According to a national test conducted by GMAC Insurance, Rhode Island
residents rank at the bottom in terms of driving knowledge, while Oregon
drivers answered the most questions correctly.
Based on their averages, drivers in Northwestern states ranked
highest while the lowest-ranking states were mostly in the Northeast,
with the exception of Vermont, which ranks third. Washington state
drivers ranked second. Drivers in New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts
and Washington D.C. ranked at the bottom, with D.C. finishing just ahead
of Rhode Island.
GMAC’s 20-question test used questions that are asked in state
driver’s license examinations. According to GMAC Insurance, the failure
rate for drivers in Northeastern states was about 16 percent, while the
failure rate in Northwestern states ranged from one to seven percent.
The test and survey were completed by 5,288 licensed drivers, including
at least 100 from each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia.