NEW YORK CITY, NY – It might be one of the most maddeningly congested cities in the world to drive in, but getting a license to become one the New York City’s famously rude and impatient drivers is easier than in almost every other state in the country.
A study by personal injury law firm Siegfried & Jensen looked at how difficult getting a license to drive is around the country, reviewing what each state requires on written tests, how drivers are judged in road tests, whether applicants over 18 are required to get learner permits and the cost of licenses and tests.
Each area was weighted, with 100 possible points.
It concluded that getting a driver’s license in New York was easier than almost everywhere else, with only Arkansas, Ohio and South Dakota ranking below it.
Drivers over the age of 18 in New York don’t have to get a learner’s permit, license fees are only $20 and applicants can take two passes at the written test, which requires 70 percent proficiency. Driver tests concentrate on 10 elements — compared to Washington State, which has the toughest standards and tests skills in 19 areas — and the state’s overall difficulty score was only 49, compared with 80 points for Washington.
The study used information from driver handbooks issued by each state’s Department of Motor Vehicles or equivalent agency and from comparison websites Driving-Tests.org and DMV.org. The study’s authors said the information about licensing, driving tests, and associated requirements were collected on the assumption the applicant is 18 years old and doesn’t have any mitigating circumstances, such as a veteran status or disability.