Weaken

Question

Some people believe that the exhaustion of a long road trip poses the biggest threat to drivers safety . Other driving situations however are far more dangerous . The sense of relaxation evoked by familiar neighbourhoods induces drivers to rely more on muscle memory and less on active input from their surroundings . Such major lapses in attention are the reason most accidents occur near the home .

Which of the following truly weakens the argument ?

1)Most automobile travel is local

2)Residential streets are more congested

3)Wet payment cause 16% accidents

4) Studys have shown that drivers are far less likely to recall details from local commutes than from long road trips

5) There are fewer car accidents last year than in previous year

Some Believe  cause of occurrence of accidents near home is :

1) Exhaustion from long trips

2) Others - carelessness of drivers in neighbourhood

To weaken you need to prove its not either of the above or its some other reason .

getahead · Answer

Argument concludes that most accidents occur near home because of major lapses in attention. (also per argument Lapses in attention are caused due to driving on familiar roads. )

To Weaken the conclusion we can weaken the assumptions or provide any other evidence that can contradict.

1. Option A infant does exact opposite by strengthening the argument saying all the travel is local hence drivers know the roads too well so more accidents happens

2. Option B does not relate anything to either long journeys or familiarity of roads which are 2 assumptions while making the conclusion so it cant weaken the given argument.

3. Option C I think the word “payment” should be “pavement” but nonetheless its not related to the argument as wet pavement could cause accidents but in the argument we are talking about driver habits.

4. Option E Just a fact that adds to the argument doesn’t weaken it.

5. Option D gives us a relevant fact saying drivers are more likely to remember roads on long trips hence more likely to cause accidents on the long trips away from home. 
Perfect, this suits our argument. 
Provides justification as to the conclusion is weakened because drivers will probably remember roads on long trips so would become more leniant to rely on muscle memory thus causing accidents.

Hope it helps, What’s the OA

Sent from my iPhone using GMAT Club Forum

Weaken

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