Three students dead, 19 injured in nighttime smash on Lampang hill

[bander]

Another minivan accident, was it high speed who caused it this time as well?

Somebody need to teach the drivers of vans how to drive safely they seems to be a bunch of maniacs.

[Lacessit]

Sadly, more young lives lost in one of these death traps.

I don't know who trains minivan drivers. The way most of them are driven in broad daylight leads me to believe the instructors may have lead feet and zero respect for other road users.

[finnomick1]

6 hours ago, Vacuum said:

Let's say that he was doing 60-70 km/h, and looking at the state of the mini van suggests that the driver must have done some serious speeding.

You also have to take into account the truck was moving. Even if it was only doing 30kmh and the minivan 60-70kmh this would give an impact speed of 30-40kmh. Hardly enough to do this sort of damage.

[alzack]

7 hours ago, manicmike68 said:

I wonder if the truck had working tail lights. So many times I have seen these big trucks with tail lights that are not working or are so dim that you don't see them until you were right up on top of them.

"Police are investigating the cause of the accident". Simple answer THAI DRIVERS IS THE CAUSE

[Humpy]

So how many were in the van ? ' 19 and 3 dead ' ... police say 17 .... What was the seating capacity of the van ?

[0815]

7 hours ago, manicmike68 said:

I wonder if the truck had working tail lights. So many times I have seen these big trucks with tail lights that are not working or are so dim that you don't see them until you were right up on top of them.

Sorry, what did you learn about the speed to go driving in the night when you made your driver's license ?

[sambum]

7 hours ago, Vacuum said:

Let's say that he was doing 60-70 km/h, and looking at the state of the mini van suggests that the driver must have done some serious speeding.

And carrying a bit of weight with 17 (SEVENTEEN!) passengers in a minivan! Were they going for the  Guinness Book of Records?

[0815]

5 hours ago, elektrified said:

What I don't understand is why students are being transported places at 1:00 A.M. or even later? This is the 2nd or possibly 3rd serious accident I have read about in the last 2-3 weeks where students were killed or severely injured while being transported to/from school related trips in the middle of the night. It does not make any sense. Clearly it is much more dangerous to be on the roads in the middle of the night.

What I don't understand is why are 17 passengers + 1 driver in a Commuter as the max. number of seats is 15.

[Samuel Smith]

2 minutes ago, 0815 said:

What I don't understand is why are 17 passengers + 1 driver in a Commuter as the max. number of seats is 15.

Coz they squash up on the bench seats, just like me & mates did back in the UK in the 70s in family cars.

[0815]

5 hours ago, Matzzon said:

How is it possible to hit the rear of another driving truck and cause such damage?
 

I guess we are all happy and hopeful to hear the result.

Because fully loaded trucks on sections of this highway can't drive faster than 20 km/H and the van driver was speeding as usual ?
 

[Baggy]

3 hours ago, trainman34014 said:

RIP those lost.

 

Must be fair to say the Minibus was overloaded for a start, no doubt being driven at the usual lightening speed by a reckless/drunk/drugged up/ plain useless driver.  Drivers of Public Utility Vehicles here just don't seem to have any thoughts about the safety of their passengers; like did he tell everyone on board to fasten their seatbelts before setting off ?

 

You would think the amount of carnage they see on TV would make them think twice about their driving techniques, but it just doesn't seem to sink into whatever small amount of grey matter they have.

 

The family in the MG have painted an entirely different picture  !   Lol.

Another common sense alert!

[0815]

2 minutes ago, Samuel Smith said:

Coz they squash up on the bench seats, just like me & mates did back in the UK in the 70s in family cars.

Not only you.
What I wanted to say is that a "professional" van driver who carries so (too) many passengers doesn't seem to be very responsibly from the beginning of his trip.
Same as the one who organized the trip.
This wasn't a fun trip of some mates ...

[Samuel Smith]

1 minute ago, 0815 said:

Not only you.
What I wanted to say is that a "professional" van driver who carries so (too) many passengers doesn't seem to be very responsibly from the beginning of his trip.
Same as the one who organized the trip.
This wasn't a fun trip of some mates ...

"professional"?   Remove that word from the equation & it helps to understand what happens on the roads here.  People whose job it is to drive seem to be the worst candidates for the job.

[ian007]

3 killed and 19 injured... 22 people in a mini van... seems it was completely overloaded these vans normally carry 10 people

 

[SuwadeeS]

Nothing new as usual

[moe666]

Poor driver his fate has been signed sealed and delivered by the know it alls on this forum. Why not wait until you know about the driver before declaring him drunk, on drugs, or asleep. Seen it here a few times when the jump the gun boys had someone in Bangkok Remand prison before any investigation. Calm down boys

[Classic Ray]

On a recent visit to China I was impressed that nearly all large vehicles had the large rear reflective chevron plates and Long Vehicle plates as used throughout Europe, which highlight the vehicle even if the tail lights are not so bright.

Also isn't it time that vans designed for load carrying but used for transporting the most valuable cargo, our children, were banned from Thai roads?

