Many Americans would fail their driver’s test if taken today

A quarter of Americans are not certain that they’d pass their driver’s written exam if they were asked to retake it now, according to new research.

A survey of 2,000 adults who drive examined how savvy respondents are about the road and their car, finding that just 40% are absolutely certain that they remember and follow all of the safety precautions they learned about when first starting to drive.

When it comes to their car, respondents have spent quite a bit of time together, averaging about five years of use; one in five have held onto their vehicle for at least twice that amount of time.

After having their car for so long, the average driver claims to be able to understand about 78% of the dashboard indicators and warning lights, with males feeling more confident in their ability to do so (82% vs. 76%).

The survey conducted by Talker Research for LIQUI MOLY put this knowledge to the test.

While respondents were confident and correctly able to identify their oil pressure warning light (79%) and check engine light (64%), the test revealed that there’s certainly more to learn.

Just half of those surveyed were able to correctly name the temperature warning light (51%) and 47% were able to pick out the tire pressure warning light.

Across the board, respondents lack knowledge when it comes to the brake system warning light, which only 16% identified, while 40% revealed that they weren’t sure.
Further, only 22% got the transmission temperature warning light correct, and another 23% confused it with the temperature warning light.

“Cars are an important part of our daily lives and many of us rely on them,” said Steffen Niemietz, application engineer at LIQUI MOLY. “To prevent further damage, you should know what to do when a warning light lights up — especially if you are not familiar with it. And that is taking the car to the workshop for a professional check as soon as possible. Not only for the sake of your car, but for your safety, too.”

When asked about the current state of their car, 43% admit that there are dashboard warning lights lit up.

On average, respondents will wait five days after a warning light turns on before dealing with it, with Gen Z and millennials waiting slightly longer — about a week — before getting to the issue.

In the event an unfamiliar dashboard light turns on, nearly a quarter of respondents would look for easy answers online (23%).

Although 43% of drivers said they’d check the owner's manual first, 15% shared that they’re not at all familiar with the contents of the book.

Yet, 74% feel knowledgeable about proper car maintenance, with Gen Z being the least likely to (67%) and a similar pattern being present in women (68%).

When they do need advice, 39% rely on their auto mechanic most for car maintenance knowledge and one in six would immediately take their car to the auto shop for a professional opinion if a new issue arose.

Despite most Americans feeling like they know how to best care for their car, nearly a third wait longer than the recommended six months to take their car for routine maintenance (28%).

Forty-four percent do some level of car maintenance on their own, with men being more likely to (59% vs. 34%).

What prevents respondents from keeping up with their car? For 56%, cost plays a large factor.

On average, drivers estimate spending $379.10 on car maintenance a year, with 26% spending upwards of $500 annually.

This money primarily goes toward oil changes (41%), regular inspections (16%) and tire maintenance (13%).

“In order to maintain your car's efficiency and increase its service life, it’s important to care for it in the right way,” Niemietz said. “Regular inspections and oil services guarantee safe function of the engine and the car as a whole. It is also important to use the right products for your vehicle, the wrong motor oil specification for example can lead to lower overall efficiency, increased wear, major engine damage and the loss of the warranty. Regular maintenance with the correct products helps you to prevent any serious and costly problems, so you can enjoy your car for a long time to come.”

Survey methodology:
Talker Research surveyed 2,000 Americans who drive; the survey was commissioned by LIQUI MOLY and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between Sept. 23 and Sept. 27, 2024.

We are sourcing from a non-probability frame and the two main sources we use are:
● Traditional online access panels — where respondents opt-in to take part in online market research for an incentive
● Programmatic — where respondents are online and are given the option to take part in a survey to receive a virtual incentive usually related to the online activity they are engaging in

Those who did not fit the specified sample were terminated from the survey. As the survey is fielded, dynamic online sampling is used, adjusting targeting to achieve the quotas specified as part of the sampling plan.

Regardless of which sources a respondent came from, they were directed to an Online Survey, where the survey was conducted in English; a link to the questionnaire can be shared upon request. Respondents were awarded points for completing the survey. These points have a small cash-equivalent monetary value.

Cells are only reported on for analysis if they have a minimum of 80 respondents, and statistical significance is calculated at the 95% level. Data is not weighted, but quotas and other parameters are put in place to reach the desired sample.

Interviews are excluded from the final analysis if they failed quality-checking measures. This includes:
● Speeders: Respondents who complete the survey in a time that is quicker than one-third of the median length of interview are disqualified as speeders
● Open ends: All verbatim responses (full open-ended questions as well as other please specify options) are checked for inappropriate or irrelevant text
● Bots: Captcha is enabled on surveys, which allows the research team to identify and disqualify bots
● Duplicates: Survey software has “deduping” based on digital fingerprinting, which ensures nobody is allowed to take the survey more than once
It is worth noting that this survey was only available to individuals with internet access, and the results may not be generalizable to those without internet access.