DC has Nation's Third Worst Drivers

Based on a study by GMAC insurance

The national average for the test was 76.2 percent, with below 70 considered failing, according to GMAC Insurance. D.C. drivers were third from the bottom, with an average score of 71.9.

Maryland drivers ranked 20th, averaging 78.2 percent, and Virginia drivers were 28th with scores averaging 77.5 percent.

Applying the test results nationally, almost 20 percent of licensed drivers, or about 38 million motorists, "may be unfit for roads" and wouldn't pass a state-issued written exam if taken today, the study said.

About 25 percent of participants admitted to driving while talking on mobile phones, eating and adjusting the radio or selecting songs on an iPod.

Comments

[contrarian]

Yet another example of the taboo of talking about driver behavior. People who are dangerous drivers aren't dangerous because they don't know the rules, they're dangerous because they do dangerous things.

I'm reminded of a sign I saw on the Trans-Canada highway: "Do not pass when opposing traffic is present." This is a two-lane rural highway, where people drive really fast and they have lots of bad accidents, many involving passing. Do you think that anyone who was killed there didn't know you're not supposed to pass when a car is coming the other way? Of course not.

The problem is not driver education about laws, it's driver education about attitudes.

[ontarioroader]

We're only third in this study because they're using the flawed comparison of DC to states. We're actually worse than that. Allstate did a study last year of 193 cities [with populations over 100,000] and DC is dead last. PDF results of their analysis:

http://allstatenewsroom.com/documents/425;download?src=L2NhdGVnb3JpZXMvNi9yZWxlYXNlcy80NTI5%0A

[VAloflyby]

I'm not sure I totally agree w/ you Contrarian. While there is a certain percentage of individuals who KNOW the rules, yet DECIDE to break them based on a (however determined) risk-based decision, there are many more who are completely ignorant as to what they're EXPECTED to do (ie: The Rules).

Is one worse than the other? If someone doesn't know that they're supposed to STOP for a school bus unloading and they're supposed to STOP for pedestrians in the roadway, the potential result is the same as if someone knowingly decided to ignore the rules, isn't it?

Don't get me wrong - I understand the issue that there are people who take chances and will have an accident whether they're behind the wheel of a car, riding a bicycle, or doing the laundry. I just think that (better) training and education goes a long way to reducing the problem.

[Eric_W.]

Laugh of the Day:
"About 25 percent of participants admitted to driving while talking on mobile phones, eating and adjusting the radio or selecting songs on an iPod."

If 25% DID NOT do this, that would be news.

[John]

As a former Boston cabbie and resident of Providence and Boston, I can assure you that DC drivers don't hold a candle to Boston or Providence drivers in their ineptitude. We like to bitch and moan about drivers around here but a 3 mile drive down Commonwealth Avenue or Storrow Drive in Boston would convince you that DC drivers are experts.

[billym7]

When punishment for motoring violations is primarily limited to fines that fall below a level that effectively changes behavior, we should not expect any different than the result of this survey.