Nowadays, many people argue that severe penalties for drivers who offence is the only method to boost the overall safety on our roads. Although I agree harsher punishments act as an effective way to discourage people from committing road offenses, I believe that there are more beneficial measure to protect the welfare of road users.
Firstly, it is obvious that rigorous punishments plays an significant role in deterring those who intend to commit violations. For instance, in Vietnam, a motorist not wearing helmet can be fined with 500,000VND-1,000,000VND, and thus they will be in fear of facing further punishment and avoid committing another offense. Furthermore, more stringent penalties for traffic crimes can be a good way to reduce traffic accidents. One example is China, in last century, due to weak enforcement of traffic laws, this country witnessed a dramatic statistic in the amount of people died because of accidents. After that, by adjusting traffic laws system more firmly, there was a notable reduction in the total number of traffic accidents.
This is not to argue that the only way we can improve road safety is by enforcing more stringent regulations. It is true that there are still other effective measures to ensure people’s safety, such as raising people’s consciousness about the serious effect of traffic mishaps through social media. Another way is by promoting campaigns using public transports like buses or electric trains. To achieve the best results, the most effective method may be to combine all the aforementioned ideas.
In conclusion, it seems to me that stringent rules are not the only way to protect our welfare. Measures, including raising people’s awareness and promoting the use of public transport systems, can also contribute to maintaining overall safety.