GMAC Insurance Study: Almost 20% of American Drivers Unfit for the Road

Last week, GMAC Insurance announce the results of its 7th annual National Drivers Test, and the results are only slightly surprising to anyone who spends much time on the road, driving among their fellow Americans.

The survey polled over 5000 licensed drivers, between the ages of 16 to 65 and in all 50 states and DC. These drivers were asked 20 questions from state DMV tests, the same tests that prospective drivers take to get their license in the first place.

And roughly 18% of them couldn't pass the test. That's 36.9 million drivers on American roads who couldn't get a license if they were taking the test today for the first time. 85% of those taking the test didn't know what to do if approaching a steady yellow light, and 75% didn't know what a safe following distance was. These are exactly the kinds of things that we cover in our defensive driving classes.

The low score is still something of an improvement over 2010. Last year, the average score was 76.2 which increased to 77.9 in 2011. Kansas continued to hold first place, with an average score of 82.9. Last place in 2010 went to New York, but the New Yorkers were bumped out of last place this year by Washington, DC, with an average score of 71.8 percent. Wyoming was the state with the lowest percentage of failures: only 1 of 20 (4.5 percent) failed the test.