a heated argument during a New Hampshire drive. What does the manual advise about such conversations?

   1. Join in to end it faster
   2. Keep stressful talks out of the drive
   3. Turn the radio volume up over their voices
   4. Argue only on straight roads
   Show answer

   Keep stressful talks out of the drive. Stressful and emotional conversations pull processing power away from hazards, so they belong outside the moving car. Joining the argument to finish it sooner guarantees minutes of divided attention at speed. Emotions like anger and worry degrade driving even before words start. Park the discussion literally: pull in, finish the talk with the engine off, or let the topic wait at the destination where it cannot steer the car.

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

5. 5. How many crashes are reported each year in New Hampshire, in the figures the manual gives?

   1. About 3,000 crashes each year
   2. About 300,000 yearly
   3. More than 30,000
   4. Fewer than 300
   Show answer

   More than 30,000. More than 30,000 reported crashes a year works out to dozens every day on state roads. Three thousand would describe a quiet month, not a year. Defensive habits exist because other drivers will break rules and make errors near you regularly. Every trip crosses paths with hundreds of strangers; the annual total explains why watching for their mistakes counts as a core skill rather than paranoia.

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

6. 6. On a gravel road in New Hampshire, how should a driver adjust following distance and stopping expectations?

   1. Follow closer because speeds stay low
   2. Keep the usual gap and brake late
   3. Leave more room and expect skids
   4. Ride the bumper to stay out of dust
   Show answer

   Leave more room and expect skids. Loose gravel cuts traction, so the gap ahead should grow and any stop should be planned as a possible skid. Keeping the usual paved road gap ignores the extra distance a sliding stop consumes. Slower speeds help, but the surface still breaks loose under firm braking. Ease off early when a stop sign appears on gravel, squeeze the brake gently, and leave enough empty road ahead to slide without reaching the vehicle in front.

   Study this in the handbook: Rural roads and night driving

7. 7. A yellow diamond sign shows a short line joining the main line from the right. What warning does that symbol represent?

   1. A side road joining ahead.
   2. A railroad crossing ahead.
   3. A school crossing ahead.
   4. A divided highway ending ahead.
   Show answer

   A side road joining ahead.. A yellow diamond bearing a short line that joins the main line from the right represents the Side Road Ahead warning. It alerts the driver that a side road will meet the route ahead, so another vehicle may enter or cross the travel path. A railroad crossing uses a circular advance warning sign and a crossbuck at the tracks. A school zone or crossing uses the five-sided pentagon, while a divided highway ending has a different symbol. The sign's side road shape identifies the junction, not a track, school crossing, or lane arrangement.

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

8. 8. What does total stopping distance measure in New Hampshire?

   1. Only the braking distance
   2. Only the reaction distance
   3. From first realizing to a full stop
   4. The gap kept behind large trucks
   Show answer

   From first realizing to a full stop. The total runs from the moment a hazard is recognized through perception, reaction, and braking until the wheels actually rest, under ideal conditions. Braking alone covers only the final phase, and at 50 mph on dry pavement that braking phase by itself can take about 158 feet. Reaction alone is just the middle slice. Every added mile per hour stretches all three phases, which is why following gaps must grow faster than speed suggests and why the total always exceeds the braking figure alone.

   Study this in the handbook: Signals, headlights, horn and stopping distance

9. 9. When is a two point turn the right tool in New Hampshire?

   1. When circling the block is impractical
   2. On every highway median
   3. Only in parking garages
   4. Whenever a U turn feels slow
   Show answer

   When circling the block is impractical. A street, alley, or driveway becomes the turning aid when circling the block cannot be done practically. Highway medians are never personal turning pads. Forward and reverse versions both exist, chosen by traffic and driveway position. Whichever direction you pick, signals and all direction checks bracket every leg, since the maneuver crosses sidewalks and lanes other drivers consider settled. Patience through each leg keeps the maneuver boring.

   Study this in the handbook: Toll lanes, turns, U-turns and intersections

10. 10. Under normal circumstances in New Hampshire, how much horn use should be needed to get attention?

    1. A long blast of five seconds
    2. Leaning on the horn continuously
    3. Three rapid full blasts
    4. A light tap on the horn
    Show answer

    A light tap on the horn. A light tap carries the message under normal conditions; long blasts mostly manufacture anger and panic. Horns exist to communicate with other road users, not to punish them. Misuse can scare a pedestrian or startle a horse into your lane. Save the horn for the drifting car and the backing driver, tapped once, then let distance and brakes do the heavier work.

    Study this in the handbook: Signals, headlights, horn and stopping distance

11. 11. When a work zone can be avoided, what route choice does New Hampshire guidance suggest?

    1. Drive through slowly without changing your trip plan
    2. Use an alternate route to avoid the work zone when available
    3. Enter the zone and follow traffic without slowing
    4. Wait at the start until workers leave for the day
    Show answer

    Use an alternate route to avoid the work zone when available. Taking another road around roadwork removes your car from narrow lanes, rough pavement, and workers on foot. Staying on the planned route still demands slower speed and longer gaps, yet each passing car adds exposure near crews. Entering at traffic speed ignores narrowed space entirely. Waiting for crews to finish can block hours and helps nobody. Choosing a parallel street before departure costs a few minutes and keeps both your bumper and roadside workers out of a tight squeeze.

12. 12. Which lamps must a trailer carry in New Hampshire?

