Power failure — New Hampshire Permit Test
Power failure on the New Hampshire permit test — 3 rules, each with the reason behind it and a question on it while it is fresh.
The rules
If the engine shuts off while the vehicle is in motion a driver should keep a strong grip on the steering wheel, which may be difficult to turn.
Power steering dies with the engine, so the wheel suddenly takes far more effort than the driver expects.
Keep a strong grip on the steering wheel. Be aware that the steering wheel may be difficult to turn.
After a power failure a driver should not brake hard, but brake with steady pressure on the pedal, slow down and then pull off the roadway.
Power brakes fade with the engine too, so pressing harder and harder is the wrong instinct to follow.
Do not brake hard, brake with steady pressure on the pedal, slow down then pull off the roadway.
If a restart is unsuccessful after a power failure, a driver should raise the hood, turn on the emergency flashers and call for help.
The raised hood is a signal anybody can read from a distance, including a driver who has not yet seen the flashers.
Stop and try to restart the engine, if unsuccessful, raise hood, turn on emergency flashers and call for help.
On the test
What happens to the steering when the engine shuts off?
It may become difficult to turn. Power steering dies with the engine, so the wheel suddenly takes far more effort than the driver expects. New Hampshire Driver's Manual, p.35: “Keep a strong grip on the steering wheel. Be aware that the steering wheel may be difficult to turn.”
How this works
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Where these come from
Every rule here is checked against New Hampshire Driver's Manual, published by the New Hampshire Division of Motor Vehicles, and against the state code itself. Last checked 2026-09-16.
- src/assets/drivers-manuals/NH.pdf (New Hampshire Driver's Manual, Rev. 11/25, New Hampshire Division of Motor Vehicles, retrieved 2026-09-14)
- src/assets/drivers-manuals/NH.pages.txt (plain pdftotext over that PDF; sha256 pinned in SOURCES.json)
- src/assets/drivers-manuals/SOURCES.json (sha256, folio offset 6, folioMarker, nonLawPages, signGalleryPages and the extraction flag, each with its basis)