MISSOURI DRIVERS NEED UPDATES ON RULES

When you read that more than half of Missourians fail the written exam to get a driver's license, it seems pretty alarming. It appears even worse when you consider that only 6.8 percent of those taking the written test in Illinois failed last year.

So what's the problem?

Perhaps there isn't any problem at all. Perhaps the attention should be shifted from the failure rate in Missouri to what other states do that takes away the fail-pass issue entirely.

Start with Illinois. Unlike Missourians, drivers in the Land of Lincoln must retake the written exam every eight years. This means many test takers are experienced motorists who are familiar with the Illinois test.

In Missouri, most motorists only take the written test when they first get a license.

Consider Kansas. In the Sunflower State, motorists are required to take the written test to renew a driver's license. But in Kansas it's an open-book test. Motorists get a copy of the test and a copy of the state's driving manual with their driver's license renewal notices. By reading the manual, the test can be filled out accurately.

That's the key. The Kansas method at least ensures that most motorists will review the state's driving manual every few years. This keeps drivers abreast of changes in motoring laws. It jogs their memory about key points that every motorist should know.

Missouri would do well to look at its testing requirements and how the written tests are administered.

For example, it seems like a pretty good idea to ask Missouri motorists to read the state's driving manual periodically. Learning state laws and regulations when you're a teen-ager and then never having to learn them again doesn't keep motorists up to date.

And, if it encourages motorists to review the entire driving manual, why not let them take an open-book test? After all, the point of taking the test ought to be to pass along useful information.

Missouri has come a long way in processing driver's licenses in the past couple of years. Motorists can now get photos taken and obtain licenses on the spot instead of waiting for weeks. Now it's time to take some forward steps of testing our drivers.