New test results released Wednesday once again show the worst drivers in America live in New York state – edging the Garden State’s drivers from the dubious top spot.
The GMAC test measured rules-of-the-road knowledge, determining the U.S. average to be 76.6 percent.
Below 70 percent was considered failing. New York drivers passed, but finished dead last with a score of 70.5 percent. New Jersey was next with 71.5 percent, with Hawaii third from the bottom at 72 percent, according to results released by GMAC Insurance Group, an insurer and subsidiary of the Detroit-based GMAC. Motorists from Idaho and Wisconsin tied for first with an average score of 80.6 percent.
“I promise we’re not trying to pick on New York and New Jersey,” said Wade Bontrager, a GMAC spokesman who manages the team that oversaw the study, conducted to raise motorist awareness. “Over the years, you do see the worse scores coming from some of the most congested traffic areas every year. And if anywhere is congested, it’s New York.”
Ken Brown, a spokesman for the state Department of Motor Vehicles, was highly skeptical.
“The DMV questions the validity of the online survey,” Brown said.
Only about 100 of the more than 11 million licensed drivers in New York responded to the test, he said. In 2007, the year twhe test studied, New York state had the safest driving year in its recorded history, he said.
Brown said the state rated sixth nationally in the fatality rate that year per 100,000 motorists. “Clearly, it’s not a scientific study,” Brown said. Still, outside the state Department of Motor Vehicles location on South Pearl Street, the Times Union asked several people about the findings. None said they were surprised.
The written test was taken by 5,183 drivers, aged 16 and older, from the 50 states and the District of Columbia, according to the study by GMAC Insurance Group, the auto insurer that is a subsidiary of Detroit-based GMAC. The test had a 1.5 percent margin of error.
It was the second time New York ranked last in the survey’s five-year history. New Jersey was last in 2008, and Hawaii was No. 45 last year.
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6 Responses
Dos iz a chidush?
1. Aggressive is bad.
2. Driving skill is largely a function of experience, and since New York has the best transit system (in terms of usability, not comfort or price), it ends up with the lowest percentage of time spent driving.
The GMAC test measured rules-of-the-road knowledge.
My driver education children taught me the meaning of often forgotten rules of the road & knowledge.
1. 4 way stop sign – who goes first?
2. DO NOT ENTER signs – Why? Where are they placed?
3. Flashing red light – (is it a fuse problem?)
4. Broken yellow pavement lines (no paint)
5. Hand signals – when the indicator is broken
6. Drive in LOW GEAR – Why? and When?
7. Red Crossbar signal
8. No right turn on red – & when is it allowed?
9. Where are my car’s blindspots?
10. Right of Way rules
just a bit to think about.
Doesn’t the GMAC have bigger problems to worry about?
We don’t need a survey to know this. And attention all u brooklyners: there’s such thing as a speed limit and blinkers!!!! Learn it!!!
Btw, don’t have anything against them, just their driving 🙂
n.y??what about israel.let them take a survey about israel~~~