Hawaii Safe Driving practice test

Practice following distance, weather, night driving and sharing the road, with questions based on the Hawaii Driver's Manual.

Sample Safe Driving questions

In fog you can't see two car lengths ahead. What should you do?

  • Use your high beams to see farther
  • Follow the taillights ahead closely
  • Stop in your lane and wait it out
  • Pull fully off the road and use flashers
Show the answer

Pull fully off the road and use flashers

Two car lengths is about 40 feet.

Source: Hawaii Driver's Manual, Chapter X, Fog, PDF p. 76

How must a child under 2 ride in Hawaii?

  • Forward-facing in a booster seat
  • With a regular adult lap belt
  • On an adult's lap with a belt
  • Rear-facing in a harnessed seat
Show the answer

Rear-facing in a harnessed seat

Children 2 and 3 may ride rear-facing or forward-facing in a harnessed seat.

Source: Hawaii Revised Statutes, HRS §291-11.5(a)

How dark may the tint on your front side windows be?

  • At least 10 percent light must pass through
  • Any tint is allowed
  • No tint is allowed
  • At least 35 percent light must pass through
Show the answer

At least 35 percent light must pass through

The law allows a tolerance of plus or minus 6 percent.

Source: Hawaii Revised Statutes, HRS §291-21.5(e)(7)-(8)

When should you never use your hazard warning flashers?

  • When your car is broken down
  • When stopped on the shoulder
  • While the vehicle is moving
  • When stopped in a dangerous spot
Show the answer

While the vehicle is moving

Flashers warn that a vehicle is stopped in a hazardous position.

Source: Hawaii Driver's Manual, Chapter X, Hazard Warning Signals, PDF p. 72

How should you check behind you before backing up?

  • Use only the inside rearview mirror
  • Rely on the side mirrors alone
  • Honk once and back up quickly
  • Turn around and look out the rear
Show the answer

Turn around and look out the rear

Mirrors show too little of the area behind the car.

Source: Hawaii Driver's Manual, Chapter X, Backing Your Vehicle, PDF p. 64

How should a lap belt fit?

  • Snugly across the hip bones
  • Under the thighs
  • Above the waist
  • Across the stomach, loosely
Show the answer

Snugly across the hip bones

The shoulder belt should leave room for a fist between it and your chest.

Source: Hawaii Driver's Manual, Chapter X, Safety Belts, PDF p. 60

When does a loaded trailer need its own brakes in Hawaii?

  • At 3,000 pounds or more
  • Only when over 10,000 pounds
  • Only when it carries people
  • Never for private trailers
Show the answer

At 3,000 pounds or more

Brakes are also needed if the trailer weighs more than half the towing vehicle.

Source: Hawaii Driver's Manual, Chapter XI, Towing Trailers, PDF p. 86

What kind of crash causes most car-motorcycle collisions?

  • A car turning in front of a motorcycle
  • A car backing out of a driveway
  • Two motorcycles colliding head-on
  • A motorcycle hitting a parked car
Show the answer

A car turning in front of a motorcycle

Before turning, confirm where the motorcycle is and how fast it is coming.

