Wouldn\’t ya know it, I am just lucky enough to get behind one of these 18 million every day going to and from work. I swear that if there weren\’t defensive drivers out there, these idiots wouldn\’t be alive today.
Were there any studies relating this state-by-state ranking to the drivers\’ education requirements/method in high schools? Or to the quality of each state\’s exam?
Got my driver\’s license when I was 34. I used to be deathly afraid to drive, having observed the driving habits of some of the residents in Southeastern PA. My sister and one of my best friends never got their licenses. There are just too many wacky, selfish and dangerous drivers in this area – Delaware County PA.
I think people driving while on their cell phones is one of the biggest causes of poor driving. How can you concentrate on the road when you are screaming your brains out at someone at the other end of your cell phone???
This article points out the reasons why I\’m not only in favor of cameras at traffic lights and speed cameras but also periodic mandatory retesting of all drivers on the road. A driver\’s license is typically valid for five years, so make everyone have to retake the written and road tests before being handed a renewed license.
It really is shocking the this country tolerates the daily carnage of death and destruction, a large part of which happens because of the reasons listed here. In Florida where I live we spend more time discussing alligator attacks (whick killed 3 people this year) than we do discussing the thousands of PEO ple killed on the highways. We have it all down here… old folks who forget which pedal controls the car, illegals with no licenses or insurance and young people in a hurry. It is a bad combination. Thanks for the great article. I say cameras on every intersection!
Any coincidence that SD was ranked as having the safest drivers last week then scored 4th on this study? When I learned to drive in SD, you got ticketed for turning w/o a signal. After 20 years of driving in Boston traffic, I believe at least taking the written test year renewal should be mandatory. I can\’t believe FL does renewal thru the mail. My husbands 90yo Gma is blind but still renews her license!
I\’m amazed at the number of people who don\’t want to believe that traffic cameras are there to produce revenue and provide no other benefit. Cities that put red light cameras up tend to shorten the yellow light duration so that more tickets can be issued.
In Scottsdale where I live the city has traffic cameras all over the place to monitor speed and red light violations. The police department said accidents had been reduced but an independent audit of insurance claims showed that accidents had gone up. When a municipality rakes in millions of dollars and the camera companies make even more, what do you expect!
By all means let\’s test drivers more frequently. My Arizona driver\’s license is good for 10 years. Unbelieveable. I want to be tested every year if I ever reach 60.
Finally, as a former driver ed teacher, I know that the purpose of driver ed is to help the student get a license. Actually learning how to drive often doesn\’t happen.
I also live in PA, and while I agree that cell phone users are distracted, the real danger comes from unpredictable, timid drivers, or people too stupid to have a drivers license.
A few simple common courtesies on the road could all but eliminate random accidents. If your car didn\’t have a mechanical failure then you didn\’t have an \”accident\”, you were negligent, perhaps criminally.
1) Drive in the right lane, pass in the left, and NEVER, under any circumstance, pass on the right (for this to work, you left lane cruisers need to wake up and learn how to drive. The lanes have a purpose, and you don\’t get to just pick one at random!). When someone passes on the right, both the passer, and the person being passed should be ticketed.
2) Wait at the top of the entrance ramp, and accelerate into an opening. Stop rolling out to the end of the ramp and then trying to merge at 10 mph! (And for those of you IN traffic, stop trying to help people merge! You should not be slowing down or stopping on the highway)
3) Stop tailgating.
4) Stop driving off-road monstorsities on the highway and get a car that\’s fit for highway speeds. Your SUV is not a status symbol. It simply shows you were silly enough to pay $50k for a modified pickup truck!
5) Maintain your vehicle! 50% of the cars I see are running on badly worn tires, and a good number of the ones that aren\’t worn out are the cheapest garbage tires made.
Unfortunately, our state and local police are ONLY concerned about revenue generation. They write the easy speeding tickets, and ignore all of the real behavior that causes accidents.
Can we obtain permission to put this article on our agency website?
Sure, go ahead.
Wouldn\’t ya know it, I am just lucky enough to get behind one of these 18 million every day going to and from work. I swear that if there weren\’t defensive drivers out there, these idiots wouldn\’t be alive today.
