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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2009
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1 in 5 Drivers Would Flunk Test: Survey

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(Newser) – An annual survey of driver smarts is out, and the coasts fare poorly, the Los Angeles Times reports. Conducted by GMAC, the survey posed questions from US drivers license tests and found that 20% of current drivers would fail a written exam. New York ranked dead last and California 48th, sharing the lower rungs with New Jersey and Hawaii.

Some other results:

  • Drivers over 35 had the highest passing rate, while newbies aged 18 to 24 were most likely to fail.
  • Men did slightly better than women on the test—81% to 79%—but the difference is statistically insignificant.
  • The Midwest boasts the highest average scores and lowest rate of failure; the Northeast scored the lowest average scores, while the South failed most often.

Traffic drives toward downtown Los Angeles.
Traffic drives toward downtown Los Angeles.   (AP Photo)
A stop sign.
A stop sign.   (Shutter Stock)
California, Hawaii, New Jersey, and New York fared poorly in a new GMAC test of drivers' skills.
California, Hawaii, New Jersey, and New York fared poorly in a new GMAC test of drivers' skills.   (Shutterstock)
A traffic cone blocks the roadway ahead of two cars stranded by flooding.
A traffic cone blocks the roadway ahead of two cars stranded by flooding.   (AP Photo)
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5 comments
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Observer
Jun 5, 09 5:57 PM CDT
Goes to show a lot of morons are behind the wheel. And the inbred hillbillies in Dixie lead the pack. How many Mexicans were tested?They would all flunk. (Speaking as a guy who has been hit by uninsured Mexicans more than once.) Reply
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janbee
Jun 5, 09 7:35 PM CDT
Not sure what questions were asked since I wasn't asked...........I can say that my daughter (16yo) took her "road-test" yesterday and before the inspector got into the vehicle she asked her to demonstrate hand signals -- when was the last time you ever saw someone use hand-signals........w/o the middle finger signal being one of them. She passed the test and sitting in the backseat was scary enough ~ she now has a license........watch out in Massachusetts. Reply
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+2
DeniseVB
Jun 5, 09 8:41 PM CDT
Back in the day.....you had to take a written test to renew your license every 3 years. Maybe they should bring that back :) Reply
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+1
Robert_Dada
Jun 6, 09 6:46 AM CDT
Well we know Laura Bush had trouble understanding what stop signs meant. Reply
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+1
IN RESPONSE:
Thisplacemakesmepuke
Jun 6, 09 2:02 PM CDT
Boy, do I agree. She is a perfect example of that one careless moment. Her ill-matched marriage looks more like penance.
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