Missouri Bicycle News

A CNN article about the state of the nation's driving reports:

The GMAC Insurance National Driver's Test found that nearly 20 million Americans, or about 1 in 10 drivers, would fail a state driver's test if they had to take one today. . . .

It is possible to teach drivers the rules of the road:

Northwestern states had the most knowledgeable drivers. In those states, just one to three percent failed the test. Oregon and Washington drivers knew the rules of the road best. In Oregon, the average test score was 89. . . .

According to the study, many drivers find basic practices, such as merging and interpreting road signs, difficult.

For instance, one out of five drivers doesn't know that a pedestrian in a crosswalk has the right of way, and one out of three drivers speeds up to make a yellow light, even when pedestrians are present, the study said.

Drivers not only lack basic road knowledge, but exhibit dangerous driving behavior as well.

"As a nation of drivers, we've made little progress in the past 10 years to curb some of the most dangerous driving behaviors, including drinking and driving and speeding," said Susan Ferguson, senior vice president of research at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

One of the planks of MOBikeFed's legislative platform is to increase education--which is proven to both increase knowledge and change attitudes--for those drivers proven by experience to be the worst.

[Thanks to Jeff for the news tip . . . ] permanent link to article: "1 in 10 drivers doesn't know rules of the road"
posted by Brent Hugh at 6/08/2005 08:26:45 AM |comment on this article