The mealy mouthed Transport Minister caved in to pressure from the owners to delay the ban on their use and replace them with properly designed minibuses for interprovincial travel, and so 3 sets of parents are grieving and many others are seeing what life changing injuries will affect their loved ones.

 

The vans are too fast, the drivers work too long hours, and they have few safety features. Ban them now. 

[kevinmartyn]

The Thai Government needs to ensure the Safety of all passengers. The drivers of any bus should all be tested much more vigorously than others and all should be ordered to resit a stringent practical and written driving test now (Not in 20 years time!) i have seen drivers drive in excess of 140 km/hr! 

[Bangkok Barry]

4 hours ago, trainman34014 said:

You would think the amount of carnage they see on TV would make them think twice about their driving techniques, but it just doesn't seem to sink into whatever small amount of grey matter they have.

 

Not just drivers, but those who continue to sit or stand in the bed of a pickup, even though they must have heard of or read over and over again about people being thrown out and killed. Same with people, usually motorcyclists, driving at night on busy unlit roads with no lights. I'd bet all I have that not a singles family in Thailand hasn't had a friend or relative, or both, killed or seriously injured, yet still the brain-dead idiots continue as if they're invincible. It really does take a very special kind of stupid.

[eggers]

When R Police going to do what paid to do??? Law enforcement!! Why were there 17 + people in the van , similarly 17 killed in ute incident a week or so supposed to be no more than 6 passengers... Time Police get on & do job or leave!! 

PM Prayut as Police Minister needs to push Police hierarchy ensure Police do their jobs... NOW!!

[DUNROAMIN]

Can some one explain how you get 22 people into a 13 seater hi ace. Possible truck with no rear lights, normal for Thailand as police knock off work at 5pm so nobody checks. Driver asleep at the wheel or intoxicated more likely.

What a waste of lives. Nothing ever changes here. RIP.

[hotchilli]

Sounds like no-one was paying much attention... which is  normal, and so was the result !

[RJRS1301]

6 hours ago, Nowisee said:

Silver Vans of Death strike again.  

Speeding, texting or DUI.  

Plowing into the back of a slow moving vehicle requires some effort.  
Collectively speaking, all of us on here have driven millions of miles in various countries driving various types of vehicles.
Raise your hand if you've ever plowed into the back of a parked/slow moving truck at night.  
IF you did, please admit if you were speeding, texting or drunk.  

 

 

Not ever, conservative driver, learned defensive driving skills as a teenager.

We have a lethal weapon in our hands (vehicle) and the responsibility for every other driver on the road.

That being said spent 3 months on life support following and accident where I was t-boned, by a driver under the influence. Broken shattered for months, but came together reasonably well.

 

My feelings are those injured, and suffering extreme pain, months of rehabilitation to get back on top.

 

 

[snowgard]

8 hours ago, cyril sneer said:

truck probably did nothing wrong

 

have they blood tested the van driver?

Are you sure? It may be that the highway had no street lighting, the taillights of the truck did not work, the truck was dirty like a dark hole and drove only 30 km/h!!! So you can not see him at night!!!

 

I saw many such trucks driving here at night !!! But only speculation !!!

[Samuel Smith]

Just now, snowgard said:

 So you can not see him at night!!!

 

 

unless you're not paying attention & speeding.  How many minibuses drive in the lefthand lane?

[Jack P]

4 hours ago, JaiLai said:

Driving at night is fine so long as your alert, one could argue it's even safer due to much fewer vehicles on the roads...

The risk of having a fatal accident is about 3 times higher at night, probably more so in Thailand. Speeds need to be reduced and alertness increased to account for poor visibility and difficulty judging distance and speed of other vehicles. However many night drivers are less alert due to tiredness and in a hurry to get home and rest.

[Elzear]

I really wonder if lives are worth anything in this country ? Is it just karma, or buddhism, or whatever, but other than the families affected by the death of a daughter or son, I don’t believe the authorities give a truck’s <deleted> about road deaths, or any death. Reminds me of a song .. « Just another one, don’t boggart.. »

We’ll never read a report either. Keep going, there’s nothing to see. 

My sorrow to the families. 

[joloit]

5 hours ago, JaiLai said:

Driving at night is fine so long as your alert, one could argue it's even safer due to much fewer vehicles on the roads...

...it all depends on where you live, JaLai. This definitely does not apply to Phuket or the family vacation capitol, Pattaya

[Boombum]

Closing speed more like 70 MPH for that damage to occur...

and How ever could the Truck driver Not realise he’d been Smashed into !!! 

Statements always end up in Fantasy land ..,

immediate Blood test on Driver surely!!

[Samuel Smith]

2 minutes ago, Boombum said:

Closing speed more like 70 MPH for that damage to occur...

and How ever could the Truck driver Not realise he’d been Smashed into !!! 

Statements always end up in Fantasy land ..,

immediate Blood test on Driver surely!!

A ten wheel truck carrying corn was at the scene with damage to its rear. The 56 year old driver said he had been going along normally in the far left lane when he saw lights behind him then heard a loud noise as he was hit in the rear.