The most effective approach to improving the safety of road goods transport is to require drivers to undergo an annual driving assessment. I fully disagree with this strategy, as there are more efficient solutions.
One reason to disagree with the idea of taking a driving test each year as the best way is a financial burden on drivers and transport companies. Frequent driving testing would lead to additional costs for preparation, examination fees, and administrative expenses. Furthermore, transport companies may also face costs for organizing tests during work hours, resulting in less productivity. Small companies and freelancers, operating on tight budgets, might have some challenges with absorbing these additional costs, resulting in higher, unfair advantages for larger companies. Finally, there is a possibility of demotivation for drivers since feeling financially penalized for maintaining their licences might lead to dissatisfaction among them. This demotivation could also be a reason for potentially less responsible behaviour on the roads.
In contrast, what would make the most profound change is creating regular safety training programs for drivers. Instead of one driving test, drivers could join mandatory programs, which may lead to staying informed about new rules and technologies. The price could be less than the test fee, reducing the amount of negative experiences for both drivers and transport companies. Training programs might be scheduled at convenient times, minimizing disruptions to drivers’ schedules. Thus, conducting regular educational programs might create a culture of safety.
To conclude, I believe that the approach of for making the drivers take a driving test each year to make the road transport of goods safer is not the best due to financial and productivity expenses for drivers and transport companies, whereas providing regular, safety programs would prove to be the most effective solution.