ESSAY 11

There are more cars on the roads these days and more accidents. As a result, some politicians have suggested that people should take regular driving tests throughout their lives, rather than one single test. What do you think are the advantages of repeat driving test? Do these outweigh the disadvantages?

In some countries, people are required to take a driving test before they can legally go on the road with their new cars. In some other countries, however, it tends to be involved with corruption practice, and people can just pay for their license without having to attend any real driving test. In this case, I would be on the pro side when it comes to introducing the regulation of regularly scheduled driving test, as there are more advantages to it than the disadvantages.

When people have mastered the driving skills, they are also required to have a wide knowledge about the regulation of the road. Things like what to do during rush hour, how to fix certain mechanical problems, how to help during accidents are some of the things that may happen on the road every day. If a driving test is scheduled annually, then the government can see how to have the individual or the candidate progressed on his / her skills. We may expect an increase in mastery and knowledge. Nevertheless, there is also a chance that people forgot what they have learned or getting worse in their skills.

If it is scheduled once in a year, the driving test can also be served as a community gathering, a time to get to know each other, and the government should encourage this to ensure safety habit in traffic. It is also a common fact, that there may have been a change in street, road, or a slight change in traffic regulations. With this event, people can ensure themselves to keep up-to-date with the latest info about their city and about progress in the community at the same time. I would say that this is a total benefit that everyone wants.

However, the government needs to train professional instructor and ensures the quality of the test itself. A professional instructor can give a sense of achievement towards the audience. An unprofessional one, in contrast, may insult or annoy the test-takers and give them a feeling of boredom during the whole test session. Similarly, the test needs to be transparent and everyone needs to understand why they are asked to improve their driving skills. The tape recording the drivers session while passing the test, for example, can be given as a gift or as a way for the candidate to review his / her driving performance at home.

To sum up, I see no harm in a properly scheduled event of driving test. It has the main advantage to reduce traffic accident, and it also has a secondary advantage such as tightening the sense of belonging to the community and to have the sense of achievement for any individual.