Most drivers assume they’re great behind the wheel. But we’ve all seen enough speeding, swerving and just downright questionable behavior on the road to realize some people are deluding themselves.
“Public polls show that most Americans think they are above-average drivers, which technically is impossible,” says Jonathan Adkins, executive director of the Governors Highway Safety Association. “When we overestimate our skill level, we put not only ourselves, but others on the road at risk.”
You can avoid tickets and fender benders (or worse!) by honestly assessing your driving ability. If it has been a while since you’ve dusted off your driver’s ed manual, take our quiz to see if your skills are still up to par or if it’s time for a defensive driving course to sharpen your skills.
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Most drivers assume they’re great behind the wheel. But we’ve all seen enough speeding, swerving and just downright questionable behavior on the road to realize some people are deluding themselves.
“Public polls show that most Americans think they are above-average drivers, which technically is impossible,” says Jonathan Adkins, executive director of the Governors Highway Safety Association. “When we overestimate our skill level, we put not only ourselves, but others on the road at risk.”
You can avoid tickets and fender benders (or worse!) by honestly assessing your driving ability. If it has been a while since you’ve dusted off your driver’s ed manual, take our quiz to see if your skills are still up to par or if it’s time for a defensive driving course to sharpen your skills.
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Question 1 of 7
1. Question
Which of these activities affect a driver’s ability to focus on the road?
Correct
Just listening to conversation can substantially reduce the brain’s ability to process movement, according to the National Safety Council—and that’s what driving is all about. Distracted driving caused more than a quarter of fatal accidents in 2015, according to a NSC report, so save the calls, texts and sing-alongs for later.
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Just listening to conversation can substantially reduce the brain’s ability to process movement, according to the National Safety Council—and that’s what driving is all about. Distracted driving caused more than a quarter of fatal accidents in 2015, according to a NSC report, so save the calls, texts and sing-alongs for later.
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Question 2 of 7
2. Question
To avoid tailgating, you should obey the _____-second rule: Note when the vehicle ahead of you passes a stationary object, such as a road sign, then make sure at least _____ seconds go by before you pass it.
Correct
You should count at minimum three seconds, according to many driving manuals, such as that of California’s Department of Motor Vehicles. If you’re feeling sluggish or the weather is bad, leave more space (counting to four or more seconds) to be safer.
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You should count at minimum three seconds, according to many driving manuals, such as that of California’s Department of Motor Vehicles. If you’re feeling sluggish or the weather is bad, leave more space (counting to four or more seconds) to be safer.
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Question 3 of 7
3. Question
You’re waiting to turn right at an intersection. The light turns green and you start to turn, but suddenly a pedestrian steps into the crosswalk. Who has the right-of-way?
Correct
Pedestrians are protected in crosswalks. In many states, they also have the right-of-way in most scenarios, short of darting out suddenly into traffic, according to information on individual state laws complied by the National Conference of State Legislatures. Check state laws and give pedestrians plenty of space.
Incorrect
Pedestrians are protected in crosswalks. In many states, they also have the right-of-way in most scenarios, short of darting out suddenly into traffic, according to information on individual state laws complied by the National Conference of State Legislatures. Check state laws and give pedestrians plenty of space.
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Question 4 of 7
4. Question
Rush hour traffic is a nightmare and you’re waiting at a backed-up intersection to go straight. The light turns green, but you can’t get through the intersection. What’s the best course of action?
Correct
Entering an intersection before traffic ahead clears, and staying there after the traffic light turns red is known as blocking the box, and states, cities, and counties have laws against it, such as Washington State. Even if you have a green light, wait until the intersection is clear to go.
Incorrect
Entering an intersection before traffic ahead clears, and staying there after the traffic light turns red is known as blocking the box, and states, cities, and counties have laws against it, such as Washington State. The better approach, according to the New York State driver’s manual, is to wait until the intersection is clear to go.
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Question 5 of 7
5. Question
Mother Nature has unleashed a barrage of rain as you’re driving home from work. What should you do?
Correct
Turning on your windshield wipers is (hopefully) a no-brainer, and headlights will improve your visibility and make you more visible to others. Since you can’t judge the actual depth of water on a roadway, the National Weather Service urges you to turn back if the road is flooded.
Incorrect
Turning on your windshield wipers is (hopefully) a no-brainer, and headlights will improve your visibility and make you more visible to others. Since you can’t judge the actual depth of water on a roadway, the National Weather Service urges you to turn back if the road is flooded.
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Question 6 of 7
6. Question
You’re in the left-hand lane on the highway, and cars are going faster than you on the right. True or false: You should move into the right lane when it is safe to do so.
Correct
If you’re not keeping speed with traffic, you should move to the right lane, according to the law in the majority of states, as compiled by Jalopnik. In some states, like Illinois, the left lane is only used for passing or exiting.
Incorrect
If you’re not keeping speed with traffic, you should move to the right lane, according to the law in the majority of states, as compiled by Jalopnik. In some states, like Illinois, the left lane is only used for passing or exiting.
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Question 7 of 7
7. Question
You’re driving on a two-lane road with solid double lines when you come upon a truck that’s inching along. When can you pass the truck?
Correct
If you answered B or C, it’s time to go back to basics! Double lines mean that overtaking another vehicle is not safe or permitted, according to the Federal Highway Administration.
Incorrect
If you answered B or C, it’s time to go back to basics! Double lines mean that overtaking another vehicle is not safe or permitted, according to the Federal Highway Administration.
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By Julie Russell
Jonah says,
Passed didn’t miss 1 ?
Georgiann Hrabia says,
Great quiz. A quiz like this should be mailed to all clients at renewal date.
Julie Guin says,
It’s actually not technically impossible for most people to be above average. You’re conflating average with median. Let’s say we gave 5 people a score from 1-10, 10 being the best, on their driving skills. The scores are 1, 5, 5, 6, and 7. The average of those numbers is 4.8, and 80% of those scores are higher than that. Given that it certainly feels like it’s a small subset of bad drivers that make the roads dangerous for everyone, it actually is totally possible, and maybe even likely, that 80% of people are better than the average driver.
Jane prescott says,
Thanks for the reminders. I noticed my mileage is still very low, September of 2019 purchase date. it was 89thousand now its 106 thousand so over 3 years I may have driven a lot less than most.