Updated: Jul 22, 2026, 5:00 AM GMT+0000

America's Road Rules Confusion Index

A current 30-day public data report built from aggregate state-level practice-answer data, showing where permit-test confusion clusters by state, topic, and rule category.

What the Confusion Score means

The score is a 0-100 concentration index, not a grade. It uses a jurisdiction's highest wrong-answer category and its next two weakest categories. Higher scores mean learner mistakes are clustering around the same road-rule topics. For licensing-process friction, use the Permit Test Difficulty by State report.

Find your state

Key findings from the current data window

Five publishable facts from the current 30-day window

These are written as attribution-ready notes so a reporter can copy a finding, localize it, and cite the index without reverse-engineering the dashboard.

Important editorial note

The Confusion Score measures learner permit-test knowledge gaps, not crash risk, road skill, or whether a state has bad drivers.

Broad national signal

Laws & Penalties leads broadly measured road-rule categories, with a 37.1% wrong-answer rate across 34 qualifying jurisdictions.

Highest score

Florida currently has the highest state Confusion Score at 49.7/100. The current median among ranked jurisdictions is 38.0/100.

Local angle

Texas ranks #17 nationally; its top confusion area is Laws & Penalties.

What the mistakes mean

The leading categories point to applied rule interpretation, including laws & penalties.

Editor note

The Confusion Score measures learner permit-test knowledge gaps, not crash risk, road skill, or whether a state has bad drivers.

Broad-coverage missed-category rate 37.1%

Laws & Penalties leads broadly measured categories: 37.1% wrong-answer rate across 34 qualifying jurisdictions.

National median score 38.0

The median Confusion Score among ranked jurisdictions. Use it as the national comparison point, not the highest-state score.

Jurisdictions measured 50 + DC

All 50 states and the District of Columbia are eligible; only jurisdictions with enough aggregate answer data are included.

Questions answered 14.4M

Aggregate practice answers in the last 30 days across state-level data.

State score map

A quick visual scan of where confusion concentrates

This tile map uses the Confusion Score for each ranked jurisdiction. Darker warm colors mean learner mistakes are more concentrated around a few road-rule topics.

FL 49.7 OH 49.2 TN 48.1 CT 46.8 WI 43.4 ND 43.0 VT 42.0 MT 41.3 DC 41.0 GA 40.4 OR 40.4 NY 40.4 SD 40.1 MA 39.9 NC 39.6 RI 39.5 TX 39.4 LA 39.3 NM 38.9 NH 38.8 NE 38.8 MO 38.4 UT 38.4 IA 38.3 AL 38.2 WY 38.0 MS 37.9 KY 37.9 OK 37.7 SC 37.5 DE 36.6 AK 36.4 HI 36.3 VA 35.6 WV 35.2 AZ 35.0 ID 34.9 IL 34.8 AR 34.7 CO 33.8 PA 33.8 WA 33.7 ME 33.7 NV 33.2 MN 32.9 MI 32.9 IN 32.8 MD 32.5 KS 32.1 NJ 30.2 CA 27.0
Lower Moderate Elevated Higher concentration

National snapshot

Which rule categories learners miss most

Each row shows the wrong-answer rate plus coverage. Broad coverage means 25+ qualifying jurisdictions; limited coverage should be treated as an observed signal, not the national headline.

Topic miss rates by coverage

Stop & Yield SignsLimited coverage, 4 jurisdictions
37.2%
Laws & PenaltiesBroad coverage, 34 jurisdictions
37.1%
Adverse ConditionsModerate coverage, 16 jurisdictions
33.8%
IntersectionsLimited coverage, 6 jurisdictions
33.3%
Impaired & Distracted DrivingLimited coverage, 8 jurisdictions
33.2%

Highest state scores

Florida
49.7
Ohio
49.2
Tennessee
48.1
Connecticut
46.8
Wisconsin
43.4
#1
Stop & Yield Signs Limited coverage4 qualifying jurisdictions; 547K state-level answers behind those jurisdictions
37.2% peak 47.6%
#2
Laws & Penalties Broad coverage34 qualifying jurisdictions; 9.75M state-level answers behind those jurisdictions
37.1% peak 52.8%
#3
Adverse Conditions Moderate coverage16 qualifying jurisdictions; 4.96M state-level answers behind those jurisdictions
33.8% peak 41%
#4
Intersections Limited coverage6 qualifying jurisdictions; 1.43M state-level answers behind those jurisdictions
33.3% peak 34.8%
#5
Impaired & Distracted Driving Limited coverage8 qualifying jurisdictions; 1.93M state-level answers behind those jurisdictions
33.2% peak 42.4%
#6
Parking Moderate coverage23 qualifying jurisdictions; 6.29M state-level answers behind those jurisdictions
32.5% peak 38.6%
#7
Sharing the Road Moderate coverage14 qualifying jurisdictions; 2.64M state-level answers behind those jurisdictions
32.1% peak 37.9%
#8
Lane Changes & Passing Moderate coverage24 qualifying jurisdictions; 8.22M state-level answers behind those jurisdictions
31.9% peak 41.8%

Linkable rankings

Lists that turn the dataset into story angles

Short ranked lists are easier for local newsrooms to cite, chart, and compare than a full dashboard.

Top 10 highest Confusion Scores

Use this when the story is where learner mistakes cluster most strongly.

  1. Florida: 49.7/100, Laws & Penalties
  2. Ohio: 49.2/100, Laws & Penalties
  3. Tennessee: 48.1/100, Laws & Penalties
  4. Connecticut: 46.8/100, Stop & Yield Signs
  5. Wisconsin: 43.4/100, Laws & Penalties
  6. North Dakota: 43.0/100, Laws & Penalties
  7. Vermont: 42.0/100, Yielding to Others
  8. Montana: 41.3/100, Laws & Penalties
  9. District of Columbia: 41.0/100, Lane Changes & Passing
  10. Georgia: 40.4/100, Traffic Signals
10 lowest Confusion Scores

Careful framing: these are lower learner knowledge-gap scores, not better drivers.

  1. California: 27.0/100, Yielding to Others
  2. New Jersey: 30.2/100, Sharing the Road
  3. Kansas: 32.1/100, Pavement Markings
  4. Maryland: 32.5/100, Impaired & Distracted Driving
  5. Indiana: 32.8/100, Laws & Penalties
  6. Michigan: 32.9/100, Adverse Conditions
  7. Minnesota: 32.9/100, Turning & U-Turns
  8. Nevada: 33.2/100, Parking
  9. Maine: 33.7/100, Parking
  10. Washington: 33.7/100, Laws & Penalties
Most active learner states

Use this when the story needs the largest 30-day learner sample.

  1. California: 40,212 learners, Yielding to Others
  2. North Carolina: 20,885 learners, Adverse Conditions
  3. Ohio: 18,602 learners, Laws & Penalties
  4. New York: 16,929 learners, Adverse Conditions
  5. Illinois: 15,925 learners, Turning & U-Turns
  6. Massachusetts: 13,181 learners, Laws & Penalties
  7. Florida: 13,150 learners, Laws & Penalties
  8. Tennessee: 12,321 learners, Laws & Penalties
  9. Minnesota: 11,833 learners, Turning & U-Turns
  10. Missouri: 11,211 learners, Impaired & Distracted Driving

State-specific drilldown

Localize the story for any state

Choose a state to get a source-ready lede, chart-ready rows, top confusion categories, rank, sample size, and live activity.

Rank #1

Florida learners are most confused by Laws & Penalties.

49.7Confusion Score
52.7%wrong-answer rate, top topic
13Klearners last 30 days
24Ktests completed, 30 days
86studying now
8PMpeak study hour
Tuesdaypeak study day
606Kquestions answered, 30 days
Quick local hookFlorida learners missed laws & penalties most often, with a 52.7% wrong-answer rate in that topic.
Why readers careThis shows what learners misunderstand before the road test, not which state has better or worse drivers.
Source lineAggregated learner answer data from Driving-Tests.org, refreshed before page render.
Top-topic denominator Topic-level denominator is not available in the current data layer for Florida; use the state-level sample of 605,680 practice answers as context.
So what?

Why laws and penalties matter

This is the gap between knowing a rule and knowing the consequence. It gives reporters a way to connect permit-test confusion to fines, points, suspensions, and enforcement moments readers already recognize.

Good local hooks include teen-driver restrictions, school-zone penalties, DUI/BAC consequences, and point systems that affect insurance or license status.

Category context
Fines and points penalties, point systems, and repeat-offense consequences
Suspensions and restrictions license holds, permit limits, and teen-driver rules
DUI/BAC and high-risk violations alcohol limits, implied consent, work zones, and school zones

Top local confusion points

  1. Laws & Penalties52.7%
  2. Sharing the Road37.9%
  3. Pavement Markings35.3%
  4. Lane Changes & Passing32.6%
  5. Emergency Vehicles30.1%
Laws & Penalties
52.7%
Sharing the Road
37.9%
Pavement Markings
35.3%
Lane Changes & Passing
32.6%
Emergency Vehicles
30.1%
Florida learner drivers were most likely to stumble on "Laws & Penalties", according to America's Road Rules Confusion Index from Driving-Tests.org. The state posted a Confusion Score of 49.7 out of 100 and ranked #1 nationally. Topic-level denominator is not available in the current data layer for Florida; use the state-level sample of 605,680 practice answers as context. The 30-day state sample included 13,150 learners and 605,680 practice answers.

Compare states

Put a local result next to a neighbor or national leader

Many local stories need a comparison: state vs. state, state vs. neighbor, or state vs. the current national leaders.

All-state data table

Every ranked jurisdiction in one visible table

Use this table for fact-checking before copying the CSV. Rows include rank, score, top category, wrong-answer rate, state-level sample, eligibility status, and study rhythm.

Download CSV
RankJurisdictionConfusion ScoreTop categoryWrong-answer rateState sampleCoverage statusStudy rhythm
#1Florida
FL		49.7/100Laws & Penalties52.7%605,680 answers
13,150 learners		Ranked
Threshold met		8PM hour
Tuesday
#2Ohio
OH		49.2/100Laws & Penalties52.8%759,283 answers
18,602 learners		Ranked
Threshold met		5PM hour
Tuesday
#3Tennessee
TN		48.1/100Laws & Penalties50.5%528,790 answers
12,321 learners		Ranked
Threshold met		1AM hour
Tuesday
#4Connecticut
CT		46.8/100Stop & Yield Signs47.6%150,087 answers
3,895 learners		Ranked
Threshold met		1AM hour
Tuesday
#5Wisconsin
WI		43.4/100Laws & Penalties45.5%177,501 answers
4,522 learners		Ranked
Threshold met		12AM hour
Tuesday
#6North Dakota
ND		43.0/100Laws & Penalties46.1%102,522 answers
2,206 learners		Ranked
Threshold met		12AM hour
Tuesday
#7Vermont
VT		42.0/100Yielding to Others42.5%26,256 answers
632 learners		Ranked
Threshold met		12AM hour
Tuesday
#8Montana
MT		41.3/100Laws & Penalties43.1%53,913 answers
1,328 learners		Ranked
Threshold met		12AM hour
Monday
#9District of Columbia
DC		41.0/100Lane Changes & Passing41.8%42,902 answers
1,045 learners		Ranked
Threshold met		1AM hour
Tuesday
#10Georgia
GA		40.4/100Traffic Signals42.2%223,496 answers
6,193 learners		Ranked
Threshold met		12AM hour
Tuesday
#11Oregon
OR		40.4/100Pavement Markings42%134,678 answers
3,176 learners		Ranked
Threshold met		2AM hour
Tuesday
#12New York
NY		40.4/100Adverse Conditions41%600,353 answers
16,929 learners		Ranked
Threshold met		2AM hour
Tuesday
#13South Dakota
SD		40.1/100Laws & Penalties41.9%80,195 answers
1,525 learners		Ranked
Threshold met		5PM hour
Tuesday
#14Massachusetts
MA		39.9/100Laws & Penalties41.4%524,665 answers
13,181 learners		Ranked
Threshold met		4PM hour
Tuesday
#15North Carolina
NC		39.6/100Adverse Conditions40.2%881,070 answers
20,885 learners		Ranked
Threshold met		4PM hour
Monday
#16Rhode Island
RI		39.5/100Pavement Markings40.7%49,375 answers
1,297 learners		Ranked
Threshold met		1AM hour
Friday
#17Texas
TX		39.4/100Laws & Penalties40.7%386,864 answers
7,589 learners		Ranked
Threshold met		8PM hour
Tuesday
#18Louisiana
LA		39.3/100Pavement Markings40.5%120,790 answers
2,852 learners		Ranked
Threshold met		2AM hour
Thursday
#19New Mexico
NM		38.9/100Laws & Penalties39%55,158 answers
1,239 learners		Ranked
Threshold met		10PM hour
Monday
#20New Hampshire
NH		38.8/100Laws & Penalties40.9%84,313 answers
1,744 learners		Ranked
Threshold met		1AM hour
Tuesday
#21Nebraska
NE		38.8/100Adverse Conditions40%43,806 answers
1,330 learners		Ranked
Threshold met		7PM hour
Tuesday
#22Missouri
MO		38.4/100Impaired & Distracted Driving39.4%419,763 answers
11,211 learners		Ranked
Threshold met		6PM hour
Monday
#23Utah
UT		38.4/100Laws & Penalties39%113,329 answers
3,040 learners		Ranked
Threshold met		8PM hour
Monday
#24Iowa
IA		38.3/100Lane Changes & Passing39.1%59,279 answers
1,481 learners		Ranked
Threshold met		4PM hour
Tuesday
#25Alabama
AL		38.2/100Parking38.6%276,176 answers
7,519 learners		Ranked
Threshold met		5PM hour
Tuesday
#26Wyoming
WY		38.0/100Adverse Conditions39.1%89,893 answers
1,565 learners		Ranked
Threshold met		8PM hour
Tuesday
#27Mississippi
MS		37.9/100Pavement Markings39%289,997 answers
7,319 learners		Ranked
Threshold met		5PM hour
Tuesday
#28Kentucky
KY		37.9/100Yielding to Others38.5%435,603 answers
10,524 learners		Ranked
Threshold met		12AM hour
Monday
#29Oklahoma
OK		37.7/100Laws & Penalties39%184,180 answers
4,454 learners		Ranked
Threshold met		9PM hour
Monday
#30South Carolina
SC		37.5/100Speed & Regulatory Signs38.5%280,324 answers
7,406 learners		Ranked
Threshold met		5PM hour
Monday
#31Delaware
DE		36.6/100Emergency Vehicles37.4%27,852 answers
685 learners		Ranked
Threshold met		2PM hour
Tuesday
#32Alaska
AK		36.4/100Emergency Situations37.3%22,654 answers
528 learners		Ranked
Threshold met		8PM hour
Monday
#33Hawaii
HI		36.3/100Adverse Conditions36.9%84,408 answers
1,663 learners		Ranked
Threshold met		6AM hour
Tuesday
#34Virginia
VA		35.6/100Lane Changes & Passing37%275,654 answers
7,614 learners		Ranked
Threshold met		12AM hour
Tuesday
#35West Virginia
WV		35.2/100Emergency Situations35.7%147,828 answers
3,466 learners		Ranked
Threshold met		4PM hour
Monday
#36Arizona
AZ		35.0/100Laws & Penalties35.1%73,059 answers
2,267 learners		Ranked
Threshold met		12AM hour
Tuesday
#37Idaho
ID		34.9/100Yielding to Others36.8%87,579 answers
1,982 learners		Ranked
Threshold met		3AM hour
Monday
#38Illinois
IL		34.8/100Turning & U-Turns36%639,247 answers
15,925 learners		Ranked
Threshold met		4PM hour
Tuesday
#39Arkansas
AR		34.7/100Lane Changes & Passing35.4%188,018 answers
4,760 learners		Ranked
Threshold met		6PM hour
Monday
#40Colorado
CO		33.8/100Lane Changes & Passing34.6%235,830 answers
6,066 learners		Ranked
Threshold met		8PM hour
Tuesday
#41Pennsylvania
PA		33.8/100Impaired & Distracted Driving34.2%292,390 answers
6,876 learners		Ranked
Threshold met		4PM hour
Tuesday
#42Washington
WA		33.7/100Laws & Penalties34.7%462,860 answers
9,967 learners		Ranked
Threshold met		10PM hour
Tuesday
#43Maine
ME		33.7/100Parking34.5%37,220 answers
984 learners		Ranked
Threshold met		3PM hour
Monday
#44Nevada
NV		33.2/100Parking33.7%198,277 answers
4,669 learners		Ranked
Threshold met		10PM hour
Tuesday
#45Minnesota
MN		32.9/100Turning & U-Turns33.8%521,187 answers
11,833 learners		Ranked
Threshold met		4PM hour
Tuesday
#46Michigan
MI		32.9/100Adverse Conditions33%326,683 answers
8,277 learners		Ranked
Threshold met		3PM hour
Monday
#47Indiana
IN		32.8/100Laws & Penalties33%390,442 answers
10,618 learners		Ranked
Threshold met		4PM hour
Tuesday
#48Maryland
MD		32.5/100Impaired & Distracted Driving32.9%200,833 answers
5,595 learners		Ranked
Threshold met		1AM hour
Tuesday
#49Kansas
KS		32.1/100Pavement Markings32.6%231,603 answers
5,401 learners		Ranked
Threshold met		6PM hour
Monday
#50New Jersey
NJ		30.2/100Sharing the Road30.9%440,215 answers
8,203 learners		Ranked
Threshold met		8PM hour
Tuesday
#51California
CA		27.0/100Yielding to Others27.4%1,694,701 answers
40,212 learners		Ranked
Threshold met		4AM hour
Tuesday

