Do you ever wonder about the skill of that driver in your rear-view mirror, you know, the one who seems to riding your bumper?
Statistics show that some 41 million drivers would not pass a written driver's test today. That's 20.1 percent of licensed drivers! That translates to 1 in 5 of every 100 drivers on the road cannot pass the written exam!
About 76.6 percent of drivers know basic road rules, and that's down from 78.1 percent last year.
So, where are the nations best drivers? Head north to Wisconsin and Idaho where drivers are tied for first, with an average test score of 80.6 percent. New York drivers ranked last, while Oklahoma ranks 17th with a score of 78.9.
Of the 20 questions posed to more than 5,000 drivers, the ones that stumped test-takers the most involved yellow lights and safe following distances.
Can you beat the national average? Just answer the following questions to see where you rank.
Test your driving knowledge against other drivers nationwide. The following 20 questions were taken from actual written DMV test across the country. Good luck!
1. A pedestrian is crossing your lane but there is no crosswalk. You should:
A. Make sure the pedestrian sees you, but continue driving
B. Stop and let the pedestrian cross the street
C. Carefully drive around the pedestrian
2. When driving in adverse conditions, the proper speed to travel is:
A. The posted speed limit
B. 55mph
C. 65mph
D. Only as fast as is safe to drive
3. A traffic light with a flashing red signal means?
A. Yield
B. Stop
C. Caution
4. You see a flashing yellow traffic signal at an upcoming intersection. The flashing yellow light means:
A. Stop before entering the intersection as long as you can do so safely
B. Stop. Yield to all cross traffic before crossing the intersection
C. Slow down and cross the intersection carefully
5. A solid yellow line, on your side of the center line, means:
A. Reduce speed
B. Traffic light ahead
C. Do not pass
6. When you approach a stopped school bus with flashing red lights, you should:
A. Stop when approaching a bus from either the front or the rear
B. Slow when approaching a bus from the front or rear
C. Stop only when approaching a bus from the front
D. Stop only when approaching a bus from the rear
7. If, while driving, a tire suddenly blows out, you should:
A. Grip the steering wheel firmly, slow down, and exit from the traffic lanes
B. Pump the brakes rapidly
C. Brake hard and steer toward the right edge of the roadway
8. You may pass on the right of another vehicle when:
A. When traveling on a multi-lane highway carrying two or more lanes of traffic in the same direction
B. The other vehicle is making/about to make a left turn, when a lane is provided to pass on the right
C. Both answers are correct
9. When making right or left turns, a driver should signal _______ before the turn?
A. 100 feet
B. 50 feet
C. 35 feet
D. 5 feet
10. A diamond shaped sign means:
A. Yield
B. Stop
C. Warning
11. You drive defensively when you:
A. Always put one car length between you and the car ahead
B. Look only at the car in front of you while driving
C. Keep your eyes moving to look for possible hazards
12. When you tailgate other drivers (drive close to their rear bumper):
A. You can frustrate the other drivers and make them angry
B. Your actions cannot result in a traffic citation
C. You help reduce traffic congestion
13. You may drive off of the paved roadway to pass another vehicle:
A. If the shoulder is wide enough to accommodate your vehicle
B. If the vehicle ahead of you is turning left
C. Under no circumstances
14. When you are merging onto the freeway, you should be driving:
A. At or near the same speed as the traffic on the freeway
B. 5 to 10 miles per hour slower than the traffic on the freeway
C. The posted speed limit for traffic on the freeway
15. When driving in fog, you should use your:
A. Fog lights only
B. High beams
C. Low beams
16. Under most conditions what is a safe following distance?
A. 3 seconds
B. 10 seconds
C. 20 seconds
17. There is an emergency vehicle coming from behind you with emergency lights on and flashing. You should:
A. Slow down and keep moving
B. Speed up and get out of the way
C. Maintain your speed
D. Pull over to the right and stop
18. When you approach a traffic signal displaying a steady yellow light, you must:
A. go through the intersection before it turns red
B. Stop if it is safe to do so
C. Be prepared to stop
D. Slow down and proceed with caution
19. In bad weather, you should make your car easier for others to see by:
A. Turning on your headlights
B. Turning on your emergency flashers
C. Turning on your parking lights
D. Flash your high beams
20. The best way to keep from hydroplaning is to:
A. Turn to avoid puddles
B. Apply the brakes firmly
C. Slow down when on wet roads
How did you do?
1. B 11. C
2. D 12. A
3. B 13. C
4. C 14. A
5. C 15. C
6. A 16. A
7. A 17. D
8. C 18. B
9. A 19. A
10. C 20. C