The only way to improve road safety is to give much stricter punishments on driving offences.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Sample Answer band 7.5+
Road accidents have always been a significant matter of concern, so much so that there is an idea that says the problem can only be solved by punishing driving offenders very strictly. However, I do not think this is the only solution, although it could be somewhat effective.
On the one hand, it could be helpful to apply serious penalties to reduce the risk of traffic accidents. Theoretically, this not only can prevent lawbreakers from driving thoughtlessly again but also can warn other people against doing that. For example, since 2019, when Vietnam laid down strict legislation on alcohol consumption control, the number of crashes caused by drunkenness has decreased. According to this law, drivers will receive a fine of at least 85 USD for motorcycles and 255 USD for cars if their blood or breath contains alcohol, besides having their driving licence confiscated.
On the other hand, the above-mentioned solution is not always successful, hence an alternate measure should be proposed. Research conducted in Queensland, Australia, in 2019 shows that traffic infringements did not decrease despite the imposition of serious penalties, suggesting that people’s aggressive driving habits were not successfully deterred. Therefore, another measure is needed, and from my perspective, we ought to think about banning private vehicles, at least in a number of areas. This not only contributes to the reduction of road accident risks but also helps to ease environmental problems.
In brief, imposing strict punishments on driving offences could be helpful, but only to a certain extent. Since this method cannot defeat reckless driving, another proposal ought to be made, such as prohibiting personal vehicles.
269 words – via talkfirst