Press kit

Reporter-ready exports and visuals

Use the CSV for newsroom charts, the state brief for copy, and the SVG visuals when a producer needs a quick graphic.

All-state CSV

Copy every state row with rank, Confusion Score, top topic, wrong-answer rate, denominator fields, sample size, and study rhythm.

Rankingjurisdiction, rank, Confusion Score, top missed topic, top-topic wrong-answer rate
Denominatortop-topic eligible answers, wrong answers, estimated flag, and category sample status
Scalelearners, questions answered, and completed tests in the last 30 days
Timingoptional live activity, peak study hour, and peak study day
Download CSV

State press card

A lightweight SVG card for the selected state. It can be pasted into a CMS, converted to an image, or sent to a producer.

National SVG chart

A ready-to-embed visual that combines the highest Confusion Scores with topic coverage, so the national story does not depend on one isolated percentage.

Citation and attribution

Give editors the source line, link, and HTML attribution exactly as they should appear in a story.

Source line

Source: Driving-Tests.org America's Road Rules Confusion Index, updated Jul 22, 2026, 5:00 AM GMT+0000. Link: https://driving-tests.org/road-rules-confusion-index/

Canonical URL

https://driving-tests.org/road-rules-confusion-index/

HTML attribution

Source: <a href="https://driving-tests.org/road-rules-confusion-index/">Driving-Tests.org America's Road Rules Confusion Index</a>

AP-style source line

Source: Driving-Tests.org analysis of aggregate learner permit-test practice answers, updated Jul 22, 2026, 5:00 AM GMT+0000.

Story angles by beat

Make the data easy to assign

Different reporters need different entry points. These prompts turn the same dataset into local, education, and safety stories.

Local news

What learner drivers in your state miss most, how the state compares nationally, and what parents of teen drivers should review before permit season.

