Many people believe that the number of vehicular accidents can be reduced if tough punishments are imposed; however, some suggest that there are other ways to improve road safety. In my opinion, a combination involving both of these measures will succeed in improving road safety.
Imposing strict punishments has great significance in improving safety on roads and reducing the cases of motor vehicle accidents, as it would allow an individual to think twice before committing the offense. In simple words, the root cause of the occurrence of an accident is involved with not following traffic rules appropriately. When punishments such as high penalties and the cessation of one’s driver’s license are imposed, then a driver will follow the regulations accordingly in order to prevent consequences. This ensures the safety of the driver and fellow passengers and commuters.
Moreover, other effective measures to reduce traffic crimes can also be used, such as educating the public about traffic rules and regulations. Some other alternatives would be installing speed bumps on roads where speeding is a risk, equipping airbags in all vehicles, and using appropriate audiovisual aids to spread awareness about road traffic accidents, which elaborates the importance of wearing a seatbelt. The installation of signs to give fair warning to the driver, such as speed limit, stop sign, and give way sign, can also be effective. For example, statistics have shown that in the USA, the installation of speed bumps has reduced the number of accidents by 36%. Thus, all these measures play a significant role in preventing accidents.
To conclude, I opine that implementing both measures is an effective way to improve road safety, as it would instill the consequences of following the traffic rules as well as keep them informed and updated about the rules.