    1. Headlamps plus a pair of fog lamps
    2. Tail, stop, turn, plate, marker lamps
    3. Only one single red lamp at the rear
    4. Interior dome lamps inside the cabin
    Show answer

    Tail, stop, turn, plate, marker lamps. Trailers need proper tail, stop, turn signal, license plate, and side marker lamps plus reflectors, so drivers behind can read braking and turning at night. A single red lamp hides every intention change. Wheels must be mounted properly and lubricated, covered by fenders or mud guards, with tires inflated. Walk the rig at dusk before a trip, checking each lamp while a partner works the pedals and lever.

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

13. 13. What foot position does proper seat adjustment give a New Hampshire driver?

    1. Hovering over the pedals
    2. Resting between the pedals
    3. Pressing both pedals down at once
    4. Pivot brake to gas, heel down
    Show answer

    Pivot brake to gas, heel down. A planted heel lets the foot swing between brake and accelerator in one smooth pivot, fast and accurate under stress. Hovering tires the leg and invites a missed pedal when a child darts out. Seat distance also guards the 10 inch air bag gap at the chest. Slide the seat until the pivot feels effortless and the wheel top sits at or below the shoulders, then lock that position into habit.

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

14. 14. At what blood alcohol concentration does alcohol begin to impact a New Hampshire driver's vision?

    1. 0.02 BAC
    2. 0.05 BAC
    3. 0.08 BAC
    4. 0.15 BAC
    Show answer

    0.02 BAC. Vision suffers at 0.02 BAC for every driver, blurring focus and weakening judgments of distance, speed, and movement long before the 0.08 legal line. Waiting for 0.08 to feel impaired ignores how early the eyes degrade. Judgment slips at the same low levels, so the driver least able to judge is the one judging. One drink can start the slide, which is why the planning happens before the first glass, not after the last.

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

15. 15. Children are riding bikes on a sidewalk beside your lane. What should you watch for?

    1. They will stop riding until cars have passed
    2. They will signal every turn with a raised arm
    3. They will ride only where an adult walks beside them
    4. They may come onto the road from the sidewalk
    Show answer

    They may come onto the road from the sidewalk. Bicyclists are required to ride with traffic, but drivers should look for them anywhere on the roadway. Watch carefully for riders entering your lane, and be especially careful around children riding bikes on a sidewalk, because they may come onto the road. Children do not always stop for traffic, signal each move, or ride beside an adult. Slow down, cover the brake, and leave room for a sudden entry from the sidewalk, especially where driveways and side streets give them a path out.

    Study this in the handbook: Pedestrians and bicyclists

16. 16. Unless a sign shows a different limit, what speed does New Hampshire set for a rural residence district?

    1. 35 mph
    2. 30 mph
    3. 45 mph
    4. 25 mph
    Show answer

    35 mph. New Hampshire sets 35 mph for a rural residence district and for a Class V highway outside the compact part of a city or town. The 30 mph figure belongs to business and urban residence districts, where driveways and pedestrians sit closer together. A 45 mph answer confuses this limit with the minimum speed allowed on an interstate. Twenty five is not part of the state limit table at all. Out on a country road with houses spaced along the shoulder, treat 35 as the ceiling unless a posted sign raises or lowers it.

    Study this in the handbook: Speed limits

17. 17. What does New Hampshire law provide for parking in an access aisle?

    1. A fine that rises with each later offense
    2. A warning for the first offense only
    3. A single flat fine for every later offense
    4. A tow and a license suspension
    Show answer

    A fine that rises with each later offense. Parking in the striped access aisle beside an accessible space carries a fine, and the penalty rises for each later offense. The aisle is working space for a door, a lift, or a ramp, so a car parked there can strand a driver who uses a wheelchair. A first offense warning with no fine understates the rule, and a single flat penalty ignores the escalation. Blue paint and diagonal stripes are the visual cue. Treat the crosshatched area as a reserved zone, never as overflow parking for a quick stop.

    Study this in the handbook: Parking rules and distances

18. 18. On a two way New Hampshire road, what does the single white edge line mark?

    1. The center of the road
    2. The edge of the roadway
    3. A bicycle lane boundary
    4. The start of a parking lane
    Show answer

    The edge of the roadway. The single line at the side marks the edge of the roadway on two way roads, and the right edge on one way roads. Mistaking it for the center would put a driver on the wrong side of the street entirely. Yellow takes the left edge role on one way roads. At night or in rain, use that white line as your outer boundary, keeping tires inside it and away from the shoulder drop beyond.

    Study this in the handbook: Regulatory, guide, work zone and railroad signs

19. 19. A driver waits on the right shoulder in New Hampshire to make a U turn. How should the turn itself be entered?

    1. Swing wide across both shoulders
    2. Signal and take the nearest opposite lane
    3. Reverse backward into the opposite lane first
    4. Turn only from the center line
    Show answer

    Signal and take the nearest opposite lane. After waiting for the road to clear, signal the move back onto the roadway and turn into the nearest lane headed the opposite direction. Reversing into that lane first backs blindly across traffic. Check first whether any sign prohibits U turns at the spot, since they are illegal in places. The shoulder wait, the signal, and the tight entry into the nearest lane keep the maneuver compact and readable for everyone nearby.

    Study this in the handbook: Toll lanes, turns, U-turns and intersections

20. 20. How should a driver secure a manual transmission car when parking in New Hampshire?

    1. Leave it in neutral with the brake off
    2. Keep the engine idling
    3. Only turn the wheels
    4. Leave it in gear and set the parking brake
    Show answer

    Leave it in gear and set the parking brake. A manual car stays in gear with the parking brake set, while an automatic goes into park with the brake set. Neutral with the brake released lets gravity own the vehicle on any slope. Wheels turned into the curb on a hill add a final backstop. Check the car with a gentle rock before walking away; a secured vehicle should not creep, roll, or respond to the slope at all.

    Study this in the handbook: Parking rules and distances