Education

Which rule categories are hardest before licensing, and where handbook comprehension may be weakest before learners move from study mode to the road.

Safety and transportation

Knowledge gaps around yielding, school buses, adverse conditions, emergency vehicles, penalties, and other rules that require judgment in traffic.

About the source

What is Driving-Tests.org?

Driving-Tests.org is a US driver education resource from Elegant E-Learning. The site helps learner drivers prepare for state-specific permit tests, CDL exams, motorcycle tests, road signs, and driver's handbooks. It also includes Challenge Bank™, DMV Genie™, Exam Simulator, state manuals, and DMV office resources.

Andrei Zakhareuski

Andrei Zakhareuski

Founder of Driving-Tests.org. Provides industry context on learner-driver preparation and state permit-test trends.

Steven D. Litvintchouk

Steven D. Litvintchouk

Editorial reviewer. Helps keep test explanations aligned with state source material and driver-education practice.

Media contact

For methodology questions, source clarification, or state-specific details, email info@driving-tests.org.

Snapshot status

Current edition and change tracking

The page stays live from the current aggregate data layer, while the template stores one monthly baseline automatically for defensible change tracking.

Current editionJuly 2026

Live 30-day report rendered from the current dataset.

Data windowJun 22, 2026 - Jul 22, 2026

Rolling learner-answer activity window.

Published timestampJul 22, 2026, 5:00 AM UTC

The on-page timestamp is converted to the visitor's local time.

Trend statusBaseline saved

This edition is stored automatically. Month-over-month movers appear after the next monthly snapshot exists.

EditionData windowCSVNotes
July 2026Jun 22, 2026 - Jul 22, 2026Download current CSVLaunch baseline - no month-over-month movement yet.

Methodology

How the index is calculated

The index uses aggregate learner-answer outcomes and state-level activity data. No individual learner data is published.

Date range

2026-06-22/2026-07-22. The timestamp shown at the top of the page is converted to the visitor's local time in the browser.

Minimum sample threshold

A jurisdiction must have at least 1,000 eligible practice answers in the current 30-day window before it is ranked.

How learners are counted

Learner counts use aggregate state-level activity from permit-test practice sessions. No device IDs, profiles, or individual learner records are published.

How answers are counted

Answer counts are aggregate practice-answer outcomes grouped by state and road-rule category. Wrong-answer rates are calculated at the category level.

Topic denominator

When the category data layer exposes answer counts, the page publishes eligible answers and wrong answers for each state's top topic. If a wrong-answer count is not stored separately, the CSV marks it as estimated from the published rate.

Score formula

Confusion Score = top-category wrong-answer rate x 0.72 + average wrong-answer rate of the top three categories x 0.28.

Why topic coverage varies

Not every state has enough eligible answer data in every topic category. Topic rows are labeled by coverage: broad coverage is 25+ qualifying jurisdictions, moderate is 10-24, and limited is fewer than 10. The national lede uses the highest broad-coverage topic; limited-coverage topics are shown as observed signals.

Representativeness

The dataset reflects Driving-Tests.org learner practice behavior. It should not be treated as official DMV applicant behavior or official DMV pass/fail statistics.

What the score does not measure

The score does not measure crash risk, road skill, licensed-driver behavior, enforcement quality, or whether a state has good or bad drivers.

  1. Practice answers are grouped into stable topic categories such as signs, pavement markings, right of way, school buses, DUI/BAC, teen restrictions, CDL exam family, motorcycle safety, and state-specific exceptions.
  2. For each state, the page ranks the topics with the highest aggregate miss rates after minimum sample thresholds are met.
  3. The Confusion Score is a 0-100 index: 72% of the score comes from the top missed topic and 28% comes from the average of the top three missed topics, so one oddball topic does not fully define a state.
  4. Live learner pulse and state activity metrics come from the aggregate site activity layer and are refreshed outside this template.
  5. Exact proprietary answer text, individual learner records, device IDs, and user profiles are not included in the public dataset.
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