The best way to make the road transport of goods safer is to ask drivers to take a driving test each year. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
A strong argument appears to be surfacing nowadays that drivers of goods vehicles should be made to appear for a driving test annually. However, despite offering certain benefits, this proposal lacks substance and promises chaos, and thus, cannot be concurred with at all.
To begin with, those supporting such a law propound that the vehicles carrying material are most vulnerable to mishaps that not only jeopardize the safety of other road users and invaluable cargo but also have an adverse economic effect, by virtue of damage and delays. Therefore, this policy will help ensure that those driving goods carriers stay up-to-date about the norms mandatory for safe driving practices.
To corroborate, a pilot study was carried out in some cities of Sweden that revealed that most lorry drivers were unaware of the changed road conditions and rules of traffic management, and appearing for such a test helped them refresh and upgrade their knowledge and switch to safe driving techniques. As per authorities, this has brought down incidence of accidents involving trucks due to human error by ten percent.
Nevertheless, the benefits derived from such implementation are overwhelmed by faolings, and is likely to cause humongous confusion. Except in a few countries, this law will create serious issues in many parts of the world, especially in poor countries since it will become necessary for the government to create separate departments and populate them with a colossal workforce raising the cost of operations. Similarly, the things will become cumbersome for drivers who instead of working will be involved in the struggle to obtain yearly certification.
Therefore, it can be said that testing individuals operating vehicles carrying goods on a yearly basis might offer some advantages, but the inconvenience it is bound to cause is unparalleled, and thus cannot be accepted.
