Could you pass a driving test?

By MSN Money staff with wire reports

One in six motorists on U.S. roads would fail a written test on driving, according to new data from insurer GMAC.

Using 20 questions taken from actual tests around the country, GMAC polled 5,524 licensed drivers from all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Though the average score improved slightly over last year, nearly 33 million drivers would be unable to pass the exam, the insurer concluded. (Think it's easy? You can take it yourself here.)

Respondents had particular problems with two questions: 73% couldn't identify the safe following distance from a car in front of them, and a full 84% didn't know what to do when approaching a steady yellow traffic light. Nearly all respondents (98%) knew what to do when an emergency vehicle with flashing lights approached, what to do when hydroplaning and the meaning of a solid yellow line.

The study, released Thursday, revealed some surprises. According to GMAC, participants 35 years or older were more likely to pass, and generally, the older the driver, the better the score. Women and men posted similar scores, though female drivers did fare somewhat worse with a 20% fail rate versus 13% for males.

And the best drivers come from . . .

So which state has the most knowledgeable drivers in the union? That would be Kansas, where participants got an average test score of 84%.

If you're road tripping down the New Jersey Turnpike, however, watch your back -- drivers in that state got only 69.9% of their answers right.

The Northeast fared worst overall, with the highest failure rate (19.8%) and the lowest average score (76%). The Midwest scored best in both areas, with just 11% of Midwest participants failing and an average score of 81%.

Looking to improve scores, GMAC also found a majority of Americans support standardizing regulations such as speed limits and pedestrian right-of-way rules across the country, as well as the establishment of a national written test for all 50 states. Two out of three believe people should have to retake the written test above a certain age, with 41% of them supporting mandatory testing every year.

"It's encouraging to see that scores are beginning to get better, but there is still a lot of room for improvement," said Wade Bontrager, the vice president of marketing at GMAC Insurance.

Written driving test scores and rankings:

State	Rank	Score	State	Rank	Score
Alabama	15	79.9	Montana	15	79.9
Alaska	6	81.2	Nebraska	3	83.4
Arizona	36	77.2	Nevada	36	77.2
Arkansas	22	79.2	New Hampshire	30	77.9
California	33	77.3	New Jersey	51	69.9
Colorado	15	79.9	New Mexico	22	79.2
Connecticut	33	77.3	New York	49	74
Delaware	26	78.9	North Carolina	22	79.2
District of Columbia	50	72.9	North Dakota	21	79.4
Florida	28	78.6	Ohio	26	78.9
Georgia	47	75.5	Oklahoma	22	79.2
Hawaii	45	76.3	Oregon	8	80.9
Idaho	4	82.7	Pennsylvania	36	77.2
Illinois	32	77.5	Rhode Island	41	76.9
Indiana	11	80.6	South Carolina	39	77.1
Iowa	9	80.7	South Dakota	6	81.2
Kansas	1	84	Tennessee	33	77.3
Kentucky	29	78.2	Texas	18	79.7
Louisiana	44	76.4	Utah	13	80.3
Maine	31	77.7	Vermont	18	79.7
Maryland	42	76.8	Virginia	40	77
Massachusetts	48	75	Washington	9	80.7
Michigan	18	79.7	West Virginia	43	76.5
Minnesota	5	81.5	Wisconsin	12	80.5
Mississippi	46	75.7	Wyoming	2	83.5
Missouri	14	80.1	U.S. average		78.1

Published May 28, 2008