A system and method for analyzing and evaluating the performance and attitude of a motor vehicle driver. A raw data stream from a set of vehicle sensors is filtered to eliminate extraneous noise, and then parsed to convert the stream into a string of driving event primitives. The string of driving events is then processed by a pattern-recognition system to derive a sequence of higher-level driving maneuvers. Driving maneuvers include such familiar procedures as lane changing, passing, and turn and brake. Driving events and maneuvers are quantified by parameters developed from the sensor data. The parameters and timing of the maneuvers can be analyzed to determine skill and attitude factors for evaluating the driver's abilities and safety ratings. The rendering of the data into common driving-related concepts allows more accurate and meaningful analysis and evaluation than is possible with ordinary statistical threshold-based analysis.