D.C. Drivers Need Crash Course

Road rules remain a mystery

You're right, that guy driving in front of you is an idiot.

In fact, so is the guy behind you.

A new study by GMAC Insurance found drivers in our area are among the worst in the nation when it comes to knowing the rules of the road. The Washington area ranked 49th out of 51 -- third from the bottom among the states and the District.

Only New Jersey and New York drivers are worse.

The national survey found one driver in five would not pass the written part of the driver's examination if taken today.

And drivers across the nation are getting worse when it comes to understanding basic rules of the road. This year's scores are lower than last year's.

For example, 85 percent didn't know what action to take when approaching a steady yellow traffic light.

The most-knowledgeable drivers in the nation are from Kansas. Maryland is ranked 20th, and Virginia is ranked 28th.

But now the answer to the question you really want to know, who ranks better between men and women? The survey found men outperform women by more than four points on average.

And the older the driver, the higher the score. Men over age 45 earned the highest average test score.

You can take the test yourself and see how smart the person in your rear-view mirror is.

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