Speed/Alcohol/Helmets - Chiang Mai authorities aim for less accidents at New Year

[rooster59]

Speed/Alcohol/Helmets - Chiang Mai authorities aim for less accidents at New Year

 

Image: Chiang Mai News

 

Chiang Mai News reported that the authorities in the northern Thai city were concentrating their attention on three areas to try and limit the annual New Year carnage on the roads.

 

They intend to target drink driving, speedsters and motorcyclists without helmets. 

 

The days of 28th and 29th December have also been targeted as potentially the most lethal. 

 

Accident statistics in Chiang Mai showed that last year 46% involved DUI, 15% speeding and 83% involved motorbikes. 

 

Local residents accounted for 65% of deaths and injuries. 

 

So far this year 273 people have died in the province with 15,890 injured. 

 

San Sai is the worst district for accidents. 

 

Source: Chiang Mai News

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2018-12-15

[worgeordie]

They have said this every year,BUT the carnage just continues

to increase,more vehicles,more DUI, and no improvement in

driving skills or enforcement,and they are hoping things will improve !

 

regards Worgeordie

[Dmaxdan]

18 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

They intend to target drink driving, speedsters and motorcyclists without helmets. 

Well who do they normally target then?

 

Its a shame, but this is a battle the authorities are never going to win. 

[Thaiwrath]

16 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

They intend to target drink driving, speedsters and motorcyclists without helmets. 

 

It is ok to target these type of offenders, but until punishments meted out act as deterrents, e.g. confiscation of vehicle, hefty fines that will actually hit the pocket, and driving/riding bans, all this will be just another waste of time, and financial gain for the officers.

[Ossy]

24 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

Chiang Mai authorities aim for less accidents at New Year

A plausible AIM, indeed. Let's wait for the stats before we start celebrating.

[marko kok prong]

It is going to be hell this year as new year's day falls on a tuesday they will be cranking up the speakers friday arvo for FIVE days of partying,lord have mercy.

[from the home of CC]

3 months in jail for 1st offence dui would be a start.

[overherebc]

Has the word 'less' officially taken over from the word 'fewer' nowadays?

Just askin!!

[mok199]

Aim high ,shoot low....and always ''wait for the cameras to arrive''....Thailand where nothing gets done without a photo opp..

[Vacuum]

6 hours ago, rooster59 said:

limit the annual New Year carnage on the roads

This "carnage" happens every day of the year, what's so special about New Year?

[lee68]

The locals have no fear of the police, my 2 neighbours drink and drive every day, they would both be lost without there licences as they need cars for work.

I was at a party at a thai freinds house last night , i drove there and only drank soda, all the thais were telling me to drink its no problem, i told them its not good drinking and driving, they had a designated driver there to take people home,and she had 7 glasses of wine, thats the reason i drove there as she wanted to pick me up, i said i would drive myself, no way id get in a car with a drunk thai!.

 

[Cadbury]

Apart from the 273 dead the tally of nearly 16,000 injured is an amazing achievement. Congratulations Chiang Mai. Good to see you are keeping up your end in the effort in making sure Thailand is up there at the top of the leader board.

Edited December 15, 2018 by Cadbury

[garzhe]

21 hours ago, worgeordie said:

They have said this every year,BUT the carnage just continues

to increase,more vehicles,more DUI, and no improvement in

driving skills or enforcement,and they are hoping things will improve !

 

regards Worgeordie

Accident statistics in Chiang Mai showed that last year 46% involved DUI, 15% speeding and 83% involved motorbikes. 

 

Whilst half the motorcycle riders don’t have licences and those that do took a driving test that required little more expertise than staying upright for a few meters nothing will change.

[Odysseus123]

21 hours ago, Ossy said:

A plausible AIM, indeed. Let's wait for the stats before we start celebrating.

I can supply the stats right now.

 

According to CM authorities;

 

1.There was a 30% drop in fatalities over the festive season

2.There was an overall increase in tourist numbers of 87%

3.112% of Chinese were reported to be very happy with their boat excursions.

 

So start celebrating now.????

[quandow]

I'm aiming at losing 20 kilo between now and 7 Jan. Let's see who gets there first.

[AhFarangJa]

13 hours ago, lee68 said:

The locals have no fear of the police, my 2 neighbours drink and drive every day, they would both be lost without there licences as they need cars for work.

