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Recent years have witnessed a worsening trend in road safety. According to
statistics from the local authority, the number of traffic accidents in 2004 was
20% greater than that of the previous year. The issue is gaining more and more
concern of the public, some of whom propose that stricter punishment on traffic
offenders should be the only way to ensure road safety. As far as I am
concerned, I hold that punishment should not be only solution to the
problem.
There is certainly no denying that stricter penalties may to some extent
bring down the number of accidents on motorways as a deterrent to driving
offences. Besides, the government may enjoy a greater revenue from severer
fines, which can in turn be used to improve road conditions.
However, we shall never overlook the other side of the coin: punishment has
its downsides. Fines, as the most common penalty for driving violations, tend to
instill in people the misconception that money can pay off their guilt and
resolve the problem. As a result, we can see many cases where the traffic
offender commits the same or another mistake even after having been fined a lot.
In spite of heavier punishment, road safety cannot be enhanced unless drivers
are equipped with sufficient driving skills and knowledge. Recently there have
emerged many irresponsible driving schools that have produced a host of
unqualified drivers, contributing to more traffic offences. Thus tight control
on driving schools and the driving testing system is needed as well to improve
road safety. Furthermore, advertisements and campaigns concerned should be
launched to raise the public awareness. When people are fully aware of the
importance of abiding traffic rules, accidents may hopefully be eliminated.
From the above discussion, it is clear that only stricter punishment is not
enough to enhance road safety. Instead, it should go hand in hand with closer
control on driving schools and the testing system as well as higher public
awareness. |
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发表于 2016-7-10 15:21:33