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Name: United States Driving Test Statistics
Creator: AutoviaTest

AutoviaTest

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United States Traffic Law Report

Source Agency: NHTSA / State DMVs

Last Updated: February 12, 2026

Key Findings

●Theory test pass rate is 49% (2024, Driving-Tests.org National Survey)
●Road fatalities: 40,901 deaths in 2023 — Down 4.3% from 2022
●40+ million tests administered per year by NHTSA / State DMVs
●Most challenging topic: Road Signs (30% fail rate)

Test Statistics

Theory Test Pass Rate

49%

Driving-Tests.org National Survey (2024)

Practical Test Pass Rate

60%

NHTSA Driver Statistics (2024)

Tests Administered Per Year

40+ million

AAMVA (2024)

Speed Limits

Urban

25-35 mph (40-56 km/h)

Rural / National Roads

55 mph (89 km/h)

Motorway / Highway

65-85 mph (105-137 km/h)

Most Challenging Topics

1

Road Signs

30% fail rate

MUTCD standardized signs including regulatory, warning, and guide signs

2

Right-of-Way

27% fail rate

Four-way stops, uncontrolled intersections, and pedestrian scenarios

3

Traffic Signals

24% fail rate

Flashing signals, arrow lights, and right-turn-on-red rules

4

Pavement Markings

21% fail rate

Double yellow lines, shared turn lanes, and lane usage

5

Safe Following Distance

18% fail rate

Two-second rule, stopping distance calculations

Road Safety

Road Fatalities

40,901 deaths

NHTSA Traffic Safety Facts (FARS) (2023)

Trend

Down 4.3% from 2022

Penalties & Fines

Speeding$50-$500+ fine, points on license (varies by state)

Driving Under InfluenceLicense suspension, $500-$10,000 fine, jail time possible, varies by state

Points SystemPoint-based in most states; accumulation leads to suspension (thresholds vary)

Mobile Phone Use$50-$500 fine (varies by state, some states ban handheld only)

Recent Law Changes

2023

MUTCD 11th Edition published (effective January 2024), first update in 14 years

2025

REAL ID enforcement deadline (phased enforcement through 2027)

2024

More states adopting hands-free driving laws

Sources & Methodology

All statistics in this report are sourced from official government agencies and publicly available data. AutoviaTest is an independent educational platform and is not affiliated with any government testing agency.

Data last verified: 2026-02-12

Primary Sources:

Driving-Tests.org National Survey — Test statistics (2024)
NHTSA Traffic Safety Facts (FARS) — Road safety data (2023)
NHTSA / State DMVs — Official regulatory body

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Quick Facts

Theory test questions

18-50 questions (varies by state), typically 80% to pass

Testing variation

Each state has its own DMV and test requirements

License validity

4-8 years (varies by state)

Right on red

Permitted unless posted otherwise (except NYC)

School bus law

Must stop in all directions when red lights flash

CDL

Federally standardized Commercial Driver License with endorsements

Cite This Report

AutoviaTest. (2026, February 12). United States traffic law report: Driving test statistics. AutoviaTest. https://autoviatest.com/en-NO/traffic-law-reports/united-states

Embed This Data

🇺🇸United States Driving Stats

Theory Pass Rate49%

Practical Pass Rate60%

Motorway Speed65-85 mph

Fatalities (2023)40,901 deaths

Source: AutoviaTest | CC BY 4.0

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