Minivan driver, just 18, sleeps at the wheel - many family members injured

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Minivan driver, just 18, sleeps at the wheel - many family members injured

 

Image: Daily News

 

A family who rented a minivan and two drivers ended up in the central reservation of the Petchkasem Highway yesterday.

 

One of the drivers - who is only eighteen years old - apparently fell asleep at the wheel as the seven family members traveled between Surat Thani and Sakon Nakhorn.

 

Injured and taken to Thap Sakae Hospital were two men four women and a five year old child, Daily News reported. 

 

One of the passengers - Wilaiwan Jantha - said everyone was asleep and the next thing she knew the van was smashed up after hitting a tree.

 

The group were on their way from their home in Don Sak to a family gathering. She said that she believed the young driver - one of two in the front - had fallen asleep along with everyone else. 

 

The accident happened at kilometer marker 342/ 800 in Thap Sakae sub-district of Prajuab Khirikhan. 

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2017-12-04

[nausea]

Another one, add it to the list. Minivans are death traps. Like I might do a parajump or leap between balconies, but a ride in a minivan - a step too far.

[geriatrickid]

19 minutes ago, nausea said:

Another one, add it to the list. Minivans are death traps. Like I might do a parajump or leap between balconies, but a ride in a minivan - a step too far.

This has nothing to do with the minivan. Rather, it is all about the irresponsible adults who rented a minivan and allowed a teenager to drive it.

Standard lack of common sense very typical with the bumpkin class.

[nausea]

6 minutes ago, geriatrickid said:

This has nothing to do with the minivan. Rather, it is all about the irresponsible adults who rented a minivan and allowed a teenager to drive it.

Standard lack of common sense very typical with the bumpkin class.

Which is why we, in western societies, legislate against it. The bumpkin class isn't limited by age or social status. 

[impulse]

1 hour ago, geriatrickid said:

This has nothing to do with the minivan. Rather, it is all about the irresponsible adults who rented a minivan and allowed a teenager to drive it.

Standard lack of common sense very typical with the bumpkin class.

 

From the article, it seems they rented the 2 drivers with the van.  Perhaps their only choice was to accept the drivers that the rental company sent them, or miss out on their voyage. 

 

In retrospect, they made the wrong choice, but hindsight is always 20/20.  And it's hardly down to them being in the bumpkin class.

 

[anon789561]

1 hour ago, geriatrickid said:

This has nothing to do with the minivan. Rather, it is all about the irresponsible adults who rented a minivan and allowed a teenager to drive it.

Standard lack of common sense very typical with the bumpkin class.

it is a bit to do with the van too though. look how crumpled up it is. they are bloody death traps. they should be illegal. they should get some vans that are designed to carry people not goods. btw i thought 18 was an adult

[Get Real]

just put a law that says a public, or goods transporter ain´t allowed to drive more than 4 hours atthe time, with a minimum breaktime of 2 hours. They can manage to do that in other countries, which do not have the same carnage on the roads.

[Bob12345]

1 hour ago, Get Real said:

just put a law that says a public, or goods transporter ain´t allowed to drive more than 4 hours atthe time, with a minimum breaktime of 2 hours. They can manage to do that in other countries, which do not have the same carnage on the roads.

More laws won't help as there are many laws already and barely anybody follows them.

[Moti24]

4 hours ago, geriatrickid said:

This has nothing to do with the minivan. Rather, it is all about the irresponsible adults who rented a minivan and allowed a teenager to drive it.

Standard lack of common sense very typical with the bumpkin class.

 

You're not wrong, but I've just slipped-in a minor correction:

 

"This has nothing to do with the minivan. Rather, it is all about the irresponsible adults who rented a minivan and allowed a Thai to drive it."

[BuaBS]

Jeeze , what happened to yaba & red bull to stay awake ?

[connda]

6 hours ago, geriatrickid said:

This has nothing to do with the minivan. Rather, it is all about the irresponsible adults who rented a minivan and allowed a teenager to drive it.

Standard lack of common sense very typical with the bumpkin class.

By the time I was 18 I had two years of driving experience including driving mountain roads in the winter with my friends onboard..  It's not necessarily about age.  Driving ability does seem to be somewhat absent in Thailand as a general rule. Thais who have been driving for years still don't have a clue how to safely drive.  

