Some argue that safety in road transport can be optimized through high fines and other severe means, while others think that different actions would lead to better safety. Whilst heavy charges for driving offences would definitely lead to more carefulness in road traffic, I believe that introducing a yearly test for elderly drivers would lead to an even better safety in road transport.
On the one hand, introducing hefty fines as a punishment would lead to more carefulness in driving. Since drivers would have to pay a substantial amount of money when violating road traffic rules, the drivers would reflect on their driving behaivor and be more careful. For instance, in Switzerland, drivers who violate the driving rules by driving too fast, can be punished with fine up to 10.000€. These skyhigh fines function as a deterrence for the violation of rules.
On the other hand, as with the most of the road traffic accidents are caused by elderly people, setting up a yearly health check ad test of their ability to drive would significantly decrease the number of accidents. To drive safely a good eyesight and fast reflexes are needed. With an increasing age, these health elements deterroriate more and more. By introducing a yearly health and a test for reflexes, old drivers, who are not capable to meet the requirements of the checks would need to give up their drivers license. For example, the government of Australia introduced these health checks for people with an age of 70+ and the number of road accidents caused within this age group dropped by 25%. This underscore the impact of introducing health checks for elderly drivers.
In conclusion, although high fines are a great mean to improve the carefulness of drivers, I believe that the impact of introducing yearly health and driver exams for elderly drivers would lead to an even better improvement in road safety.