Want to avoid morons? Move to Idaho.

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http://autos.yahoo.com/articles/autos_content_landing_pages/993/where-the-worst-drivers-live/

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

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

note: Michigan did fairly well, midpack, as did Illinois.

But me thinks I want to go to Wisconsin if at all possible.
 
Hey, 22nd. I figured we'd be near the bottom, the number of morons around here.
 
Anyone else find it coincidental that the top 10 states are the ones considered the "least" populated & just wide open fields, or is it me? :lol:
 
Uh, has anyone actually been to Idaho? There are plenty of moron drivers, just like everywhere else...
 
Reventón;3401963
Anyone else find it coincidental that the top 10 states are the ones considered the "least" populated & just wide open fields, or is it me? :lol:

I was thinking exactly the same thing. Built up city centres have road signs everywhere, bus lanes, cyclists, speed cameras one way routes, roundabouts. When I drive through the central London it's one big congested mess with road signs in completely the wrong places.
 
How is Minnesota #8 when we have the worst roads in the country. Also MN is 21st in population and Wisconsin is 20th so they aren't the least populated states that are up top.
 
men are still more likely to pass the test than women, but the gap is considerably smaller in 2009
Feminism is on the rise. They've finally realized that they actually are worse drivers than men, so they're getting their act together. Good on ya, ladies!

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)."
I am personally biased because I'm a young guy, but most of the people I see driving badly and "disagreeing" with my reasonable and mostly legal driving habits are all older than me. Seeing that the the rules and regs are relatively fresh in my mind, it's led me to assume people forget the rules as they get older and instead rely on what they call "experience". There is a point however, especially in men it seems, where they hit a fun-wall in life and calm down, being more careful and whatnot because they realize they've got too much to risk.

I'm still on the fence about who knows more of the laws. I know who ignores the law more often (my age group), but I'm holding onto my opinion that us young people also know the laws more thoroughly than older folk, despite the proof in this survey. I'm basing my opinion on what you old people call "experience".

See, experience isn't always the best way to deal with things, old people, because everyone has had slightly different experiences than the next person. But laws apply to everyone. So all you old guys that don't use your blinker because they "don't work" or whatever, don't you dare get mad at me when I send a blaring loud rev through your open window.

I also notice that Kentucky and Tennessee are both below Ohio in the rankings. I completely agree with that, because I've now dealt for years with a weird phenomenon that takes place when I cross state lines. Whenever I leave Ohio for Kentucky, I find myself suddenly agreeing with nobody on proper highway driving etiquette. In Ohio everything runs just fine and smooth, but in Kentucky it seems like I'm dodging people who don't look to change lanes and all sorts of other intrusive behaviors. It only gets worse when I get into Tennessee. If just a few places on the list makes that big a difference, I can't even imagine driving in New York.
 
Hey, 22nd. I figured we'd be near the bottom, the number of morons around here.

I think it depends on where you are, because honestly, when I'm "in town" I flip out with how bad people are, but when I'm out where I live, things calm down a bit. The east siders are terrible, and I'm sure that feeling is reciprocated against we west siders as well.

One thing every Michigander can agree on:

How terrible drivers from Ohio and Indiana are.

Seriously guys, the "Michigan turn" isn't that hard to figure out...
 
Jeez Northstar where do you drive? hwy 52 isnt at all bad, neither is I35....
But hey I got 85% lol I know pedestrians have the right of way but I dont think so when they are JAYWALKING!!
 
Seriously guys, the "Michigan turn" isn't that hard to figure out...
I've never been through one, but I've seen a diagram. Looks pretty simple and clever.
 
I've never been through one, but I've seen a diagram. Looks pretty simple and clever.

What is this "Michigan turn?"

Population density seems to impact the scores quite a bit. And you wouldn't want to live in Idaho, as the roads there are a joke.

I do have to say the further east you go across the country, the more people want to speed. When I was in Georgia, people just seemed to do around 15 over everywhere, in every condition. The Michigan girl I know up here thinks 10 over is normal, while 5 over is all they will let you get away with in Washington, generally.
 
What is this "Michigan turn?"

Population density seems to impact the scores quite a bit.

I do have to say the further east you go across the country, the more people want to speed. When I was in Georgia, people just seemed to do around 15 over everywhere, in every condition.
I second that, and btw EVEN THE COPS!!
 
I just took that driving quiz. 90%. I didn't read one of the questions all the way, so I assumed they didn't provide a right lane to pass a left turning vehicle with, so got that wrong. And the yellow light one. I selected be prepared to stop, they wanted come to a stop if safe to do so. Fairly similar.