I suspect Michele Randall is one who would not be able to pass a driver\’s test.
Were there any studies relating this state-by-state ranking to the drivers\’ education requirements/method in high schools? Or to the quality of each state\’s exam?
Would be an interesting correlation.
Got my driver\’s license when I was 34. I used to be deathly afraid to drive, having observed the driving habits of some of the residents in Southeastern PA. My sister and one of my best friends never got their licenses. There are just too many wacky, selfish and dangerous drivers in this area – Delaware County PA.
I think people driving while on their cell phones is one of the biggest causes of poor driving. How can you concentrate on the road when you are screaming your brains out at someone at the other end of your cell phone???
If I had a dollar for every red light run I\’d be rich in a week…I can\’t believe how bad it is on the road. I\’m all for cameras at the stop light
This article points out the reasons why I\’m not only in favor of cameras at traffic lights and speed cameras but also periodic mandatory retesting of all drivers on the road. A driver\’s license is typically valid for five years, so make everyone have to retake the written and road tests before being handed a renewed license.
It really is shocking the this country tolerates the daily carnage of death and destruction, a large part of which happens because of the reasons listed here. In Florida where I live we spend more time discussing alligator attacks (whick killed 3 people this year) than we do discussing the thousands of PEO ple killed on the highways. We have it all down here… old folks who forget which pedal controls the car, illegals with no licenses or insurance and young people in a hurry. It is a bad combination. Thanks for the great article. I say cameras on every intersection!
Any coincidence that SD was ranked as having the safest drivers last week then scored 4th on this study? When I learned to drive in SD, you got ticketed for turning w/o a signal. After 20 years of driving in Boston traffic, I believe at least taking the written test year renewal should be mandatory. I can\’t believe FL does renewal thru the mail. My husbands 90yo Gma is blind but still renews her license!
It took research to figure this out? I could have told them today\’s drivers do stupid things. I witness it every day on the way to work.
Since most will never search out the entire survey, you could have been proactive by including some DO\’s in your article.
I\’m amazed at the number of people who don\’t want to believe that traffic cameras are there to produce revenue and provide no other benefit. Cities that put red light cameras up tend to shorten the yellow light duration so that more tickets can be issued.
In Scottsdale where I live the city has traffic cameras all over the place to monitor speed and red light violations. The police department said accidents had been reduced but an independent audit of insurance claims showed that accidents had gone up. When a municipality rakes in millions of dollars and the camera companies make even more, what do you expect!
By all means let\’s test drivers more frequently. My Arizona driver\’s license is good for 10 years. Unbelieveable. I want to be tested every year if I ever reach 60.
Finally, as a former driver ed teacher, I know that the purpose of driver ed is to help the student get a license. Actually learning how to drive often doesn\’t happen.
I also live in PA, and while I agree that cell phone users are distracted, the real danger comes from unpredictable, timid drivers, or people too stupid to have a drivers license.
A few simple common courtesies on the road could all but eliminate random accidents. If your car didn\’t have a mechanical failure then you didn\’t have an \”accident\”, you were negligent, perhaps criminally.
1) Drive in the right lane, pass in the left, and NEVER, under any circumstance, pass on the right (for this to work, you left lane cruisers need to wake up and learn how to drive. The lanes have a purpose, and you don\’t get to just pick one at random!). When someone passes on the right, both the passer, and the person being passed should be ticketed.
2) Wait at the top of the entrance ramp, and accelerate into an opening. Stop rolling out to the end of the ramp and then trying to merge at 10 mph! (And for those of you IN traffic, stop trying to help people merge! You should not be slowing down or stopping on the highway)
3) Stop tailgating.
4) Stop driving off-road monstorsities on the highway and get a car that\’s fit for highway speeds. Your SUV is not a status symbol. It simply shows you were silly enough to pay $50k for a modified pickup truck!
5) Maintain your vehicle! 50% of the cars I see are running on badly worn tires, and a good number of the ones that aren\’t worn out are the cheapest garbage tires made.
Unfortunately, our state and local police are ONLY concerned about revenue generation. They write the easy speeding tickets, and ignore all of the real behavior that causes accidents.