Hawaii driving lesson · Vehicle Equipment & Registration
Required and prohibited equipment
A 3-minute lesson from the Hawaii course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.
Every car on Hawaii highways must carry a set list of working equipment, and some add-ons are banned outright. You're responsible for the condition of whatever vehicle you drive, even when you don't own it.
Required equipment (all meeting established standards):
Brakes, steering, horn and door handles
Tires, wheels and wheel lug nuts
Exhaust system, lights, glass and windshield wipers
Odometer and speedometer
Bumpers, fenders, floor pans, hood and hood catches, and gas tank
With ABS, practice in an open area such as an empty parking lot, and practice NOT pumping the brake pedal. ABS activates more easily on wet, slippery surfaces.
You borrow a friend's car and notice a blue light bar on the dash and a loud aftermarket muffler. You're the driver, so you're responsible: a blue light visible outside and a muffler louder than the original are both prohibited.
Check your understanding
Read the question, decide on an answer, then open it to check the explanation. These are Roadwise study questions based on the source handbook.
Which of these is prohibited vehicle equipment in Hawaii?
A muffler cut-out or bypass
A horn in good working condition
A hood with a secondary safety catch
A speedometer and odometer
Answer: A muffler cut-out or bypass
A muffler cut-out or bypass, or an overly loud muffler, is prohibited equipment.