And whereas cities with at least somewhat similar situations (NY or LA, for example) are buoyed by the rest of their respective state, DC gets its own score.

But hey, at least it beat Jersey!

1) We have so many drivers in the area who did not learn to drive in the U.S., so they bring their foreign driving habits to the area. What might be considered “normal” driving in Rome or Mexico City, might be completely illegal or inappropraite by DC’s or U.S. standards.
2) Every four or eight years, we get a huge influx of new government workers with each new administration, bringing their own driving style to DC. For the past 8 years, we’ve seen tons of Texas drivers, who seem to drive a bit faster than local drivers.
3) With all the military in DC, we get an additional dose of drivers from other states, all with different styles, punching their tickets at the Petagon.
4) Add in thousands of unfamiliar tourists and people here on gov’t. business in rental cars and local drivers get more frustrated and aggressive.
5) Each state (DC, MD and VA) seems to have their own style of driving. Put them all together, and it’s recipe for a disaster.

As to why the area scored so poorly, we were all probably late for the test due to traffic.

Either way, I’m keeping both hands on the wheel and my eyes on the prize next time I drive in our nation’s capital.