Readability formulas were applied to the drivers' manuals of each of the 50 United States and Puerto Rico to determine whether the manuals were appropriate materials for motivating reluctant or low achieving adolescent readers. Four 100-word samples were chosen from each manual, according to four themes common to each manual and of particular importance to young adults: (1) driving under the influence of alcohol, (2) motorcycle safety, (3) the use of seatbelts, and (4) obtaining a learner's permit. Readability was calculated using the Fry, Flesch, and Raygor formulas. The readability analyses indicated that the manuals varied widely in reading level difficulty, with at least nine grade levels separating the easiest from the most difficult to read. In more than 60% of the states, students would need to read at or above the tenth grade level. Beyond the scope of the readability formulas, there were other key differences from state to state that appeared to influence the difficulty of the manuals, including organization, tables of content and indexes, and use of headings and highlighting techniques. (Readability levels for each of the 51 manuals are included.) (HTH)