Israel’s roads are scary places. Okay, the old joke is an exaggeration – drivers in this hot country don’t stick to the left-side or right-side, but drive in the shade – but even the US State Department comments on Israel’s aggressive driving tactics on their Israel page: “Aggressive driving is a serious problem…Drivers are also prone to stop suddenly on roads without warning, especially in the right lane.”

A new survey, commissioned by Or Yarok Association for Safer Drivers, found that 40% of drivers in Israel engage in illegal acts that distract their attention while driving, with 15% of Israeli drivers texting (illegally) while driving.

These figures come five months after the Transportation Ministry suddenly dropped plans, which were passed by Knesset six years ago, to get drivers to take a once-a-decade safe driving “refresher” course.

It claimed that the plan was proving too expensive.

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