NH Permit Practice Test 4

All 20 questions in test 4

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. About how far does the New Hampshire manual say it can take to stop at 50 mph on dry pavement with good brakes?

   1. About 50 feet
   2. About 300 feet
   3. About 100 feet
   4. About 158 feet
   Show answer

   About 158 feet. The manual gives one concrete braking figure: at 50 mph on dry pavement with good brakes, it can take about 158 feet to stop. That is braking distance alone, before adding the time needed to perceive a hazard and react. Fifty and one hundred feet are far too short for that speed, and 300 feet is nearly double the figure the manual gives. Because braking distance grows much faster than speed, a small increase in speed adds a large amount of stopping distance, so leave generous space ahead.

2. 2. When entering a multi-lane highway in New Hampshire, what is the acceleration lane for?

   
   1. Stopping to wait for a large gap
   2. Reaching the speed of other vehicles before pulling onto the roadway
   3. Reading the exit signs
   4. Passing slower traffic on the right
   Show answer

   Reaching the speed of other vehicles before pulling onto the roadway. Use the acceleration lane to reach the speed of other vehicles before pulling onto the roadway, then identify a gap in traffic and merge with the flow. Stopping at the end of the ramp leaves you trying to enter fast traffic from a standstill, and the ramp is never a passing lane. Drivers already on the highway have the right of way, and the manual asks them to allow space for entering vehicles by moving over a lane or adjusting speed.

3. 3. What is the minimum speed on a New Hampshire interstate highway in good conditions?

   1. 35 mph
   2. 45 mph
   3. 55 mph
   4. There is no minimum
   Show answer

   45 mph. The minimum speed you may drive on an interstate highway is 45 mph, unless road and weather conditions are so bad that this speed is unsafe. Drivers who go far slower than the normal flow create a hazard by blocking those behind them, causing other drivers to jump from lane to lane or take chances passing. Thirty five and fifty five are not the interstate minimum, and the manual does set a floor, so there is a minimum.

4. 4. A New Hampshire traffic signal is flashing yellow. What should the driver be prepared for?

   1. Come to a complete stop and wait for green
   2. Stop, then go as at a stop sign
   3. Proceed at normal speed because cross traffic must stop
   4. Slow down, proceed with caution, and be prepared to stop for any traffic entering the intersection
   Show answer

   Slow down, proceed with caution, and be prepared to stop for any traffic entering the intersection. A flashing yellow traffic light means slow down and proceed with caution, and the manual adds that drivers should be prepared to stop for any traffic flow entering the intersection. It is not a stop signal, so waiting for green or treating it like a stop sign is wrong, but holding normal speed on the assumption that cross traffic will stop is dangerous. Flashing red is the signal that requires a complete stop before proceeding.

5. 5. How should a New Hampshire driver treat vehicles with their headlights on that are following a hearse?

   1. Allow them to pass as a group
   2. Merge into the gap between them
   3. Stop until every vehicle has passed, even at a green light
   4. Pass them on the left
   Show answer

   Allow them to pass as a group. Funeral processions are on the manual's list of road users to yield to. Drivers should allow vehicles that have their headlights on while following a hearse to pass as a group, which means not cutting into the line. You are not required to stop for the whole procession at a green light unless the procession is crossing your path, and passing the group or squeezing into it breaks the line the escort is trying to keep together.

6. 6. Where does the New Hampshire manual say a driver's hands should be on the steering wheel?

   1. One hand at the top of the wheel
   2. At 10 and 2 o'clock
   3. At 12 and 6 o'clock
   4. At 9 and 3 o'clock, or 8 and 4 o'clock
   Show answer

   At 9 and 3 o'clock, or 8 and 4 o'clock. Hands belong at the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock positions or the 8 o'clock and 4 o'clock positions, with knuckles and thumbs on the outside of the wheel. The older 10 and 2 position is not what the manual teaches and puts the hands closer to a deploying air bag. Hand to hand steering is used for slight corrections and hand over hand for larger steering inputs. Keeping both hands on the wheel also matters in a blowout or a swerve.

7. 7. What penalty does New Hampshire list for failing to clear snow and ice off a vehicle before driving?

   1. A $25 fine
   2. $250 to $500 for a first offense, with higher penalties for repeat offenses
   3. A warning only
   4. License revocation
   Show answer

   $250 to $500 for a first offense, with higher penalties for repeat offenses. Since 2002 New Hampshire drivers have been legally required to clear snow and ice off their vehicles before getting on the road, and penalties for the offense can be $250 to $500 for a first offense with increased penalties for subsequent offenses. Ice sliding off a roof can blind or crush the car behind, so clear the roof, hood, trunk, lights and every window before leaving.