Oh well.

And thanks for that bit road_dogg. Those don't really seem tricky, and I'd see them only being an issue if you have several lanes of traffic you must cross in a short distance.
 
Washington is better than Michigan? :boggled: Things must not be very good over in the Detroit area. :scared:

Population density seems to impact the scores quite a bit. And you wouldn't want to live in Idaho, as the roads there are a joke.

My guess is that people in the cities gain experience with all the different situations faster and then use the rules more as guidelines and then their memory of the rules becomes fuzzy. But people in the country will drive more according to the rules for longer because they don't have a huge variety of situations to teach them anything else.

As an urbanite, I find country driving to be boringly easy. But put anybody from the country in the middle of a big city and $20 says they get into a wreck 20 times faster than anybody with experience driving there. I was driving in downtown Chicago with my roommate (from a small town) and he was overwhelmed by everything going on. It was to the point that I had to tell him what he could and couldn't do. And this is the guy whose dad is a cop and abides by every rule when driving around Holland.

I do have to say the further east you go across the country, the more people want to speed. When I was in Georgia, people just seemed to do around 15 over everywhere, in every condition. The Michigan girl I know up here thinks 10 over is normal, while 5 over is all they will let you get away with in Washington, generally.

Again, I think that has to do with cities. Everybody goes 10-15 over in Seattle when traffic permits, but going more than 5 over outside of the city makes you an easy target for cops.

And thanks for that bit road_dogg. Those don't really seem tricky, and I'd see them only being an issue if you have several lanes of traffic you must cross in a short distance.

It actually is pretty easy. You're either outside of town where traffic isn't bad at all, or there's a light at the intersection that stops all cross traffic to make getting over easier.
 
Michigan turns are so awesome they're building one in front of my house right now. It will make going to Meijer a pain in the ass, but it will help with the school traffic in the morning, and eliminate a lot of accidents at the corner.

Although, I'm going to be pissed if the idiots in my neighborhood forget how they work.
 
WooHoo! Go Massachusetts!

Oh wait...

I used to have a signature that read:
NASCAR: bumper to bumper 200mph, 50 professionals
Boston: bumper to bumper 70mph, 50,000 amateurs
 
I think we should all (GTPer's) take that test and see as a group how we do.

Someone set the thread and the poll up and I'll sticky it for a few weeks.

I scored 95%
 
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I got an 85%. We never get fog and don't have special right lanes to overtake people turning left (wtf?), so I got those half-right. Also, when pedestrians are jay walking, you're not supposed to just stop in the middle of the road over here. Not on these big roads. You will get rear-ended that way. Of course you slow down, but you don't just come to an abrupt stop.
 
90%. The turn signal one mixed me up a bit. I had always thought 30 feet so as to clearly indicate which driveway or road you're turning down, but apparently it's 30 yards. And I missed 9 also. Anybody have thoughts on that? I had always thought it was a strong suggestion to pass on the left only on a highway, which would indicate that "both" is an incorrect response.

As for the pedestrian one, I think the proposed scenario assumes the person is already in the road. And since pedestrians always have the right of way, you have to stop for them. And I personally think the law should be revised so a pedestrian only has the right of way in a crosswalk.
 
LOL I just had my friend take the test who doesnt drive but is 21: got 65%
here are some of the wrongs:
16. Under most conditions what is a safe following distance?
he picked 20 seconds
14. When you are merging onto the freeway, you should be driving:
he picked: 5 to 10 miles per hour slower than the traffic on the freeway
but the funniest was 7. If, while driving, a tire suddenly blows out, you should:
"Pump the brakes rapidly"
 
Jeez Northstar where do you drive? hwy 52 isnt at all bad, neither is I35....
But hey I got 85% lol I know pedestrians have the right of way but I dont think so when they are JAYWALKING!!

H10 is always horrible during rush hour. I could probably put a grill in my trunk and have a BBQ in the middle of the road.
 
I think it depends on where you are, because honestly, when I'm "in town" I flip out with how bad people are, but when I'm out where I live, things calm down a bit. The east siders are terrible, and I'm sure that feeling is reciprocated against we west siders as well.

One thing every Michigander can agree on:

How terrible drivers from Ohio and Indiana are. OUCH! That hurt!:ouch:

Seriously guys, the "Michigan turn" isn't that hard to figure out... No duh. It says on the signs how to pull it off.

Um.. Indiana and Michigan tied? Wow. That's pretty interesting because I thought we would be both in the bottom.
 
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