20% of Drivers Would Flunk Test

The nation’s most knowledgeable drivers are in Idaho, Wisconsin, Montana and Kansas, while the least knowledgeable are in New York, New Jersey, Hawaii and California.

That’s according to results from the 2009 GMAC Insurance National Drivers Test, which 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.

When probed on driving behavior, 30 percent of those surveyed say financial strains have triggered a desire to drive less and seek out new ways to save money.

Overall, findings indicate the number of drivers with knowledge of basic road rules is decreasing, with this year’s test scores lower than last year’s (76.6 percent vs. 78.1 percent).

In general, geographical regions ranked similarly to previous years, with the lowest average test scores in the Northeast, while the states in the Midwest had the highest.

When comparing genders, men are still more likely to pass the test than women. The older the driver, the higher the test score. Drivers 35 years old were most likely to pass. The age group with the highest failure rates was young adults (18 to 24 years old).

Drivers continued to have difficulty on questions about yellow lights and safe following distances, while almost all drivers answered correctly a question on what a solid line means.

Drivers’ Test State Rankings

Source: 2009 GMAC Insurance National Drivers Test