8. 8. Of the 40 hours of additional supervised driving required for New Hampshire driver education, how many must be at night?

   1. 5 hours
   2. 10 hours
   3. 20 hours
   4. None, all may be daytime
   Show answer

   10 hours. The supervised driving requirement is 40 hours with a parent, guardian or other responsible adult, and 10 of those hours must be completed at night. Night driving shrinks how far you can see and changes how you judge speed and distance, so the program makes sure new drivers practice it before licensing. Five hours would fall short of the requirement, and twenty is double it. Log the night hours separately so the total and the night portion can both be verified.

9. 9. How long does the New Hampshire manual say a child may be left unattended in a vehicle?

   1. Never, for any length of time
   2. Up to 10 minutes with a window open
   3. Up to 5 minutes in cool weather
   4. As long as the engine and air conditioning are running
   Show answer

   Never, for any length of time. In warm weather a vehicle begins to heat up immediately after it is turned off, and it takes only minutes to reach dangerous temperatures. The manual passes on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration advice never to leave a child in a vehicle unattended for any length of time. An open window or cool day does not create a safe interval. Check the whole vehicle, especially the back seat, before locking it, and keep keys and fobs out of children's reach.

10. 10. For how long may a first offense DUI conviction cost a New Hampshire driver their driving privileges?

    1. 30 to 90 days
    2. 5 years
    3. Exactly 1 year
    4. 9 months to 2 years
    Show answer

    9 months to 2 years. The manual says a driver convicted of a first offense DUI may lose driving privileges for a period of 9 months to 2 years and will be required to attend an approved impaired driver education program. Thirty to ninety days is far shorter than that range, the loss is a range rather than a fixed single year, and five years is not the first offense figure. DUI is also one of the convictions that require SR-22 proof of insurance before driving and registration privileges are reinstated.

11. 11. On a long trip, how often does the New Hampshire manual say to plan a stop to fight fatigue?

    1. Every 30 minutes
    2. At least every 2 hours
    3. Every 4 hours
    4. Only when you feel sleepy
    Show answer

    At least every 2 hours. The fatigue advice is specific: during long trips, plan to stop at least every 2 hours to stretch or get a cup of coffee or a soft drink. Waiting until you feel sleepy is exactly what the manual warns against, because fatigue slows decisions before you notice it. The other tools are getting 7 to 9 hours of sleep, taking a 15 to 20 minute nap at the next exit or rest area before you get too tired, avoiding late night driving, and sharing the driving with a companion.

12. 12. What does the red circle and slash over the U-shaped arrow on this sign mean in New Hampshire?

    
    1. U-turns are allowed after yielding
    2. U-turns are required to reverse direction
    3. U-turns are prohibited at that location
    4. The road ahead curves back on itself
    Show answer

    U-turns are prohibited at that location. Some regulatory signs have a red circle with a red slash over a symbol, which prohibits the action shown, and No U-Turn is one of the manual's listed prohibition signs. The slash cancels the movement, so the sign neither requires nor permits a U-turn, and it is not a curve warning, which would be a yellow diamond. If you must reverse direction, the manual says to check for signs prohibiting U-turns first, then use a legal method such as driving to the next exit or a two point turn.

13. 13. A person with a walking disability photographs a car parked illegally in an accessible space. What must go with the photo?

    1. A sworn statement to the local police department
    2. A ticket written by the person who took the photo
    3. A form mailed to the Division of Motor Vehicles
    4. Nothing, the photo alone is enough
    Show answer

    A sworn statement to the local police department. New Hampshire law permits persons with walking disabilities or their drivers to submit a photo of a vehicle parked illegally in an accessible parking space or access aisle. The photo must come with a sworn statement to the local police department, so it is not enough on its own. The person submits the photo rather than writing a ticket, and it goes to local police rather than the DMV. Parking in these spaces or in the striped access aisle carries a fine.

14. 14. Before making a U-turn in New Hampshire, what should a driver check first?

    1. Whether the speed limit is under 35 mph
    2. Whether the road has at least four lanes
    3. Whether any signs indicate that U-turns are prohibited
    4. Whether the shoulder is paved
    Show answer

    Whether any signs indicate that U-turns are prohibited. U-turns can be extremely dangerous and are not legal everywhere, so a driver who must reverse direction should first check for signs indicating that U-turns are prohibited. The manual's method is to pull over to the right shoulder using the turn signal, wait for the road to be clear, signal again, and turn into the nearest lane going the opposite direction. Lane count, speed limit and shoulder surface are not the tests the manual gives.