Source: Hawaii Driver's Manual, Chapter XI, PDF pp. 88-92

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About these questions

We wrote these practice questions from the facts in the Hawaii Driver's Manual (State of Hawaii Driver's Manual, Hagadone Media Group-Hawaii edition 'HMG 5/2023' (copyright years 1977, 2006, 2018, 2020 and 2023), digital file 2023-Hawaii-Drivers-Manual_5.375x8.375_Final-r3-Digital-071924web.pdf (132 PDF pages), posted on hidot.hawaii.gov in November 2024 and linked as the English manual from the HDOT Motor Vehicle Safety Office page, read 2026-11-10. (The file named Hawaii-Drivers-Manual_2026_V2.pdf on the same page is the Chuukese translation, not a newer English edition.) Page numbers cited are PDF pages, which match the printed page numbers; the PDF's text layer repeats many passages on two consecutive pages (for example 64 and 65), and the first of the two is cited. The test-question appendix (PDF pp. 100-127) was not used as a source. Hawaii licensing is run by the four counties under HDOT rules, so the exam format comes from HDOT's Online Learner's Permit Test page and Hawaii Administrative Rules chapter 19-122, and legal rules were checked against the Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS chapters 286, 291, 291C, 291E and 431:10C) on data.capitol.hawaii.gov, read 2026-11-10 (current through the 2025 session laws; the capitol.hawaii.gov host blocks plain requests, the data.capitol.hawaii.gov mirror does not). A web search for 2026 session laws touching these rules found only CDL, e-bike and mobile driver's license acts, none affecting a tested rule. Questions follow the statute where the manual differs. Out-of-date or inconsistent manual statements and how they were handled: (1) insurance minimums of $20,000/$40,000 bodily injury and $10,000 property damage (PDF p. 54) were raised by Act 138, SLH 2024, to $40,000/$80,000 and $20,000 (HRS 431:10C-301(b)) for new and renewed policies from January 1, 2026; questions use the new limits; (2) test refusal revocation of one, two or four years (PDF p. 56) differs from HRS 291E-41(c): two, four or eight years; questions use the statute; (3) child restraints (PDF p. 20: restraint under 4, booster under 8 if under four feet and 40 pounds; the 2006 GDL brochure linked from PDF p. 13 says boosters for ages 4-7) are out of date: HRS 291-11.5 (amended 2022) covers children under 10, rear-facing under 2, and a belt only for ages 7-9 taller than 4 feet 9 inches; questions use the statute; (4) school bus (PDF p. 96: a $1,000 fine; only opposite-direction traffic on a divided highway is excused) differs from HRS 291C-95: stop at least 20 feet away in the bus's lane and all adjacent lanes regardless of direction, the rule does not apply on a different roadway, and the fine is up to $500, or up to $1,000 on a state highway; questions use the statute; (5) the manual's 'impaired' band of more than .05 but less than .08 (PDF p. 56) is not in current HRS 291E-61, which uses .08 plus impairment; not tested; (6) phones: the manual (PDF pp. 58-59) only advises against phone use, but HRS 291C-137 bans holding a mobile electronic device while operating, bans even hands-free use under 18, and sets $300/$400 fines; questions use the statute; (7) parking: the manual's list (PDF pp. 28-29) has no distances near crosswalks or hydrants; HRS 291C-116 (L 2025, c 171) now bars parking within 20 feet of a crosswalk or intersection even without signs, and is used; hydrant distances are county ordinances, so hydrant_parking_ft is left open; (8) hill parking: PDF p. 70 says both to turn the wheels to the right whether uphill or downhill and to turn the front wheels toward the curb; HRS 291C-121 requires turning the front wheels to the curb or side of the highway on any grade, so no question asks the uphill-with-curb case and the common question on it is excluded; (9) the line 'The minimum age to obtain a driver's license is years' (PDF p. 14) is missing its number; the age of 17 comes from PDF p. 12 and HRS 286-104(5) and 286-102.6(f); (10) 'You must be at least 21 years old before applying for' larger class licenses (PDF p. 12) differs from HAR 19-122-3(3) (commercial learner's permit or category 4 at 18); not tested; (11) moped registration is described two ways (registered as bicycles, and inspected, registered and licensed; PDF p. 28); not tested; (12) the 2024 rule that slow drivers on two-lane roads must pull off for five or more trailing vehicles (HRS 291C-41(d)) and the 200-foot return distance for passing (HRS 291C-45) are not in the manual; questions cite the statute. The crash report threshold of $3,000 (PDF p. 52) matches HRS 291C-16, and the 100-foot signal distance, 15-foot railroad stop, 3-foot bicycle passing distance and .02 under-21 limit match HRS 291C-84, 291C-91, 291C-43 and 291E-64/291E-1. edition) and from official sources on road signs. Every answer links to its source, so you can check it and read more.

DMV Decoded is an independent guide, not a government agency. This practice test is not connected to the Hawaii Department of Transportation and county driver licensing offices, and your actual test will have different questions. Study the handbook, and check the agency's website for current rules.