What Do You Know About the Rules of the Road?
Low passage rate for Arizona's written drivers' test.

July 05, 2011 /24-7PressRelease/ -- For most people, taking tests ranks right up there with going to the dentist. Fortunately, once you graduate from your school years, you'll rarely have to take more tests - except for that test that will allow you to get a driver's license.

The Arizona Motor Vehicle Division (MVD), part of Arizona's Department of Transportation (DOT), recently determined only about four in 10 people pass Arizona's written driver's license test on the first try.

From July 1, 2009 to April 30, 2010, almost 190,000 people took the written multiple-choice test at the MVD. To pass the written exam, you must correctly answer 25 out of 30 questions. (For first-time licensees, there is also a road test along with the written test). Of the 190,000 written test examinees, only 77,000 passed on the first try.

Due to such a low initial passage rate, Arizona's DOT has decided to help new driver's license applicants by posting free practice tests online.

Ready to Test? Practicing Online First Could Improve Your Chances of Passing

Found at azdot.gov, these practice tests include actual test questions. The hope is that if people take a practice test and realize how little they actually know about the rules of the road, they will be more likely to read the Arizona Driver License Manual. It is believed that drivers who read the manual - which covers laws and driving regulations, safety tips on how to avoid motor vehicle accidents and how to handle emergencies - will help improve road safety.

A DOT spokesman noted, "The point is to make people read that manual at least one time. There are a lot of things to know about the rules of the road that will improve your driving, but you won't know them because you didn't read it."

Do Driver's License Renewal Requirements Improve Road Safety?

What about all of the currently licensed drivers on the roads that haven't read the manual? Or who haven't retained that information? A recent survey done by a large auto insurance company found that over 25 percent of drivers on the roads nationwide wouldn't be able to pass a written driver's license test if they took it today. Safety advocates point out that these failing drivers pose a safety hazard to other drivers.

In most states, driver's licenses have to be renewed every four to 10 years, but rarely are written tests required at each renewal. In Arizona, the laws are even more lax - if you have a clean driving record, you don't have to renew your license until you turn 65 (although you do have to go in and have your photo updated every 12 years). Is it safe to expect drivers who took a test at the age of 16 to remember all road safety and driving regulations 40 years later?

Regardless of whether you are due to take a written driver's license test or not, it probably wouldn't hurt to spend a little time reviewing your state driver's license manual and brushing up on your defensive driving skills.

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