Crash helmets seen as key to cutting Songkran road toll

By The Nation

 

File photo

 

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is trying to encourage the use of crash helmets as a way to reduce Songkran road casualties.

 

Motorcycle drivers and pillion passengers account for the biggest number of road-accident victims, particularly during long holidays when millions of people hit the roads.

 

Bangkok was selected by Bloomberg Philanthropies to join its Initiative for Global Road Safety (BIGRS) for five years starting in 2015 and has implemented a safety initiative under this programme. 

 

Ahead of Songkran, BMA has sought collaboration with various organisations under the theme “Driving carefully, be aware of traffic law”. 

 

Deputy Bangkok Governor Pol General Chinatat Meesukh said: “According to road crashes statistics from the Songkran festival last year, the main causes of road deaths were from driver behaviours that do not follow traffic rules – namely excessive speed driving, not wearing a helmet, and drunk driving. Motorcycles are the vehicles that have the highest report of road crashes and deaths.” 

 

According to the “Thailand Motorcycle Helmet Use Report 2016” by the ThaiRoads Foundation, the national helmet-wearing rate is 43 per cent. In Bangkok, it is 75 per cent.

 

Meanwhile, according to Royal Thai Police statistics, in 2016 there were 10,924 road traffic accidents caused by motorcycles in Bangkok – equal to 25 per cent of all motorcycle users in the capital.

 

The majority of road traffic fatalities are people aged 15-29. Traffic accidents are more likely to happen to of young drivers without driving licences.

 

The BMA’s traffic and transportation department said it plans to promote helmet-wearing to youngsters in vocational schools, who are likely to be motorcycle fans and use them as their main vehicle. A pilot project in the “100 per cent helmet” campaign will be implemented in six selected vocational schools in Bangkok.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30342460

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-4-4

brilliant second paragraph,,  quote *when millions hit the roads*  never a truer word.

doubt it will make a scrap of difference, most are  no better than a paper bag anyway.

thats if theyre even fastened

12 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

“According to road crashes statistics from the Songkran festival last year, the main causes of road deaths were from driver behaviours that do not follow traffic rules – namely excessive speed driving, not wearing a helmet, and drunk driving

Can be replaced with "<deleted> driving skills"

15 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is trying to encourage the use of crash helmets as a way to reduce Songkran road casualties.

Quite simply, as most of this forum seem to agree, the police need to get out there with their new short haircuts and enforce the damned traffic regulations already in existence.  It isn't a difficult concept!

The key word here is enforcement.....!!

As demonstrated here by an outstanding member of The Royal Thai Police....

No helmet 

No plate

No problem

According to the “Thailand Motorcycle Helmet Use Report 2016” by the ThaiRoads Foundation, the national helmet-wearing rate is 43 per cent. In Bangkok, it is 75 per cent.

Never ever

Credit where credit is due probably the most sensible thing I have ever heard from thai authorities. Well done .

Everywhere i go in Pattaya i see those giant water pistols for sale, kinda prepares you for what's coming

 

 

Gov Po Gen.  China Meerkat  should be given a gong , slap on the back or gold watch for realising that most accidents are caused by motosai riders who get pi$$ed and crash while not wearing a crash hat , who would of thought it.

Just lock up all thai men during Songkran for safety measures. problem solved

Just now, RichardColeman said:

Just lock up all thai men during Songkran for safety measures. problem solved

Perhaps the skinhead hooligans as well?

17 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is trying to encourage the use of crash helmets as a way to reduce Songkran road casualties.

 

The BMA is trying to do the job of the police, ie enforce the existing law...

Encouraging people to follow the law :) While we are at it, it's illegal to travel in the back of pick-ups but if you sit down and don't get drunk, we'll let it go !!!

A pro-active police force would make a difference.  Hundreds of thousands of overtime will be paid to enable police to stare at their phones.  A fraction of this money spent on motor bike patrols pulling in miscreants would mean a huge drop in casualty figures for years to come.

1st time not wearing a helmet -》1000 baht fine. 

 

2nd time 3000 baht

3rd time 10000 baht

 

Give it a couple of months with strict enforcing and the rate is 100% for wearing their helmets. 

 

It's a win win! The bib get a lot of money for a couple of months and after a couple of months the death rate will go down!

 

Apply the same concept to other traffic violations and you can drastically reduce the deaths in traffic. 

16 hours ago, JOC said:

The key word here is enforcement.....!!

As demonstrated here by an outstanding member of The Royal Thai Police....

No helmet 

No plate

No problem

And he even modified his rear tire to go faster, who cares about making an emergency stop?!

Crash helmets seen as key to cutting Songkran road toll

 

For the rest of the year, though...aaaaaah...mai bpen rai!

