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"More than one in five Americans -- some 36.9 million -- are not fit to drive and would fail a driving test if asked to take one today, according to a new survey of the nation's drivers. Twenty-seven percent of women failed the test, while males had a failure rate of 13.6%. The oldest drivers tested -- ages 60 to 65 -- had the highest average test scores at 80.3%. Drivers in the Northeast scored lowest, while respondents in the Midwest fared best. The worst place, no surprise to anyone who drives there, is Washington, D.C."
Maybe the mass transit in the NE has something to do with that.
I was gonna mention this too. Also add the higher immigrant and transient population. IMO rural areas are probably the best way to gauge driving habits by state.
Also a 20 question test doesn't necessarily reflect your actual driving skills. I had to unexpectedly take one in CA when I transfered my license out there. I passed, but there were definitely some question I wasn't sure on, such as at what distances are you supposed to set up reflective triangles if you're disabled on the shoulder, or how far in advance you're supposed to put on your turn signal before turning.
If you chose 250' instead of 200', that doesn't really mean you're a bad driver. Also, I was confused a bit while reading the article when they mentioned how most people don't know what to do at a steady yellow light. I was picturing some sort of solid, not changing yellow light, which I've never seen. Thinking about it more, I guess they mean the short yellow light between the green and red?
According to the article, you wouldn't even get the chance to drive. It says the worst drivers don't know the rules of driving and couldn't pass the written test.
According to the article, you wouldn't even get the chance to drive. It says the worst drivers don't know the rules of driving and couldn't pass the written test.
If the test didn't have such oddly worded questions...
Quote:
For example, a full 85% of those surveyed could not identify the correct action to take when approaching a steady yellow traffic light.
...then they wouldn't get results like these.
The question was
Quote:
When you approach a traffic signal displaying a steady yellow light, you must:
Why not just word it "when a traffic light turns yellow, you ____"
I figured when it said "a steady yellow light" that it meant there was no green or red.
Other than a couple of them, they were pretty much common sense. I was disappointed that I didn't get them all...but 90% is still pretty darn good.
This seems to be more about the knowledge of drivers rather than better/worst. I think a knowledgeable could easily be a bad driver as knowing and doing can be different things.
I got 95 on it. Missed #4 flashing yellow question. Only because it was so easy, I though I could answer it, without even reading the answers. If I had bothered to actually read it, I would have gotten a 100.
I can't believe that people can't get this type of basic info down, before driving a car. It's just too easy.
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