As Memorial Day Weekend kicks off the summer driving season, a new study shows that Americans should be wary on the road. For the second year in a row, the GMAC Insurance National Drivers Test – a study that gauges the current driving knowledge of the American public – shows that too many licensed drivers do not know the basic rules of the road. In fact, if retested today, nearly 18 million would fail the test required to get a license.
What’s worse, millions exhibit dangerous and alarming behavior behind the wheel. One in three drivers confessed that typically they would not stop for pedestrians even if they were in a crosswalk – a fact made more disturbing considering that 43% of all pedestrian injuries and 22% of fatal injuries to pedestrians occur in collisions with motor vehicles at intersections (according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety).
The study also suggests that today’s busy Americans treat driving as the new “down time,” where they catch up on the day’s activities – ranging from chatting on a cell phone, sending text messages and e-mailing friends, to selecting songs on iPods, applying makeup, and even changing clothes and reading… all of which further divert attention from the road.
KEY FINDINGS
18 million licensed drivers may be unfit for roads: If tested today, nearly 18 million people would fail a written test similar to one required to get a state drivers license. That’s 1 in 11 drivers on the roads today that failed to demonstrate adequate driving knowledge. In the 2005 GMAC Insurance National Drivers Test, 1 in 10 respondents failed (20 million drivers).
Location is everything: For the second year running, Oregon has the most knowledgeable drivers and Rhode Island has the least.
Age Brings Wisdom: The older you are, the more likely you are to pass.
DRIVING DON’TS: WHERE AMERICANS ARE LACKING
Pedestrian Protocol: Watch out the next time you’re crossing the street – 1 in 3 drivers usually do not stop. This is particularly disturbing when you consider that 43% of all pedestrian injuries and 22% of fatal injuries to pedestrians occur in collisions with motor vehicles at intersections.
Walkers Aren’t Wary: While drivers should always pay attention to the rules of the road, pedestrians need to be just as cognizant of the laws that keep them safe.
DRIVING IS THE NEW DOWN TIME
In today’s hectic world, Americans are treating driving as “down time,” where they catch up on activities they don’t normally get to in their busy day. But participating in distracting activities during driving can have disastrous effects.
MORE BAD DRIVING HABITS
Americans exhibit bad driving behaviors that not only put themselves in harm’s way, but also jeopardize anyone else on the road.