20 Million Drivers are Potential Accidents Waiting to Happen

Just saw in the Insurance Journal that GMAC Insurance just released a study that shows 1 in 10 drivers (nearly 20 million) would fail a state drivers test it they had to take it again. They asked 20 driving-knowledge questions of 5,000 licensed drivers between 16 and 65 from around the country. The test measured basic knowledge of driving and safety laws, as well as attitudes towards basic driving situations.

Looks like those of us in the Northwest did the best. Oregon, Washington, and Idaho scored 1st, 2nd, and 4th.

Some interesting stuff from the test:

• Drivers 18-24 years old are most likely to fail a written driving test (78 percent passing rate); drivers 50-64 years are most likely to pass (85 percent passing rate).
• 1 out of 5 drivers do not know that a pedestrian has the right of way at a marked or unmarked crosswalk.
• 1 out of 3 drivers thought a yellow light means to speed up.
• 1 out of 4 drivers indicated they usually roll through stop signs.
• Half of the drivers report that they do not know how to merge into heavy traffic

What is most surprising really is probably that more people would not fail the test and at least based on my opinion of other people’s driving habits - I think most don’t admit to not knowing how to drive.

Update: NWPR covered this story also: “Northwest Drivers: Smartest in the Nation” and on audio drivers.mp3

Update 06/13/2005: Not everyone likes the results, especially those in the Northeastern states - John Chichowski at northjersey.com writes Survey takes ‘cheap shot’ at road-tested Jersey drivers quotes:

“It was a great PR tool that takes a cheap shot at New Jersey,” said Gordon Deal, who spins PR for the state Motor Vehicle Commission. “Every newspaper in the country picked it up. But how do you compare a small, congested state like New Jersey to Oregon or Wyoming?”

Update 06/21/2005: Added link to GMAC Insurance National Driver Test