New Hampshire Road Signs Practice Test

Sharpen the skill the Driver License Knowledge Test leans on most: 25 questions on road sign shapes, colors, and meanings, each explained in plain English. The real DMV Driver License Knowledge Test has 40 questions, and you need 32 correct (80%) to pass.

Tap an answer. The explanation opens so you can learn it, then go on. Keyboard: A–D or 1–4 to answer, then Enter or Space.

  1. 1. Two solid yellow lines run down the center of the road. What do they prohibit?

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    Correct answer: D. Double solid yellow lines ban passing for traffic in both directions, because sight distance or traffic makes passing unsafe there. Crossing is generally allowed only to turn into a driveway or side road, not to overtake.

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  2. 2. An orange triangle with a red border is mounted on the back of a vehicle ahead. What is that vehicle doing?

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    Correct answer: B. The slow-moving-vehicle emblem marks farm and other equipment that usually travels 25 mph or less. Give it a wide berth and pass only when you can see far enough ahead. Orange triangle equals slow vehicle.

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  3. 3. A yellow diamond sign shows two arrows curving apart around an oval island. What is this sign telling you about the road ahead?

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    Correct answer: D. The divided highway begins sign means opposing traffic will soon be separated by a median or barrier. Stay right of the divider and do not cross it. Picture the two arrows as lanes splitting around an island you must not enter.

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  4. 4. A yellow diamond sign shows a small red stop sign symbol with an upward arrow. What should you do when you see it?

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    Correct answer: C. A stop-ahead warning is used where the actual stop sign is hidden by a curve, hill, or trees. Start braking as soon as you see it, since the real stop will appear with little warning.

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  5. 5. Which shape is used only for yield signs, so you can recognize the sign even when you cannot read its face?

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    Correct answer: D. Only yield signs use the downward-pointing triangle, just as only stop signs use the octagon. Unique shapes let drivers react from the outline alone in fog or darkness. Picture the point aiming down, telling you to back off and give way.

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  6. 6. You pass a round yellow sign marked with a large black X and the letters R R. What is it telling you?

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    Correct answer: A. The round yellow RXR sign is the advance warning for a railroad crossing, posted well before the tracks. It gives you time to slow, quiet distractions, and scan for trains. Round and yellow means railroad ahead, not at, the sign.

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  7. 7. Along a curb you see a white sign with a large letter P inside a red circle and slash. What does it tell you?

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    Correct answer: C. A P covered by a red circle and slash is the international no-parking symbol, banning parking where the sign applies. It keeps curbs clear for visibility, hydrants, and traffic flow. Any symbol wearing the red slash is something you cannot do.

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  8. 8. A white sign with a black arrow bending left and the word ONLY is over your lane. What does it require?

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    Correct answer: B. A black arrow plus ONLY assigns that lane to one movement. If you need to go straight, change lanes before the marking. Lane-control signs win over habit; follow the arrow you are sitting under.

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  9. 9. A yellow diamond sign ahead displays a bold T symbol. What does this sign mean you will have to do soon?

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    Correct answer: D. A T-symbol warning means your road dead-ends at a cross street, so you must slow, yield to crossing traffic, and turn left or right. The letter T shows exactly how the roads meet ahead.

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  10. 10. A white regulatory sign reads NO TURN ON RED. You have a circular red light and want to go right. What must you do?

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    Correct answer: B. NO TURN ON RED cancels the usual after-stop right turn. Wait for green. Cities post this where pedestrians or poor sightlines make a red-light turn dangerous. The sign overrules the general permission.

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  11. 11. You see a red-and-white triangular sign reading YIELD as you approach a traffic circle. What should you do?

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    Correct answer: B. A yield sign tells you to slow down, check for traffic with the right-of-way, and stop only when necessary to let it pass. It keeps merges smooth without forcing pointless stops. Think of yield as give way, not a full stop every time.

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  12. 12. An orange sign with a black arrow reads DETOUR. What is this sign telling you?

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    Correct answer: A. Detour signs guide you along a temporary route when the normal road is closed, often for construction or an emergency. Keep following the arrows until the detour ends, and the route will return you to your original road.

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  13. 13. A solid white line, instead of a broken one, separates your lane from the next lane going the same way. What is it telling you?

