Drunk driving ‘biggest cause for road accidents’ this Songkran

By The Nation

 

 

Songkran’s “Seven Dangerous Days” saw the number of drunk driving soar to 12,192, with Bangkok having the highest number of inebriated drivers at 727, Probation Department chief Prasarn Mahaleetrakul said on Thursday.

 

According to the Road Safety Operations Centre (RSOC), 386 people have died and 3,442 others wounded from 3,338 road accidents during the April 11 to 17 period. These numbers show a slight decrease from last year’s Songkran period, RSOC said. 

 

Meanwhile, Prasarn said drunk driving accounted for 97 per cent of the 12,597 traffic law violations during the period, while 386 were cases of driving under the influence of drugs and 19 were related to reckless driving. 

 

The offenders are also barred from going out from 10pm to 4am for seven to 15 days, must report to the Probation Department four times during the one-year period that they were put on probation and serve 24 hours of social service.

 

The offenders are also barred from going out from 10pm to 4am for seven to 15 days, must report to the Probation Department four times during the period and serve 24 hours of social service. 

 

He said his agency also screened the violators to see if they are at the risk of becoming alcoholics, and those most at risk have been sent for rehabilitation programs at state hospitals. These offenders will also provide social service in related environments, such as taking care of victims of drunk driving or serving as volunteers at checkpoints. 

 

At an RSOC press conference, Deputy Interior Minister Sutee Makboon also announced the figures of deaths, injuries and accidents during the Songkran period. 

 

The provinces of Chiang Mai and Nakhon Si Thammarat had the highest number of accidents at 128 each, while Lop Buri and Udon Thani shared the top spot for deaths with 15 each and Nakhon Si Thammarat had the most injuries at 136, he said. 

 

The most frequently cited causes were drunk driving at 36.61 per cent and speeding at 28.31 per cent. Of the accidents, 80 per cent involved motorcycles, and 66.15 per cent took place on straight roads, while 29.09 per cent took place between 4pm and 8pm, he added. 

 

On Wednesday alone, the last day of the so-called “Seven Dangerous Days”, there were 273 crashes claiming 30 lives and injuring 277 others, Sutee said. That day, 65,454 officials and volunteers manning 2,039 checkpoints charged 210,883 motorists and motorcyclists with traffic violations – mostly for riding motorbikes without a helmet (55,805 incidents) and failing to present a driver’s licences (48,183). 

 

Hence, Sutee has ordered related agencies to enforce law more strictly to discourage risky behaviour such as speeding and drunk driving as well as to analyse the data collected during this Songkran period to boost road safety in the long term. 

 

Meanwhile, the National Council for Peace and Order said that the Army, police and administration officials have confiscated 7,200 vehicles from inebriated drivers during Songkran.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30367902

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2019-04-18

What a surprise. I'm by no means complacent, it was a big problem in my youth, luckily, my brother, who was driving, had a willpower of steel, that could overcome his inebriated state. Me, not so good, one of the best things that happened to me in Thailand was physically losing my driving licence.

On other news i heard dogs were found barking over songkhran

Sent from my crappy device using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

That picture is so Thailand

Well done general! 

3 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Meanwhile, Prasarn said drunk driving accounted for 97 per cent of the 12,597 traffic law violations during the period, while 386 were cases of driving under the influence of drugs 

Crush their vehicles. 

 Learn something new everyday in LOS .  Ban booze . 

I do believe most people would agree that this report does not switch on any new lights, the main causes are well known and indeed expected; alas once again the punishment being bantered around is totally inadequate to have any impact as a deterrent therefore nothing will change.

im convinced its the consistent blinding of motorcyclists

that are behind the majority of accidents.

here im also counting on motorcyclists

trying to take evasive action and going down due to being under attack,

even if the attackers missed the eyes

Edited April 19, 20197 yr by brokenbone

Drunk driving, speeding, brake failure, brain failure, incapacity, aso...

It's like deja vu all over again.

 

Every year, these brainiacs come up with the same conclusion.

 

Just after the powers that be profess over banning alcohol before Songkran and then giving up because they don't know where too start.

 

"Bugger it, to hard. Lets just let them all kill each other".

12 hours ago, Bluespunk said:

Crush their vehicles. 

Wouldn't it be a better idea to impound & sell the vehicles & funds go toward some worthwhile charity ? Initially crushings a good idea but a bit of a waste. But hey, just my opinion.

No surprise... 

 

UP TO ME!

17 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The offenders are also barred from going out from 10pm to 4am for seven to 15 days, must report to the Probation Department four times during the one-year period that they were put on probation and serve 24 hours of social service.

So by my reckoning they can drink at home from 10pm until 4am then go out driving in the morning??? And exactly what does probation do?? These so called punishments are laughable and really get to becoming a deterrent.  

2 hours ago, malt25 said:

Wouldn't it be a better idea to impound & sell the vehicles & funds go toward some worthwhile charity ? Initially crushings a good idea but a bit of a waste. But hey, just my opinion.

Not mine but I see your point. 

19 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Drunk driving ‘biggest cause for road accidents’ this Songkran

Well that's a surprise.. same as it always has been, and as it will be every year for the foreseeable future!

Dividing the number of cops/volunteers (henchmen) into the number of offences = 3.2.  Over half the offences were the easy visible ones of helmets/licences.  I would say this achievement is not worth the massive overtime pay-out.

Had our first accident today but the bike rider who smashed into us when we were turning right (he was on the wrong side of the road) was not tested for booze as we were found to be 'guilty' of cutting him up. So they don't test anyone if they are seen to be the victims, even if they are not.

6 minutes ago, Orton Rd said:

Had our first accident today but the bike rider who smashed into us when we were turning right (he was on the wrong side of the road) was not tested for booze as we were found to be 'guilty' of cutting him up. So they don't test anyone if they are seen to be the victims, even if they are not.

You Falang, you not understand thai roads.

Neith

9 minutes ago, Liverpudlian said:

You Falang, you not understand thai roads.

Nor do some Thai cops, from the rath this week

 

Bangkok traffic police sidelined because they don’t know the road rules

 

https://thethaiger.com/news/bangkok/bangkok-traffic-police-sidelined-because-they-dont-know-the-road-rules

 

 

Edited April 19, 20197 yr by Orton Rd