IELTS Writing Task 2 with sample answer.
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Some people think that strict punishments for driving offences are the keys to reducing traffic accidents. Others, however, believe that other measures would be more effective in improving road safety.
Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
Write at least 250 words.
Sample Answer 1:
Hundreds of people are killed and maimed in road accidents every week. Some people call for the stringent law for driving offences. They argue that strict punishments would be the silver bullet to this problem, while others contend that other measures would be far more effective in ameliorating road safety. To my way of thinking, alternatives should be employed in tandem with strict punishment for better result.
Many accidents take place due to lax laws. People often violate the rules as they easily rid themselves of being punished. Which is why, many people blame the laxity of law for indulging the road rage. Road rage very often leads to squabbles, indecent assaults, and collisions that cause injuries and even deaths. Thereby, many people suggest that traffic violation should be dealt seriously. For instance, the drivers who break the rules and regulation should be confined to prison temporary and their license should be suspended as well. The proponents of strict laws believe that the stringent punishment will instill responsibility or fear into the drivers, which in turn would curb the road accidents effectively.
In contrast, others think that alternative steps would be more effective in reducing road accidents. For example, they suggest that the government should increase the minimum legal age for getting driving license. In addition to this, safe driving course should be mandatory for all before getting license to drive. However, in my opinion, it is expedient to combine stern punishment with alternative so as to decrease the traffic accidents effectively and efficiently. I would like to suggest that the government should establish centres for safe drive where the government can conduct many activities, such as work shop on enhancement of skills and awareness of professional drivers and pedestrians.
Summing all of the above, it seems reasonable to assume that the traffic accidents can be reduced dramatically if the stiff punishments coupled with alternative measures are implemented.
Sample Answer 2:
Several views have opined in favor of strict punishment for driving offences while the others are after adopting road safety measures in order to reduce the road accidents. Both of the views try upholding their own thoughts with strong arguments. But the application of the both appears to be more suitable.
Often there are road accidents that take away valuable lives. This is definitely a crime and sometimes it goes unnoticed. Thereby, strict measures are required to prevent the crime and the drivers will learn lessons from the punishments, argue some people. They also believe that it is only punishment which makes the drivers bound to follow the rules and regulations to avoid traffic accidents. When any of the drivers are punished, it will be an exemplary event to the other drivers, they also believe. So, they are in favor of strict actions against the drivers.
On the other side, another school is on the argument that measures like awareness creation among the drivers and commoners over the traffic accidents and road safety is the right way to prevent the accidents. They consider that most of the accidents occur for the lack of driving awareness or pedestrian movements on the streets. Often the drivers lose control as people move on the streets carelessly. So, when all the people will be aware of road safety issues, the number of accidents will get reduced, they argue.
Both the ideas are fine but there are some troubles over implementing the ideas in everywhere. Usually awareness is required in places where people are ignorant of traffic rules and regulations. But in most of the states, the drivers are educated and careful. So, they in fact do not require the awareness. The idea could be applied on the countries where majority of the citizens are illiterate. Further, the punishment issue is also inapplicable in some states and the authorities disallow strict punishment even in the cases of serious offences (like murder). So, they will not permit stringent actions against the drivers for road safety.
But, in conclusion, it could be done that there should be a combination of punishment and other road safety measures. The drivers and pedestrians should be made aware and in case of accidents, both should be punished. When a traffic accident occurs, the negligence of both the driver and the victim is equally liable. Thereby, both of them should be made aware about the road safety issues and related punishment. The strict measure alone is unable to improve the road safety issues unless the other measures join their hands.