Road fatalities halved when alcohol banned on major Buddhist holidays, safety centre finds

By The Nation

 

 

A ban on the sale of alcoholic drinks on Asarnha Bucha day and the first day of Buddhist Lent reduced road fatalities on those days by roughly a half.
 

Dr Thanapong Jiwong, manager of the Road Safety Academic Centre, said on Monday that road accidents normally caused 40 deaths a day in the Kingdom.

 

“But, with the alcohol ban in effect on Asarnha Bucha and Buddhist Lent days in 2017, the number of road fatalities reduced to 21 per day only,” he said. 

 

There was also a clear reduction in road-accident victims admitted to hospital with severe injuries during the three-month-long Buddhist Lent period two years ago, Thanapong said. 

 

“The number of admitted victims reduced by between 10 and 15 per cent during the period,” he added. 

 

Many Buddhists abstain from alcohol during the period out of religious belief. 

 

“Severe injuries remain five in every 100 victims. So, when the number of admitted victims reduces, it means many people have avoided becoming physically disabled,” he pointed out. 

 

Lately, a proposal has emerged that authorities should ban alcoholic beverages on April 13, too. 

 

However, the road-safety centre manager said he was not sure whether such a ban would work, as April 13 was part of the Songkran Festival during which so many revellers enjoy drinking liquor or beer that they had stocked up on or bought beforehand.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30364367

 

 -- © Copyright The Nation 2019-02-19

4 minutes ago, webfact said:

A ban on the sale of alcoholic drinks on Asarnha Bucha day and the first day of Buddhist Lent reduced road fatalities on those days by roughly a half.

How does he know that?

Studies showed that a ban on road vehicles reduced fatalities by up to 90%.
However, some somchais were still admitted to hospital for tripping over their own feet.


Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect

8 minutes ago, webfact said:

However, the road-safety centre manager said he was not sure whether such a ban would work, as April 13 was part of the Songkran Festival during which so many revellers enjoy drinking liquor or beer that they had stocked up on or bought beforehand.

This is a sober guy????

More nonsense from the experts, this one claiming 40 deaths per day when other figures indicate far in excess of this number. 

 

Alchohol is definitely a contributing factor in way too many accidents here, though to my mind, it keeps coming back to the fact that a significant number of Thai people simply have no idea of how to drive properly, even when they are sober.

11 minutes ago, darksidedog said:

Alchohol is definitely a contributing factor in way too many accidents here, though to my mind, it keeps coming back to the fact that a significant number of Thai people simply have no idea of how to drive properly, even when they are sober.

In my mind it comes back as far too little enforcement against drunk driving. They do seem to check more during "dangerous" days but it should be ongoing and fines should be even higher and cops checked for taking backhanders to get people off.

 

Only then people are going to learn, I am quite open minded about all drugs alcohol included but that stops when people start driving under the influence and risking innocent people.

Expert claim 40 deaths per day - more like 70 deaths per day, not counting people dying in ambulance/hospital after "accidents"

"A ban on the sale of alcoholic drinks on Asarnha Bucha day and the first day of Buddhist Lent reduced road fatalities on those days by roughly a half."

 

This is not a cause and effect relationship. More than likely, as with every other holiday in which the sale of alcohol is banned, people stock up on alcohol on the days preceding the holiday. With all this alcohol on hand, people drink so much, that they are too drunk to walk, let alone drive.

 

However, the most likely reason for this statistic, is that they are just plain lying, as they do whenever they want to look like they are doing something useful. 

What the roads are lacking is courtesy and common sense. Those of us who learnt to drive at home understand that traffic flows faster and safer when people have courtesy towards other motorists, rather than pushing in and blocking other traffic, as well as to look at everything going on around you, right in front, 50m, 100m down the road too, plus the side roads. Locals don't do this when they haven't been drinking, so no surprise that accidents double when they do have a drink.

25 minutes ago, webfact said:

Dr Thanapong Jiwong ........ said on Monday that road accidents normally caused 40 deaths a day in the Kingdom.

 

“But, with the alcohol ban in effect on Asarnha Bucha and Buddhist Lent days in 2017, the number of road fatalities reduced to 21 per day only,” he said. 

A far cry from a peer-reviewed scientific study.

 

Here's an idea: how about a harsh penalty for drunk driving that is actually enforced (i.e. mandatory jail time and/or impound vehicle for set amount of time).  That way, they punish only those who put other people's lives at risk by driving drunk rather than punishing everyone who wants to enjoy a beer on a holiday.

Like all Thai 'statistics' these details can't be trusted as they love to make up any story that will help things look better than they actually are.  Why else would they only count bodies that die at the scene of accidents instead of the real numbers including those that die as a result of injuries later ?

 

They know the real way to stop drink/driving and needless deaths; get the Police to do their job properly and enforce existing laws but nobody has the guts to sort out the idle Police who are merely a money collection agency !

How much would a ban on holidays reduce accidents?