[wavemanwww]

11 minutes ago, connda said:

By the time I was 18 I had two years of driving experience including driving mountain roads in the winter with my friends onboard..  It's not necessarily about age.  Driving ability does seem to be somewhat absent in Thailand as a general rule. Thais who have been driving for years still don't have a clue how to safely drive.  

Stick with growing Rice..... :-). Thailand No1 in road deaths Not a good statistic because all talk and no action here!

[hotchilli]

7 hours ago, nausea said:

Another one, add it to the list. Minivans are death traps. Like I might do a parajump or leap between balconies, but a ride in a minivan - a step too far.

Mini-vans are not death traps... suicidal drivers are the problem

[gk10002000]

having a bit of trouble with MapQuest showing the route and directions, but looks like about a 30 km drive?  The driver couldn't stay awake for one hour or so?  What time of day were they driving?  Did they try a 5 AM early rise thing?

[balo]

Well , nobody died this time , I wish them a speedy recovery .

 

If I was the passenger in that minivan I would have been awake every second of the trip . 

 

 

 

[Happyman58]

15 hours ago, Get Real said:

just put a law that says a public, or goods transporter ain´t allowed to drive more than 4 hours atthe time, with a minimum breaktime of 2 hours. They can manage to do that in other countries, which do not have the same carnage on the roads.

Another law? It would be good what you say but you think Thais would abide by it and the police re-enforce it? The only laws the police like enforcing are the ones where there is easy money to be made eg Cig butts on beach, feeding fish, 

[nausea]

13 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Mini-vans are not death traps... suicidal drivers are the problem

Given that you have suicidal drivers then mini-vans are death traps; I can't choose who my driver is, I can choose whether to get in a mini-van or not; a lot of Thais don't have this luxury; part of the problem really, some Thais, the decision makers, do.

[Briggsy]

5 hours ago, gk10002000 said:

having a bit of trouble with MapQuest showing the route and directions, but looks like about a 30 km drive?  The driver couldn't stay awake for one hour or so?  What time of day were they driving?  Did they try a 5 AM early rise thing?

320 km, 4 to 5 hours.

[Stargeezr]

Third world country with third world country problems.

  That is how I am starting to view this country Thailand.

[toofarnorth]

1 hour ago, nausea said:

Given that you have suicidal drivers then mini-vans are death traps; I can't choose who my driver is, I can choose whether to get in a mini-van or not; a lot of Thais don't have this luxury; part of the problem really, some Thais, the decision makers, do.

With you there nausea , sure a minibus is safe when parked up , a mouse trap is safe 'til cheese is put in it , as someone posted above  ' I would be awake the whole journey '

I wouldn't go in a minibus nor one of those colourful big buggers , I would rather walk .

[observer90210]

One seems to have a better chance to survive with a stroll on a street in Syria or Irak, rather then taking a ride in a Thai minivan !!

 

 

[Bigfarang1948]

On ‎12‎/‎3‎/‎2017 at 11:42 PM, Happy enough said:

it is a bit to do with the van too though. look how crumpled up it is. they are bloody death traps. they should be illegal. they should get some vans that are designed to carry people not goods. btw i thought 18 was an adult

Just which van would you recommend, or anything else for that matter, that wins when hitting a tree?  All these quarterback assumptions clearly show most of us know nothing of which we condemn as death traps.  Maybe all families should rent tanks to travel in.  Would you like to see that?

[anon789561]

12 minutes ago, Bigfarang1948 said:

Just which van would you recommend, or anything else for that matter, that wins when hitting a tree?  All these quarterback assumptions clearly show most of us know nothing of which we condemn as death traps.  Maybe all families should rent tanks to travel in.  Would you like to see that?

cramming people into the back of converted good vans will see more injuries than if in a van that was designed to carry passengers in my opinion. now i'm not going scouring looking for an appropriate model but you should get my drift

[anono222]

That is what I was thinking.  Every time I have been in a transport van, I have sat next row back on his left so I can see the dash.  On more than one occasion I have taken photos in a fashion noted by the driver and asked or insisted they slow down.  Guess that is not normal, but I never did fit into that group.  If I am going to die, I am least going to protest a bit.