There are many causes for car accidents, of course, ranging from weather conditions to vehicle failure.
Bad drivers — for lack of a more technical term — are one of the leading causes of car accidents. Because of that, the latest statistics from the New York Department of Vehicles seem to be cause for concern.
In 2012, only 46 percent of New York City residents seeking driver’s licenses passed the basic road examination. In 2005, 52 percent of people passed the same test.
Of the boroughs where driving tests are administered (which does not include Manhattan), the Bronx performed the worst with just 43 percent of test-takers passing. It was followed by Queens, Staten Island and then Brooklyn with 44, 47 and 51 percent of test-takers passing, respectively.
It is not that the basic road test has gotten more difficult in the seven years between 2005 and 2012. In fact, it has not changed significantly.
Rather, a spokesman for AAA New York said he believes that test-takers are not as prepared as they ought to be. He said many schools are cutting funding for driver’s education programs, which has led to more test-takers practicing with relatives or friends who can barely drive themselves.
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We imagine that the reasons behind this drop in license-granting is more complex than that alone, and we think it would be good if state and local officials really looked at this information and assessed what can be done about it. If New York residents are having difficulty understanding basic driving concepts, it certainly seems like we are putting ourselves at risk for harm.
Source: New York Daily News, “Fewer than half in New York City pass 2012 road test, an alarming drop,” Reuven Blau, June 10, 2013
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