> So I doesn't seem like the more difficult testing actually helps much.

Brazil has a higher rate than the US, but you wouldn’t be able to tell based on the testing there. Mine was:

- Backup parking

- Parallel parking

- Drive around the city with an examiner for a few minutes

Any mistakes in the first two and you’re disqualified. You have to get them right the first time with no corrections (or at least that was the case back in 2007 or so).

For the driving part, you can make two small mistakes. Any critical mistakes immediately disqualify you.

In comparison, in my WA test when I moved here I botched parallel parking 3 times until I got it right. Then I indavertently speeded and also didn’t fully stop at a stop sign (either of which would’ve been a disqualifying mistake in Brazil IIRC). Still got my license.

Nevertheless, I find it MUCH safer to drive in the US (WA in particular, the only place where I’ve ever seen folks consistently driving at or below the speed limit). Brazilian drivers are crazy aggressive and in a lot of places traffic rules are treated as mere suggestions.