Seriously: you could not make this $4!t up, if you tried reeeeeeally hard!

17 hours ago, starky said:

Credit where credit is due probably the most sensible thing I have ever heard from thai authorities. Well done .

Has there been any other sensible things from Thai Authorities? 

38 minutes ago, Cheops said:

1st time not wearing a helmet -》1000 baht fine. 

 

2nd time 3000 baht

3rd time 10000 baht

 

Give it a couple of months with strict enforcing and the rate is 100% for wearing their helmets. 

 

It's a win win! The bib get a lot of money for a couple of months and after a couple of months the death rate will go down!

 

Apply the same concept to other traffic violations and you can drastically reduce the deaths in traffic. 

Sorry but that is BS. Vietnam a couple of years ago tried to solve that problems with fines as well. Result: ZERO. But they came up with an excellent idea. There was a deadline given. After that specific day they would seize the bikes.....: Problem solved!

1 hour ago, RichardColeman said:

Just lock up all thai men during Songkran for safety measures. problem solved

Just the Thai men?

1 hour ago, HLover said:

Perhaps the skinhead hooligans as well?

What about the fat, ugly, tattooed ones?

The key issue here as the statistic shows is that in Bangkok 25% of people have no regard for the law, outside of Bangkok 57% of people have no regard for the law, it would appear there is very little effort made to address this. 

 

Additionally, while increasing the use of helmets in an attempt to reduce deaths, nothing is mentioned of reducing accidents, the root cause of the deaths, the underlying cause again is likely to be a failure to follow the law.

 

As reported traffic accidents are more likely to involve the young without a licence. The young have grown up with a total disregard for the law.

 

 

8 minutes ago, sawadee1947 said:

Sorry but that is BS. Vietnam a couple of years ago tried to solve that problems with fines as well. Result: ZERO. But they came up with an excellent idea. There was a deadline given. After that specific day they would seize the bikes.....: Problem solved!

"After that specific day they would seize the bikes.  Problem solved".   Yippeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Edited April 5, 20188 yr by possum1931

51 minutes ago, Cheops said:

1st time not wearing a helmet -》1000 baht fine. 

 

2nd time 3000 baht

3rd time 10000 baht

 

Give it a couple of months with strict enforcing and the rate is 100% for wearing their helmets. 

 

It's a win win! The bib get a lot of money for a couple of months and after a couple of months the death rate will go down!

 

Apply the same concept to other traffic violations and you can drastically reduce the deaths in traffic. 

Would you not need a functioning Police force to enforce the rules?

Once you have 100% observation of this law, where will the "tea money" come from?

Your not expecting them to actually do their jobs are you? 

18 hours ago, JOC said:

The key word here is enforcement.....!!

As demonstrated here by an outstanding member of The Royal Thai Police....

No helmet 

No plate

No problem

Wouldnt it be great to stop him and write him a ticket in farang language then post it  up on farcebook hahhaha

A post containing a disallowed reference to the current government has been removed, the reply was removed as well.

41 minutes ago, sawadee1947 said:

Sorry but that is BS. Vietnam a couple of years ago tried to solve that problems with fines as well. Result: ZERO. But they came up with an excellent idea. There was a deadline given. After that specific day they would seize the bikes.....: Problem solved!

It's certainly not bs, but the key is in enforcement! I don't know the details of Vietnam, but hurting people in their wallet is always effective if done correctly. 

6 minutes ago, Cheops said:

It's certainly not bs, but the key is in enforcement! I don't know the details of Vietnam, but hurting people in their wallet is always effective if done correctly. 

again: BS.....If those helmet-less can't pay....for what you need enforcement....?

Maybe you are thinking of beheading...??????

38 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

The key issue here as the statistic shows is that in Bangkok 25% of people have no regard for the law, outside of Bangkok 57% of people have no regard for the law, it would appear there is very little effort made to address this. 

 

Additionally, while increasing the use of helmets in an attempt to reduce deaths, nothing is mentioned of reducing accidents, the root cause of the deaths, the underlying cause again is likely to be a failure to follow the law.

 

As reported traffic accidents are more likely to involve the young without a licence. The young have grown up with a total disregard for the law.

 

 

Besides above, one of the key issues is that most Thai people disregard safety. Ask a Thai why he should wear a helmet or safety belt. Less than 10% would answer it's for safety reasons. If people disregard safety in a land where the law is not strictly enforced, nothing will change.

 

Starting to strictly enforce the traffic laws with heavy fines will be start. But it also must be done with education starting in kindergarten!

1 minute ago, sawadee1947 said:

again: BS.....If those helmet-less can't pay....for what you need enforcement....?

Maybe you are thinking of beheading...??????

 If they can't pay, seize their motorcycle.