15. 15. After a crash in New Hampshire, what does the manual say about injured people?

    1. Move them to the sidewalk right away
    2. Drive them to a hospital yourself
    3. Leave them until police arrive
    4. Give aid, but do not move them unless necessary, and be sure an ambulance has been called
    Show answer

    Give aid, but do not move them unless necessary, and be sure an ambulance has been called. The crash checklist is to stop, move the vehicle off the road if possible so traffic is not blocked, call 911 if there are injuries, and give aid to any injured people but not move them unless it is necessary, making sure an ambulance has been called. Then collect names, addresses, license numbers and states, plate numbers, vehicle make, model and year, and insurance information for everyone involved, plus names and addresses of witnesses.

16. 16. How often does a New Hampshire driver's license expire?

    1. Every 4 years on the issue date
    2. Every 8 years on the applicant's birthday
    3. Every 5 years on the applicant's birthday
    4. Every 10 years on the issue date
    Show answer

    Every 5 years on the applicant's birthday. New Hampshire licenses expire on the applicant's birthday every 5 years. A reminder is mailed to the last known address about two months before expiration, but renewal is the driver's responsibility, and no reminder is sent if the address changed without notice to the DMV or the license is under suspension. Drivers who will be temporarily out of state may renew up to six months early. Youth Operator licenses follow a different rule and expire on the 21st birthday.

17. 17. How can a New Hampshire driver change or revoke an organ donor designation?

    1. Only at the next license renewal
    2. Only by writing to New England Donor Services
    3. By submitting a Record Change Request form in person at any DMV office
    4. By calling the DMV and giving verbal consent
    Show answer

    By submitting a Record Change Request form in person at any DMV office. Every license or non-driver ID application gives the applicant the chance to designate consent to be an organ and tissue donor, and the choice can be revoked or changed at any time by submitting a Record Change Request form in person at any DMV office. You do not have to wait for renewal, and a phone call or a letter to the donor organization does not update the DMV record. The DMV shares the designation with New England Donor Services so the decision can be honored.

18. 18. Who must accompany a person who is practice driving in New Hampshire?

    1. A parent, legal guardian, or a licensed responsible adult who is 25 or older
    2. Any licensed driver who is at least 18
    3. Any adult who holds a valid non-driver ID
    4. A licensed driver of any age seated anywhere in the vehicle
    Show answer

    A parent, legal guardian, or a licensed responsible adult who is 25 or older. Because the state issues no learner permit, the supervising adult carries the responsibility. The learner must be accompanied by a parent, legal guardian, or a responsible adult who is 25 years of age or older and who is a licensed driver. An 18 year old licensed driver is too young to supervise, and a non-driver ID holder is not a licensed driver at all. The same 25 or older standard applies to out-of-state teens driving in New Hampshire without a license.

19. 19. This yellow sign shows a skidding car. What does the New Hampshire manual call it, and what should you do?

    
    1. Curvy Road Ahead; hold speed through the curves
    2. Sharp Curve Ahead; brake hard in the curve
    3. Slippery When Wet; reduce speed because tires do not grip as well and stopping takes longer
    4. Added Lane; move right
    Show answer

    Slippery When Wet; reduce speed because tires do not grip as well and stopping takes longer. The skidding car symbol is the Slippery When Wet warning sign. The manual's advice for slippery roads is to reduce speed at the first sign of rain, snow, sleet or ice, because tires do not grip as well, it takes longer to stop, and it is harder to turn without skidding. Holding speed or braking hard in a curve is what causes tires to lose traction. Slowing before the slick section is the safest response.

20. 20. This yellow curved arrow sign warns of a Right Curve. When should a New Hampshire driver reduce speed for it?

    
    1. Before entering the curve, to a speed that allows slight constant acceleration through it
    2. In the middle of the curve
    3. Only if another vehicle is ahead
    4. Only when the road is wet
    Show answer

    Before entering the curve, to a speed that allows slight constant acceleration through it. Right Curve is one of the manual's warning signs, and its section on curves says to always reduce speed prior to entering the curve to a safe speed, meaning one that allows the driver to apply slight and constant acceleration through the curve. Reduce more when traction is poor, when following other vehicles, or when the end of the curve cannot be seen. Hard braking after entering a curve could cause the tires to lose traction.