Passing Your Driver’s Test: How Easy It Is In IL

ILLINOIS — Handing the car keys to the kid is a frightening rite of passage for parents no matter where they live, but some states are more rigorous than others in driver’s license tests. Illinois ranked 38th out of 51 — including all 50 states and the District of Columbia — in terms of overall difficulty.

The study by the personal injury law firm Siegfried & Jensen reviews the variations in the minimum knowledge states require 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.

Here’s what the study showed about Illinois:

Drivers over the age of 18 don't have to get a learner's permit, and license fees are just $8. There is no fee for the test itself. Applicants have three chances to pass the test, which requires 80 percent proficiency. The test focuses on 13 elements of driving — Washington, which has the toughest standards, tests skills in 19 areas — and the state's overall difficulty score was 57, compared with 80 points for Washington state.

For comparison, it's easiest to get a driver’s license in South Dakota than anywhere else in the country, according to the study. As in Illinois, drivers over the age of 18 don’t have to get a learner’s permit, license fees are $9 and applicants can take three passes at the test, which requires 80 percent proficiency. South Dakota driver tests concentrate on six elements and the state’s overall score was only 42.

Joining Washington among the top five states with difficult driver licensing standards are Massachusetts, Maryland, South Carolina and Kansas, respectively. On the other end, just above South Dakota were Ohio, Arkansas New York and Nebraska.

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 was collected on the assumption the applicant is 18 years old and doesn’t have any mitigating circumstances, such as a veteran status or disability.

Read more about the methodology here.

Photo via Shutterstock