Survey finds DC drivers among the least knowledgable

Photo courtesy of
‘Fancy #1’
courtesy of ‘Chris Rief aka Spodie Odie’

The results of the 2010 GMAC Insurance National Drivers Test place the District of Columbia as having the third least knowledgeable drivers in the United States. DC squeaks in right above New Jersey and New York at the very bottom of the list. The top three states were Kansas, Oregon and South Dakota.

The test was comprised of 20 questions on basic rules of the road, derived mostly from DMV exams. Some questions also addressed subjects such as distracted driving. Nationwide scores were down from the 2009 survey.

From a CNN piece on the results:

Nearly three out of four couldn’t identify safe following distances and some 85% incorrectly responded to questions about what to do when approaching a steady yellow light. This signals that licensed drivers lack knowledge of fundamental road rules, GMAC Insurance said.

I’d suggest that questions about navigating traffic circles and pulling over for motorcades also be included. Those Kansas drivers seem very confused about those things once they get to DC, even if they are ranked #1.

For comparison, Virginia ranked #28 and Maryland at #20.

Dave has been following DC news and politics for nearly eight years and previous authored the blog “Why I Hate DC.” Dave tries to give a voice to those frustrated by the “politics as usual” in the area. By day he works in the technology department of a non-profit, by night he writes about news and politics and works at a local hardware store. Dave is also a contributor for Greater Greater Washington. You can follow him on Twitter or read his personal blog.

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