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Julie E. Richmond

Mrs. Ramirez

English 4.1

28 November 2023

Saving Lives and Making Changes

Automobile drivers should be forced to retake the driving exam every three years in order

to renew their driver's license. As our roads become more and more dynamic and diverse,

accidents and deaths are increasing every day. You can’t just test one time and assume you are

fine and capable for the next 70 years until you finally retake the test. Don’t you believe it's a

little more complex than that? Well I sure do. Not only do retests improve your knowledge and

keep you up to date with the numerous changes the road faces on a daily basis., but it also takes

those people who cause accidents from the lack of driving experience to be removed from the

road entirely. Requiring behind the wheel tests every three years will improve driver

competence, reduce accidents and ultimately lead to a safer and more responsible driving

community.

Taking the driving test every few years will enhance the safety of others and prevent

more accidents from even happening. For instance, 85% of those surveyed were unable to

identify the proper course of action to take when approaching a yellow traffic signal, and just 1

in 4 were able to determine the safe following distance behind a car, (Howstuffworks.com).

These laws that appear simple when you're learning how to drive at 16 are now being forgotten

30 years down the road and causing accidents which have taken the lives of innocent bystanders.

Not to mention roughly 70% of all car collisions are resulting from rolling stops when

approaching a stop sign, (Pubmed.ncbi.gov). Stop signs are implemented to protect you from
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oncoming drivers, not be the reason why a car crash happened in the first place. Getting into a

car accident that results from a stop sign shows the lack of attention and respect drivers hold.

Slowing down instead of stopping is not an effective technique when driving and it never will be.

Every year most highways become more congested and vehicles become more sophisticated.

These modifications strengthen the case for updating licenses and ultimately save by having

fewer accidents and cheaper insurance rates for drivers, (Beaumontenterprise.com). The lives

that these yearly tests are saving will outweigh any costs from taking the test. Ultimately

retesting drivers every few years is the most beneficial solution at preventing car accidents and

harming less innocent people.

Also, Covid 19 took away the muscle memory and left automobile drivers not

remembering how to drive; so retaking these tests can remind and reteach them how to operate a

motor vehicle. From a recent study, a man named Robert Johnson was pulling out of his garage

one day. He was getting ready to make his way to the office he hasn’t visited since before the

Covid 19 outbreak ever started. When pulling out of his garage he wasn’t sure how to adjust his

mirrors and was inches away from hitting his own dog, (Washingtonpost.com). From the long

break in driving, the simple basics in operating a car have been lost. The amount of danger this

poses for all of the drivers out there is tremendous. Also from (Washingtonpost.com) it is noted

that people could no longer recall routes that they once knew like the back of their hand. People

also were anxious and unable to drive at night time after the pandemic. These simple tasks

should not be something that people have a hard time remembering, but since Covid 19 took

time away from all of these people, retests are the way to fix it. The driving exam only takes

maybe 10 minutes and it’s truly not that difficult. If you know how to drive and should be

driving then you should pass it with flying colors. Statistics also show that the traffic fatality rate
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per mile has jumped by 24 percent in 2020. 2020 was the start of the Covid outbreak and the

numbers have not gone down since. Unfortunately these issues will never be solved if we don’t

all come together and do something about it. If you want change and reconstruction, retesting is

the way to go.

Retaking the exam can introduce the new changes and advancements in technology on

the road. Every year, vehicles become more complex and most roads become more congested.

These modifications contribute to the reasoning for license adjustments,

(beumontenterprise.com). Things people were used to years back when they first tested are

unlike laws now. So, simply reminding and quizzing everyone is smarter. One of the laws that

we’ve seen change is the hand positions. 10-2 is no longer the safest hand position because of the

new airbag technology. Now considering that, 9-3 or 8-4 are the safest hand positions,

(drivingmba.com). The fact that a large percentage of the population all tested and learned how

to drive using the technique 10-2 is perfect proof to show we need these tests. Middle age

individuals would never know of these new law changes if it wasn’t for these yearly driving

tests. All of these changes have given drivers a “sense of safety” while also, sadly slowing them

down. Technology is also prone to fail eventually. So, considering that, people can't be

incompetent without it, (drivingmba.com). Ultimately the fundamentals of driving have been lost

and we need to keep drivers aware and up to date in order to save lives.

