1 in 5 Licensed Drivers Wouldn’t Pass Written Test

The 2011 GMAC Insurance National Drivers Test results revealed that 1 in 5 drivers on the road today cannot meet the basic requirements to get a driver's license, meaning that 36.9 million American drivers, roughly 18 percent, would not pass the written drivers test if taken today.

The seventh annual survey polled 5,130 licensed drivers ages 16-65, from 50 states and the District of Columbia. The 2011 test, conducted this spring, gauged driver knowledge by administering 20 questions taken from state Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) exams. The test was administered online by TNS, a custom research agency. National data was weighted to percentage of state population, age, gender and ethnicity.

The state with the highest score was Kansas (82.9 percent average score), while New York was bumped from last by Washington, D.C. (71.8 percent average score). GMAC lists the following other highlights from the test results:

• Males are better drivers? If driving knowledge is any indication of driving habits, men are better drivers than women. 1 in 4 women failed the test (27.2 percent versus 13.6 percent for male). Overall, males out-performed females with an average score of 80.2 percent versus 74.1 percent for females.

• Northeast is worst driving region with average scoring at 74.9 percent. Midwest is best driving region with average scoring at 77.5 percent.

• The older the wiser. Oldest drivers tested, ages 60-65, continued to have the highest average test scores at 80.3 percent.

• Be careful in the Empire State and Beltway: •1 of 3 (34 percent) of all drivers in New York and Washington, D.C. failed the test. The state with the lowest percentage of failures is Wyoming, with only 1 of 20 (4.5 percent) failing the test.

• New York no longer last: New York moves to 45th after placing last three years in a row with a score of 75.3 percent

• Biggest gains and losses: After ranking 24th place in 2010, Colorado moves to third place with an 82 percent average score. Arkansas plummeted 30 spots from tenth place in 2010 to 40th place this year. Their average test score decreased from a 79.8 percent average to a 76 percent average.

While the average score of all drivers increased from 76.2 percent in 2010 to 77.9 percent this year, results suggest that a great number of people on the road still lack basic driving knowledge, which can lead to dangerous driving habits. Eighty-five percent could not identify the correct action to take when approaching a steady yellow traffic light, and only a quarter were aware of safe following distances.

|“The GMAC Insurance National Drivers Test has become the benchmark for America's driving IQ,” said Scott Eckman, chief marketing officer, GMAC Insurance. ”All Americans need a refresher course when it comes to rules of the road and it begins with education. We're hoping this year's GMAC Insurance National Drivers Test results will inspire drivers to arm themselves with the knowledge they need to stay safe.”

Without critical driving comprehension, many drivers run the risk of increased accidents or near accidents, where they often come to the realization of their lack of knowledge on rules of the road. The GMAC Insurance National Drivers Test sets out to remind drivers to re-up their credentials before such events occur.