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    Correct answer: A. A solid white line between same-direction lanes discourages lane changes, and it appears where drifting is risky, such as near intersections and ramps. The firmer the line looks, the firmer the message: hold your lane.

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  14. 14. A white vertical rectangle reads SPEED LIMIT 55. What does that number legally mean?

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    Correct answer: C. A white rectangular speed limit sign is a regulatory sign, so the number is the maximum lawful speed in ideal conditions. Rain, fog, or heavy traffic can make even that speed illegal. Treat the posted number as a ceiling, not a target.

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  15. 15. A freeway lane is marked with white diamond symbols, and a sign says the lane is for high-occupancy vehicles (HOV 2+). Who may drive in it during the posted hours?

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    Correct answer: B. Diamond-marked HOV lanes are reserved for vehicles meeting the posted occupancy, like two or more people in an HOV 2+ lane. Rewarding shared rides moves more people in fewer cars. The diamond means special rules, so read the sign before entering.

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  16. 16. In a work zone, an orange sign warns of a flagger ahead. The flagger signals you to stop, even though the traffic light beyond is green. What should you do?

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    Correct answer: C. Flaggers control traffic through work zones, and you must obey their directions even when they conflict with posted signs or signals. They can see hazards you cannot. Remember: in a work zone, the person outranks the light.

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  17. 17. You are driving at night and can only make out the eight-sided outline of a sign ahead. Even before reading it, what does that shape tell you to do?

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    Correct answer: C. The octagon is reserved for stop signs alone, so the shape itself orders a full stop. This lets you obey the sign even when snow, glare, or darkness hides the word. Eight sides always equals stop.

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  18. 18. On a rural road at dusk you pass a yellow diamond sign showing a leaping deer. What is the proper response?

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    Correct answer: A. A deer crossing sign marks a stretch where animals often enter the road, so slow down and watch the shoulders, particularly around dawn and dusk. Deer travel in groups, so one crossing usually means more are coming. Where there's one, expect another.

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  19. 19. At the top of a ramp you see a square sign with a red circle and a white horizontal bar reading DO NOT ENTER. What does it mean?

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    Correct answer: A. DO NOT ENTER marks a roadway where traffic flows toward you, such as an exit ramp or one-way street. Entering it risks a head-on crash. If you have already turned in and see WRONG WAY, pull over and turn around safely.

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  20. 20. A yellow diamond sign shows a car with wavy skid marks trailing behind its tires. When does this warning matter most?

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    Correct answer: D. The skidding-car sign warns that the road ahead becomes slippery when wet, so slow down and avoid sudden braking or sharp steering in rain, snow, or ice. The first minutes of rain are often the slickest, as water lifts oil off the pavement.

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  21. 21. A yellow diamond shows a truck tipping on a curved arrow. What should you do before the curve?

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    Correct answer: B. The tipping-truck symbol marks a curve or ramp with a recommended lower speed for high-center vehicles — and a wise lower speed for everyone. Slow before you enter the curve, not in the middle of it.

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  22. 22. You see a yellow diamond sign showing an arrow that bends left, then right, then left again. What does this sign tell you about the road ahead?

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    Correct answer: C. A winding road sign warns of three or more curves in a row, while a single-bend arrow marks just one curve. Knowing the difference helps you hold a safe speed. Think: a wiggly arrow means the wiggles keep coming.

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  23. 23. Wide white stripes cross the pavement ahead, marking a crosswalk. What do these markings require of you as a driver?

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    Correct answer: C. Crosswalk stripes show where pedestrians are expected to cross, and drivers must yield to people within them. You stop only when someone is crossing or a sign or signal requires it. Painted stripes mean feet ahead.

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  24. 24. A round yellow sign with a black X and the letters RR is posted well before a crossing. What does that advance sign tell you?

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    Correct answer: A. The circular railroad advance sign gives you time to slow, scan both ways, and be ready to stop. Do not stop on the tracks. Circle plus X means rails are coming; the crossbuck at the tracks is the actual yield-to-train sign.

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  25. 25. A white sign with a green arrow and the word ONLY is mounted beside a traffic signal. When may you move in that direction?

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    Correct answer: B. A signal-mounted green arrow with ONLY ties that movement to the arrow indication. Go that way when the arrow is on and the path is clear; otherwise wait. Arrows assign time as well as direction.

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