Friday, May 27, 2005

Everyone but the Northwest is going to summer school

Apparently most of us are driving around with preconceived notions about driver safety:
Survey ranks states with dumbest drivers
NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - When faced with a written test, similar to ones given to beginning drivers applying for licenses, one in ten drivers couldn't get a passing score, according to a study commissioned by GMAC Insurance.

The GMAC Insurance National Driver's Test found that nearly 20 million Americans, or about 1 in 10 drivers, would fail a state driver's test if they had to take one today. GMAC Insurance is part of General Motors' finance subsidiary, GMAC.

More than 5,000 licensed drivers between the ages of 16 and 65 were administered a 20-question written test designed to measure basic knowledge about traffic laws and safety. They were also surveyed about their general driving habits.

Drivers in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic states did worst. Twenty percent of test-takers failed there. Rest of article

The nation versus the top ten ranking state:

    Nation -- 82.7
    1. Oregon -- 89.4
    2. Washington -- 88.4
    3. Iowa -- 87.7
    4. Idaho -- 87.5
    5. Wyoming -- 87.4
    6. Vermont -- 86.6
    7. Nebraska -- 86.5
    8. Wisconsin -- 86.3
    9. Montana -- 86.2
    10. West Virginia -- 86.2

    (Full list of states)
I'm surprised that any states score quite so well, but I'm also surprised there aren't a lot more accidents each day...

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