Could you pass a drivers test now?

Well, if a test administered by GMAC Insurance is any indication, one in six people cruising our highways and byways -- roughly 36 million licensed drivers -- would flunk their driver's test if they had to take it today.

The following state rankings were released for the 2007 GMAC Insurance National Drivers Test:
1. Idaho.
2. Alaska
3. Minnesota
4. Wisconsin
5. Kansas
6. Washington
7. South Dakota
8. Montana
9. Oregon
10. Iowa
11. Nebraska
12. Wyoming
13. Oklahoma
13. Indiana
13. North Carolina
16. New Mexico
17. North Dakota
18. Missouri
19. Delaware
19. Nevada
21.Vermont
22. California
23. Hawaii
24. Texas
25. Maryland
25.Alabama
27. Arkansas
28. Michigan
29. Kentucky
30. Utah
31. Ohio
31.Colorado
33. South Carolina
33.Arizona
33. Florida
36. Maine
37. New Hampshire
37. Mississippi
37. Tennessee
40. Connecticut
41. Virginia
41. Louisiana
43. West Virginia
44. Georgia
45. Illinois
46. Pennsylvania
47. Rhode Island
48. Massachusetts
48. District of Columbia
48. New Jersey
51. New York

Now this may seem a little off topic for this particular website but the main reason that I posted it is so that i can brag about how knowledgable the drivers from my state appear to be.

As you can see we came in second (I call foul since we should have been first), and I think the reason we are so aware of the rules of the road is that every single winter we all have to learn to drive again. We drive all summer long without a care in the world and then the snow comes.

This year we had 147 traffic accidents on the first day of heavy snow. You heard me right, 147!

And I can tell you from personal experience that when it is snowing we are mentally going over all of the driving rules and making sure we are following, not only the ones in the driving manual, but the additional ones that ALL Alaskans have to learn the hard way. Such as:

• Start testing your brakes several car lengths before he stoplight to make sure you have traction. (The ice is often thick and polished right before an intersection.)
• Put your car or truck into all wheel drive as soon as you leave the main roads. (Neighborhoods are notoriously poorly maintained.)
• Use the ice to help you make the turns and don't hit the brakes too hard, or it is ditch time for you!
• There is no such thing as driving too slow in icy conditions.
• Remember to always tap your brakes early to let the driver behind you know you are about to stop. (Just because you have brand new studded snow tires does not mean the moron behind you can stop as quickly.)
• Always allow your car to warm up and defrost before driving. Many accidents are caused by windows fogging up unexpectedly. (One of my friends slowly pulled off the road to allow his iced up windows to defrost and bumped into a child waiting for the bus. The child was unhurt but my friend was devastated.)

See? I told you we should be number one!