I was at a party at a thai freinds house last night , i drove there and only drank soda, all the thais were telling me to drink its no problem, i told them its not good drinking and driving, they had a designated driver there to take people home,and she had 7 glasses of wine, thats the reason i drove there as she wanted to pick me up, i said i would drive myself, no way id get in a car with a drunk thai!.

 

I think twice about getting in a car with a SOBER Thai !!!!!

[FolkGuitar]

Want to cut down on the accidents? Then stop playing games with road blocks and get out on the road and make moving violation stops. Stop the speeders. Stop the illegal lane changes and illegal turns. Stop the '3&4 lanes' of tuk-tuks and motorbikes on two-lane roads. Get out there where the accidents are happening and stop them BEFORE they happen.  If motorbike riders don't have a helmet, take away the bike. Don't let them ride away.

 

Unfortunately  (have you noticed... most of the replies in this thread begin with 'unfortunately...') this won't be done. It's far more lucrative to have 4-5 road blocks around the moat, manned by 10-15 police, rather than have them out on the roads making stops. It's also far safer for them.

[ChipButty]

We all agree that law enforcement or lack of it is the problem and they all know that and farang are as bad we have some clown recently bombing up and down the road on a powerful bike, no helmet I saw him the other day No Hands

[ChipButty]

1 hour ago, AhFarangJa said:

I think twice about getting in a car with a SOBER Thai !!!!!

Let alone a poo ying driving under the influence 

[Sparkles]

Folk Guitar Couldnt agree more .How many times do you see police on the road patrolling,never.

On a trip to Petchabun and back we didnt see one  but we did see red lights being ignored,illegal u turns ,people coming towards us on our side of the road.Peope riding bikes chatting on phones,on it goes. We stay home during holiday times and practice defensive driving every day.Treat everyone else on the road as a potential killer and you should survive

Edited December 16, 2018 by Sparkles

[Prairieboy]

Policing is a 365 day per year job not a few days here and there - deterrent penalties may mitigate the carnage.

 

[bkk6060]

On ‎12‎/‎16‎/‎2018 at 10:44 AM, FolkGuitar said:

Want to cut down on the accidents? Then stop playing games with road blocks and get out on the road and make moving violation stops. Stop the speeders. Stop the illegal lane changes and illegal turns. Stop the '3&4 lanes' of tuk-tuks and motorbikes on two-lane roads. Get out there where the accidents are happening and stop them BEFORE they happen.  If motorbike riders don't have a helmet, take away the bike. Don't let them ride away.

 

Unfortunately  (have you noticed... most of the replies in this thread begin with 'unfortunately...') this won't be done. It's far more lucrative to have 4-5 road blocks around the moat, manned by 10-15 police, rather than have them out on the roads making stops. It's also far safer for them.

Well, I will add to it for you.

Unfortunately, you have no clue what you are talking about or the cause of accidents and how traffic enforcement actually works.

It is so easy to just always blame all this on the cops which is a common theme here.

It is such a small piece of it as road engineering, cell phones and mostly education are the primary factors here.  Cops are not driving the cars as people are making the wrong decisions and using bad judgement.

Take the bikes away from people?? What does that have to do with anything not having a helmet actually should be a personal choice. Why not close the bars and have no cigarette sales if you want to save lives.

No helmet can cause personal injury but has nothing to do with the cause of an accident in fact I would argue from personal experience some of the helmets hinder the riders ability to see and peripheral vision.

Just to add I have some past experience working in a major western city.  The cops did mostly none of what you suggest as they were constantly writing tickets at "speed traps" and "sign trap" locations as it was easy tickets and easy revenue.  The fantasy of cruising around looking for moving violations is just that mostly a waste of time.

So, think what you want but blaming all the accidents on the cops any where is pure nonsense.

 

 

Edited December 18, 2018 by bkk6060

[FolkGuitar]

1 hour ago, bkk6060 said:

Well, I will add to it for you.

Unfortunately, you have no clue what you are talking about or the cause of accidents and how traffic enforcement actually works.

 

 

Then why don't you tell us?  And please...  something besides anecdotal episodes. They get so tedious. Tell us why western cities that have moving patrols ticketing speeders, illegal lane changes, and unsafe drivers have a lower accident rate than Thailand. Thailand's roads are certainly in better condition than most of the US roads. You are correct to say that helmet stops won't solve the problem. But getting unsafe drivers off the roads will.