illustrated driving routes

(Quiz) Are You A Good Driver?

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.

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.

Be protected on the road with auto insurance that offers savings and service that never sleeps. Get a fast, free auto insurance quote from GEICO.

By Julie Russell

Get GEICO Auto insurance.

    Leave a comment

  1. Howard says,

    Question 6 of 7 …..did not state how fast the vehicle in the left lane was
    traveling….if the vehicle in the left lane was traveling at the designated speed limit or better,
    then he should not move to the right lane and break the speed limit and pass another vehicle unless maybe for his or another emergency. I always thought over the many years of driving
    that the left lane ( inside lane should be for passing only ).
    thanks

    • Edward Green says,

      Nobody said the driver should break the speed limits it, but if he is being continually overtaken on the right he should move over. The only time I would be obstinate about changing lanes is if all lanes were at capacity in heavy traffic.

  2. Tangla Coleman says,

    This makes you think about certain things when you are driving but it brings to light that I am held responsible for bad drivers as well as myself. My insurance premium is best on how I watch out for them not my personal driving record. Being that I have not caused an accident in over 10 years but my premium can not be reduced because of someone else. Also if cars are stolen in my neighborhood that’s my fault as well, another reason to raise my premium. Thank you for proving I’m a good driver but it does nothing for my bank account or help me lower my premium.

  3. B. Wissler says,

    I was never taught a “2-second rule”—I was taught that the distance should depend on how fast you’re going. That is, more distance is needed at higher speeds.

  4. Jack Gabbert says,

    I’d like to see Geico and other insurers let state and municipal governments know that photo radar speed enforcement is a good thing. Greater Phoenix has pretty much outlawed it and it is anarchy out there. There is no fast lane, they all have the same speed limit.

  5. Sean David says,

    I don’t like the way question 2 is set up. Many people were taught a 2-second rule, and while that is outdated info, using it as the subject of a true/false question results in people analyzing the question and assuming that whoever wrote the question was using the older standard or doesn’t live in a place that uses the newer 3-second rule. A better format for the question would have been multiple choice with 1-, 2-, and 3-second answers, plus a none of the above choice. Many more people would correctly select 3-seconds as the answer, then saying “false” to the 2-second reference in the current quiz.

      • Sean David says,

        The correct answer is “none of the above” — They all distract people. When part of your brain is focused on a conversation, that part is not listening to your vehicle, the road, other traffic, or other sounds that could alert you to a problem (train whistles, people yelling, or anything out of the ordinary). This also applies to conversation in the vehicle, radios, CDs, etc.

        • Pamela Akemon says,

          If talking on a hands-free phone is distracting, so is a passenger. Talking to passengers has never been labeled as a distraction even though it truly is.

          Think about that next time you frown upon talking while driving.

  6. GEOF GAERTNER says,

    I know I’m a great driver 50 plus years.TOO bad I don’t get a better discount for the 21 year old car I drive and the 3,000 miles I drive a year !!!!!!

    • Jack Gabbert says,

      I also wish Geico would better take into consideration how little I drive. I have one vehicle, an old ’91 pickup that is only a back up utility vehicle that I only drive about 200 miles a year, and yet I pay some serious liability coverage for it.

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