LOL. In smaller centers a tonne of bars will still be open due to paying off the local cops to be able to do so. Likewise with the small stores who will just sell alcohol anyway

1 minute ago, ThreeEyedRaven said:

What the roads are lacking is courtesy and common sense. 

It is said that the measure of a modern & civilised society is in its road use... 

 

It could be argued that this is somewhat of a sweeping generalisation and a bit of a Thai-bash... well it is, but not an unwarranted one. 

 

Improvement would make living in this lovely place that much more enjoyable... 

 

Its heartbraking to see so many Thai’s unnecessarily succumbing to a nationwide cultural failure to adopt a little curtesy and common sense... 

I remember all the statistics of "special enforcement" days to net a lot of impounds and arrests, but death tolls remaining on same average for years on end. ????

Another way is to register for a breath check at the start of your journey have a breath test, get to your destination have another breath test , pick up your free alcohol  go home and enjoy the holiday , 

then on return journey do the same have a breath test and same at arrival point receive a fuel voucher for x amount, 

 

This has to cost the county less , in all facets 

Self delusion!  Justifying his position/salary.  If Somchai is not working, he's drinking.

26 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

It is said that the measure of a modern & civilised society is in its road use... 

 

 It could be argued that this is somewhat of a sweeping generalisation and a bit of a Thai-bash... well it is, but not an unwarranted one. 

  

Improvement would make living in this lovely place that much more enjoyable... 

 

Its heartbraking to see so many Thai’s unnecessarily succumbing to a nationwide cultural failure to adopt a little curtesy and common sense... 

While I'm generally anti Thai bashing just for the sake of it, it is certainly hard to disagree with your post. 

 

Although interestingly, I read somewhere a while back that around 60 - 70% of road fatalities are people on motos without helmets, which would indicate it's far more a common sense thing that a courtesy thing? As I totter along at 60kmh on my scooter, I get cold shivers seeing young Thai males (and occasionally females) belting down the road at 110kmh with no helmet on, weaving in and out of traffic. 

23 minutes ago, leeneeds said:

Another way is to register for a breath check at the start of your journey have a breath test, get to your destination have another breath test , pick up your free alcohol  go home and enjoy the holiday , 

 then on return journey do the same have a breath test and same at arrival point receive a fuel voucher for x amount, 

 

This has to cost the county less , in all facets 

I read somewhere that the average road fatality in New Zealand costs around $5 million NZD (120 million baht) in social harm through a variety of things like lost productivity, loss of future earnings, tax etc, so you're probably not wrong there

A perfect example of how laughable and ineffective the alcohol "ban" is, when a well established restaurant can advertise like this on Facebook...



 

I seriously  doubt it makes ANY  difference at all...............they just have no idea  how to drive, what road  markings  mean and even OPENING their eyes, in short many are total cretins who should NOT be allowed  behind anything except a  buffalo, and even then with supervision

4 hours ago, Vacuum said:

How much would a ban on holidays reduce accidents?

They could cut out the middle man and just ban accidents

5 hours ago, RotBenz8888 said:

How does he know that?

...because he is an educated expert with certificates as a Bachelor of BBQ, Body Lotion, and Body Count.

Asians don’t know how to navigate on foot and haven’t figured out escalator etiquette, literally zero concept or awareness of other people.

 

50% less traffic on the road, is the logical reason for a 50% reduction in road traffic accidents.

 

Not brain surgery is it. <deleted>!

 

 

Wait for it........ I have a feeling this is not going to end well for those among us who understand responsibility. 

5 hours ago, robblok said:

In my mind it comes back as far too little enforcement against drunk driving. They do seem to check more during "dangerous" days but it should be ongoing and fines should be even higher and cops checked for taking backhanders to get people off.

 

Only then people are going to learn, I am quite open minded about all drugs alcohol included but that stops when people start driving under the influence and risking innocent people.

One would imagine that your heroes, with their absolute power AND article 44 at their disposal would be able to do something about this. They won't of course, it'd require money and effort. But I guess you'll still be impressed by them getting rid of a few beach umbrellas and bringing in draconian visa rules for law abiding foreigners.

 

There's none so blind as those that will not see.

5 hours ago, RotBenz8888 said:

How does he know that?

Agreed only first half of the day gone only desperates drink before midday , watch the drinkers tonight behave.

4 minutes ago, jesimps said:

One would imagine that your heroes, with their absolute power AND article 44 at their disposal would be able to do something about this. They won't of course, it'd require money and effort. But I guess you'll still be impressed by them getting rid of a few beach umbrellas and bringing in draconian visa rules for law abiding foreigners.

 

There's none so blind as those that will not see.

Oh god making something political that has nothing to do with politics. Go play little boy let the adults have a discussion. Your going OT so far its just not funny anymore. 

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Road fatalities halved when alcohol banned on major Buddhist holidays, safety centre finds

They couldn't find their own backsides with both hands..........