Thais not yet in the habit of driving safely

[Airbagwill]

38 minutes ago, ZeVonderBearz said:

I'm not interested in people wearing helmets, it's their life and they know the potential dangers, let them do as they wish. I do have a problem with people riding with their children on the back of their bike without a helmet, this is where the law should step in and fine the parents. Also the parents who buy their wee ones bikes to ride around should also be fined. I genuinely don't think most Thais see any issues with the way they or those around them drive. 

"'I'm not interested in people wearing helmets, it's their life and they know the potential dangers, let them do as they wish. "

 

This moment is typical of the lack of understanding of road safety demonstrated on this and other threads.

Motorcyclists represent 73% of the deaths every year in Thailand

To suggest that when deciding whether or not to wear a crash helmet "they can do as they wish" is facile in the extreme. Road deaths cost this country trillions of dollars every year.

Victims who die or are injured, not only run up bills fir hospitals and insurance that are passed on to the public but leave dependants without a provider, they may require support for the rest of their lives.....1000s of working hours and incomes are lost every year.

They leave children behind and other family. The costs get reflected in others insurance premiums and even in changes to the national demographics....to look at this as up to the individual is myopic in the extreme.

It's not just their life and the authorities have a duty if care that without proper road safety policies they are failing to achieve.

[Airbagwill]

No one anywhere in the world is "in the habit of driving safely"

 

It is the job of health and safety to protect people from their own, inevitable, stupidity.

The funny thing is... And it's obvious when you think about it..... That effective safety measures end up leaving the people thinking it is they themselves that are the "safe drivers", when in reality they aren't at all, it is the successful application of the 5 Es that gas achieved this.

 

It's quite clear just looking at the official announcement and most of the posts here that few people actually have a real appreciation of the basics of road safety... So how can one possibly expect things to change when it is patently clear they don't know what to change.

[lvr181]

7 hours ago, ZeVonderBearz said:

I'm not interested in people wearing helmets, it's their life and they know the potential dangers, let them do as they wish. I do have a problem with people riding with their children on the back of their bike without a helmet, this is where the law should step in and fine the parents. Also the parents who buy their wee ones bikes to ride around should also be fined. I genuinely don't think most Thais see any issues with the way they or those around them drive. 

"I do have a problem with people riding with their children on the back of their bike without a helmet, this is where the law should step in.." Did I read correctly that you are 'not interested in people wearing helmets, its their life and they know the potential dangers, let them do as they wish.'? Following along your line of thought, its their life, its their children and they know the potential dangers?

 

And I agree that the children should be wearing helmets THE SAME AS THE ADULTS!

Children learn from adults. Hospital beds do not need to be taken up with people who do not make an effort to stay out of them otherwise it is to the detriment of those who need the hospital beds and resources for many illnesses, apart from the huge financial drain on resources that could be better used elsewhere e.g. education.