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News: Where the Worst Drivers Live - 2009

From the US News & World Report:

The worst drivers in America live in New York. Of course, you knew that. You've been in the Holland Tunnel. But now, we have proof.

GMAC Insurance has released the results of its National Drivers Test for 2009. The test, which measures basic knowledge of driving laws, was given to more than 5,000 drivers from all 50 states and the District of Columbia -- and New Yorkers finished last. Last year's loser, New Jersey, improved its score just enough to leap over New York. Hawaii, California and Georgia rounded out the bottom five.

Idaho and Wisconsin drivers tied for the highest average score, with an 80.6.

The point of the test, of course, is not just to confirm what anyone who's tried to merge onto the Thruway already knew. It's to measure how much we know about safe driving. And the news isn't good.

In a press release, GMAC explains, "Results from the 2009 GMAC Insurance National Drivers Test released today found that 20.1 percent of licensed Americans - amounting to roughly 41 million drivers on the road - would not pass a written drivers test exam if taken today." Most of us have trouble, according to the results, with "questions about yellow lights and safe following distances."

The survey has been given for five years. The average score has fluctuated up and down during that time, but this year it is down - 76.6 percent versus last year's 78.1.

GMAC notes, "In general, geographical regions ranked similarly to previous years, with the lowest average test scores in the Northeast, while the states in the Midwest held the highest averages. When comparing genders, men are still more likely to pass the test than women, but the gap is considerably smaller in 2009 (81 percent of males versus 79 percent of females) than in 2008 (87 percent of males versus 80 percent of females)."

And, "The older the driver, the higher the test score." Drivers over 35 were more likely to pass than those under 35, while men over 45 posted the highest scores, and "the age group with the highest failure rates was young adults (18 to 24 years old)."

Curious how you'd do? Take the test yourself at nationaldriverstest.com. When you're finished, GMAC will even let you play a video game that teaches you how to avoid elderly people and aliens in the roadway (no, we're not kidding).

State Rankings (from best to worse)
Note: Many states tied for the same position in the rankings.

1 IDAHO
1 WISCONSIN
3 MONTANA
4 KANSAS
5 SOUTH DAKOTA
5 NEBRASKA
7 UTAH
8 WYOMING
8 IOWA
8 OREGON
8 MINNESOTA
12 ALASKA
12 NORTH DAKOTA
14 VERMONT
15 COLORADO
15 MISSOURI
17 OKLAHOMA
17 WASHINGTON
19 NEW MEXICO
20 NORTH CAROLINA
21 VIRGINIA
22 INDIANA
22 MICHIGAN
24 ARKANSAS
24 TEXAS
26 ALABAMA
-----------------------
26 NEVADA
28 WEST VIRGINIA
29 ILLINOIS
30 ARIZONA
31 MAINE
32 DELAWARE
33 NEW HAMPSHIRE
34 OHIO
35 KENTUCKY
36 PENNSYLVANIA
37 LOUISIANA
38 TENNESSEE
38 MISSISSIPPI
40 SOUTH CAROLINA
40 MARYLAND
42 CONNECTICUT
43 FLORIDA
44 DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
45 MASSACHUSETTS
46 RHODE ISLAND
47 GEORGIA
48 CALIFORNIA
49 HAWAII
50 NEW JERSEY
51 NEW YORK

I am surprised Tennessee was that high on the list, the way a lot of these yahoos drive, and Monday after a Nascar race it is normally worse :D

And I was surprised that Texas showed up that high on the list too, and Pennsylvania so low.
I'm going to take the test and see what information they were using and how they reached these conclusions. I have a feeling it's not all cut and dried.

Don't leave out FL, I-95 and I-4 is the new Daytona Speed Way!!!

See? I wasn't kidding when I often said I deal with the worst drivers in the country. :D

Edit: I wound up scoring 90%.

www.nationaldriverstest.com
Your Score: 100%

I just took the test and got 100%, though I was unsure of a few answers the way some of the questions were worded.
Since they ask for your zip code but no other personal info is necessary, I believe the test is based on your states traffic laws. A few of the questions were not answered the same as I would've had I still lived in Pa. Or at least not the way it was in the mid-70's when I took the test there.

They look pretty similar to the questions I answered when I got my license four years ago, though.

... And to the ones I answered 4 yrs ago for a Defensive Driving, but some laws of the road have changed, or were different for Texas than Pa.
I don't know if you'll be able to see my "results" page, but here's the link. See if your questions were different than mine.
http://nationaldriverstest.com/natio...dt-results.php

No dice on the results, but the question were the same. I was confused by the diamond one...I don't think I've ever seen one here.

100% on the test.
See around here most would have got the Emergency Vehicle question wrong, They stop for a Funeral but they will not stop for the guy that they are trying to save in the Ambulance.