Finally, the behind the wheel driving tests in California are way too easy for individuals

going to get their license. Which results in many drivers granted a license even though they may

not be good enough to be on the road. Also, the NHTSA discovered that driving exams in the

United states are generally far easier than those in the rest of the globe. To assess their

awareness, prospective drivers in the Canadian province of British Columbia for example, must
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undertake 45 minutes of testing on different types of roads. As well as vocally identify what

precise road dangers are directly beside, ahead, and behind their vehicle,

(auto.howstuffworks.com). In comparison the California behind the wheel driving tests are only

5-10 minutes long, which is nothing compared to the 45 minute intense test in Canada. This is

direct proof of corruption in the dmv testing that takes place in the United States. Also, drivers in

the UK are currently required to renew their license every ten years, (carscoops.com). However,

in California all you do is come in, retake a photo and return back to life per usual. This is why

we have so many accidents and why people are dying so often due to car crashes. Not to

mention, in Australia people have to log over 120 hours with a driving instructor to be able to

take their driving test, (zuto.com) In comparison, in the United States if you’re under the age of

18 you only have to log 6 driving hours with an instructor. That is a 124 difference; a difference

that in most cases would save your life. That doesn't even include that if you're over the age of

18 you are not required to log any hours. All of these corruption when it comes to driving are

adding up and so are the deaths that are being caused by car accidents. This is something that

needs changing and fixing and the only way for that to happen is by testing and truly simming

through those that can drive and those that can't.

In conclusion, the imperative for individuals to retake driving exams every three years

emerges as a compelling measure to enhance road safety and mitigate the risks associated with

driving. The accidents tallied up and the deaths that have occurred will always outweigh the

negative of having to retake tests. The cost does not matter and the time spent means nothing if it

can save innocent lives. Just think about the circumstances and you'll eventually reveal what this

truly is. From preventing accidents and adjusting road safety people are already more aware. By

addressing the issues of Covid-19 and the new technologies people will be more aware and also
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ready to fight for this cause. In embracing the idea that driving is a privilege contingent upon

ongoing competence, society can cultivate a safer and more resilient environment for all road

users. Therefore, the proposal to margate periodic driving exams every three years emerges as a

practical and essential step in safeguarding the well-being of individuals and communities alike.
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Works Cited

Kiger, Patrick J. “Should Licensed Drivers Be Tested Periodically?” HowStuffWorks, 5

Mar. 2019,
auto.howstuffworks.com/car-driving-safety/auto-safety-testing/should-licensed-
drivers-be-tested-periodically.htm. Accessed 02 Dec. 2023.
www.beaumontenterprise.com/opinions/editorials/article/PRO-CON-Should-adult-driver
s-be-retested-729758.php. Accessed 02 Dec. 2023.
www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/wellness/forgot-how-to-drive-pandemic-/2021/05/16/
2ce5cff6-b4ee-11eb-9059-d8176b9e3798_story.html. Accessed 02 Dec. 2023.
Chilton, Chris. “Should All Drivers Be Re-Tested Every 10 Years?” Carscoops, 30 July
2022,
www.carscoops.com/2022/07/should-all-drivers-be-re-tested-every-10-years/.
Accessed 02 Dec. 2023.
“Column: Older Drivers Have Road Rage over DMV Test Questions. Some Would
Prefer Driving Test.” Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2023,
www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-04-15/column-drivers-have-road-rage-ove
r-dmv-li
cense-renewal-questions-some-would-prefer-driving-test. Accessed 02 Dec.
2023.