S1997

At least one of these questions has a universal answer, all over the world -- others all over the US. Others in the quiz are determined by local traffic laws that differ from state to state. So, while playing the game is interesting, the quiz is not really applicable countrywide. So it's fun -- but your score doesn't really tell you whether you should just stay off the roads.

Lainey

Good thing. I was afraid to attend a meet with some of these people.

WhiteS2k

I passed, but I missed a few NON-DRIVING questions. I don't see what knowing "the single biggest contributer to car accidents" and "percentage of collisions involve alcohol" have to do with DRIVING.

dlq04

My brain defines safe distance, not some test. Secondly, knowing or guessing well on percentages does not make you a good driver either. The test means nothing except for making you ponder on some of points.

mikegarrison

Some of these questions depend on local and state law.

It graded me down on the firetruck one. I knew the answer it wanted for all the others, but I'm not sure I actually agree with the answer it wanted.

raymo19

I always thought the antithesis to this was to not be in close proximity to the car that caused the wreck.

Whether it involves speeding up (most often) or slowing down I just try to find space when I can. Especially if I'm around someone talking on a cell phone.

Matt_in_VA

For me, I abide by the two second rule (works regardless of speed) on dry pavement and the three second rule on wet pavement.

One of the joys of our Vintage drives is that virtually everyone (knowingly or not) abides by the two second rule. I have actually done the count between cars. One thousand one, one thousand two and more often than not everyone is spaced out to the two second rule.

I will try not to get on my soap box about tail gating and how people fail to do the math. Math is a science and does NOT lie. At 60 MPH one is traveling at 88 feet per second. The average person's reaction time from the time that they see brake lights until they lift their foot off of the gas is 1/5 of a second. In this time frame one has not even started to move one's foot to the brake pedal yet. In that 1/5 of a second one has traveled 17.6 feet. Therefore, if one is any thing less than about twenty feet behind the vehicle in front of them..... you just had an accident.

tof

FAIL!!!



Although you did not manage to avoid the soap box, let me join you up there by pointing this out. We all think we have great reaction time. But here's a tidbit that might help illustrate Matt's point.

If you bracket race at your local drag strip, your queue to launch is the green light on what is called a Sportsman tree. This is the "Christmas tree" setup used to start races at amateur drag events. Once both cars are staged at the line, the three pairs of lights will light up at half second intervals...followed by the green "go" lights. If you leave the line before the green comes on your run is disqualified. If you don't leave as quickly as possible you will lose because the guy in the other lane will.

Most amateurs will get on the gas as soon as they see the last yellow light...a full half second before the green. It takes that half second to react. And this is when you are totally focused on an anticipated event. Imagine your reaction time to an unexpected event when you aren't necessarily completely focused on the task at hand. Remember, at sixty miles per hour you travel over forty feet in half a second. Lets say your reaction time to an unexpected highway event is ONE second (still pretty good). At 70 mph you would travel a little more than a hundred feet...or a third of a football field...in that one second.

WhiteS2k

Am I the only driver that does not watch the brake lights of the car in front but react to the speed of the cars in front (as far ahead as I can see) instead? Personally I don't use my brakes a lot, I tend to slow down by letting off the gas instead of using my brakes.

As an aside, I do notice how Prius drivers LOVE to use their brakes every chance they get. Apparently they think they are generating a lot of electricity by using their brakes.

zzziippyyy

I got one wrong but in Maine my answer was correct

INCORRECT
What's the speed limit in school zones (unless otherwise posted?)

* 15 mph
* CORRECT ANSWER: 20 mph
* 25 mph
* 30 mph


I said 15MPH and the school zones here are signed 15mph.