Some suggest that the optimal way of tackling unrelenting
traffic
and
pollution
issues
is higher gas
prices
.
Although
this
measure
can curb these
issues
to some extent, I do not agree that it is the most effective one.
Instead
, less controversial options
such
as raising public awareness and popularizing less polluting modes of
transportation
should be explored.
Contrary to popular belief, raising the
petrol
price is not a panacea for
traffic
-related
problems
.
This
is because
this
measure
has a considerable economic cost to both individual consumers and the government. Expensive
petrol
prices
create a financial burden for commuters, escalating their daily commute fee,
as well as
drivers whose livelihood is directly correlated to gas
prices
. As
such
,
this
development would most likely drive many people into a financial predicament, causing public disapproval and outrage.
This
was clearly the case when gas
prices
ballooned in the US
due to
the country’s new energy policies. The government is at a disadvantage too from
this
change. The ensuing fall in demand in the
transportation
sector would hamper the economy, creating unemployment and economic setbacks.
In other words
,
this
measure
would set nations on the path to financial hardships and economic decline at a minimal advantage to the environment.
Rather than up the price of
petrol
and create a whole new range of
problems
, I recommend that nations consider other viable ways of addressing
issues
pertaining to
traffic
. One
such
measure
would be educating the public on the implications of growing
transportation
use. To accomplish
this
, people should be shown social media posts and videos – the most frequently visited content online – depicting the environmental
issues
occurring
as a result
of vehicle emissions,
such
as air
pollution
and global warming. They should
also
be informed about ways in which
traffic
problems
like gridlocks and road rage can stunt their productivity and quality of life. Having been alerted to these
problems
, people feel naturally compelled to cut down on their transport use. Hailed as the future of
transportation
, electric vehicles can
also
play a part in the fight against
traffic
issues
. Running on electricity,
this
type of vehicle can help ease our dependence on fossil
fuelFix the agreement mistake
show examples
, alleviating
pollution
and global warming.
Besides
, because the new generation of electric cars will be self-steering, fewer
traffic
problems
caused by human error can be expected.
In conclusion, increasing the price of
petrol
might seem the way to go to solve
traffic
problems
and
pollution
at a glance, but
this
solution has hidden economic costs, which are too consequential to be dismissed. The more practical measures would be raising public awareness of
traffic
-induced
problems
and accelerating the shift to electric vehicles.