ROCHESTER, N.Y. — A recent study by a national insurance company found about 34% of people who take the driver's license test in New York fail. The state ranks 18th in the nation.

"It's an eight to 10-minute process and everybody messes it up, they are just not equipped," said Johnny Scott, a master instructor at ABC School of Driving in Rochester.

What You Need To Know

  • 34% of people fail the driver's license test in New York, ranking the state 18th in the nation

  • Common issues during driving tests include drivers exceeding the speed limit by one to five miles per hour and not checking blind spots

  • Driving instructor Johnny Scott emphasizes the importance of proper education and adherence to safety rules

Scott, a driving instructor for decades, says common problems during driving tests include drivers going one to five miles per hour over the speed limit and not checking their blind spots.

"People are sliding the wheel through their fingers. People are reversing using the cameras, which you can't do at a road test site. What did we do before the cameras came?" Scott said.

"Unless properly educated by a school, it's not going to happen," he added.

Spectrum News 1 reporter Sergio Cruel took the driver's test for first-hand experience. If a driver gets 30 points for infractions, they fail the driver's test.

Scott says people were dying in school zones and residential areas because drivers were going a few miles over the speed limit. New York state now tickets drivers for going a single mile over a posted limit.

"We want to teach you how not only to pass the driver's test, but to survive behind the wheel," Scott said.

Scott also mentioned that taking a driver's education course helps newer drivers prepare for the road test. He often gets drivers who need to take his class to get their licenses back.