Question

In most truck drivers, taking caffeine pills regularly usually leads to a higher average efficiency in terms of miles travelled each day. Recent data has shown that the locations of the greatest number of car accidents involving multiple trucks occurred near stores selling large quantities of the types of caffeine pills most frequently purchased by truck drivers. Thus, caffeine pill intake among truck drivers leads to an increased number of car accidents.
Which of the following most accurately describes the major flaw in the author's reasoning?

• A. The author assumes that truck drivers speed because of the caffeine pills.
• B. The author does not allow for other reasons for the proximity of the caffeine suppliers to the location of the car accidents.
• C. The argument assumes that higher average efficiency means truck drivers are less likely to be involved in accidents.
• D. The author assumes that caffeine pills are the only cause of truck drivers' speed because of the caffeine pills.
• E. The argument fails to take into account the actions of any non-trucks potentially involved in these accidents.

Hint:

Always consider other factors that could explain the correlation presented in an argument, especially in causality-based reasoning.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Analyzing the flaw in the reasoning.
The author assumes a direct causal link between caffeine pill consumption and car accidents without considering other possible factors, like the proximity of the suppliers to accident-prone areas.

Step 2: Analysis of options.
- (A) The author does not assume that caffeine pills directly cause speeding, just that they correlate with higher efficiency.
- (B) This is the correct flaw, as the author doesn't account for other potential reasons for the high number of accidents near caffeine suppliers.
- (C) The argument does not suggest that higher efficiency makes truck drivers less likely to be involved in accidents; it just correlates caffeine consumption with accidents.
- (D) The argument doesn't claim that caffeine pills are the only cause of speeding.
- (E) While non-truck actions could be involved, the flaw is more about the proximity of caffeine suppliers, which is not addressed.

Step 3: Conclusion.
The correct answer is (B) because the author fails to consider other factors that could explain the proximity of caffeine suppliers to the accidents.