The Best Way To Make The Road Transport Of Goods Safer Is To Ask Drivers To Take A Driving Test Each Year

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Sample essay

According to some people making truck drivers take the driving test every year will make the transport of goods safer. I do not quite agree with this view because lack of knowledge of traffic rules is hardly the cause of accidents. Also, the implementation of this rule which makes annual driving tests mandatory involves a lot of practical difficulties.

To start with, truck drivers are the ones who transport goods, so this rule is mainly applicable to them. Still, there are lots of them and if all of them have to take the driving test each year, it involves a lot of administrative work. Traffic authorities will have to hire more employees to conduct these tests. Also, drivers will have to pay a fee for taking the test. This will be an unnecessary financial burden for them.

Another reason not to make these tests mandatory is that this measure is unlikely to help. Most truck drivers are aware of the rules. Experienced drivers, for example, have been driving for so many years that even if they are not familiar with the new rules, they will still know how to steer the truck safely. Yet, trucks are involved in a number of accidents. This is mainly due to fatigue. These drivers often carry goods thousands of miles and work day and night. Fatigue affects their performance and sometimes they do fall asleep behind the wheel. Even a moment’s lack of diligence can have disastrous consequences when one is driving a vehicle.

In my opinion, a better measure is to regulate the work hours of truck drivers. The government should enact laws to ensure that these drivers get sufficient rest after driving for a few hours. Another solution is to regulate the hours trucks can be on roads. In India, for example, trucks are rarely seen on highways during the day. They drive at night when the roads are nearly empty. This reduces the risk of accidents. To conclude, ignorance of traffic rules is rarely the cause of accidents and hence making annual driving tests mandatory is unlikely to help. Instead, in order to ensure the safe transport of goods, the government has to regulate the work hours of truck drivers and ensure that they get adequate sleep and rest.

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Manjusha Nambiar

Hi, I'm Manjusha. This is my blog where I give IELTS preparation tips.