Tourists injured as van driver asleep at wheel runs red light, slams into another airport van

[stevenl]

1 hour ago, MeePeeMai said:

 

Drivers in states that don't have specific laws for "drowsy" driving (if not involved in an accident - merely pulled over for weaving or failure to maintain a lane etc) can and do get charged with reckless driving, inattention to driving, driving while impaired, unsafe lane change, crossing a center line and other statutes already on the books which cover the said offense observed by the Officer conducting the traffic stop which covers witnessed drowsy driving incidents (and those admitted to by drivers involved in fender benders with no serious injury or death). 

 

Do you think that if you commit one of the offenses I mentioned above and you are stopped or are involved in an accident that you should be given only "a warning" if you state that you are just nodding off because you are sleepy?

 

Some bills for distinct "drowsy driving" laws were not passed in certain states because this type of offense is already covered (and easier to prove) under the existing laws that I mentioned above, along with vehicular homicide, negligent homicide, vehicular manslaughter, negligent injury etc. if involved in an accident which resulted in injury or death, especially where the driver said that he was tired and fell asleep (whether looking for leniency or just being honest).

 

It also is up to the officer conducting the traffic stop to cite the driver and/or take the keys from the individual or demand that he sleep it off on the shoulder of the highway if he feels that this person should not be driving and has admitted to being tired or sleepy. 

 

It's a fact that drowsy driving is just as dangerous as drunk or impaired driving and many states are working on getting bills drafted or resubmitted to their respective legislatures for approval. In the mean time the driver can be charged as mentioned above. 

 

 

 

So they get fined for a traffic offence, not for drowsy driving as you claimed earlier.

[MeePeeMai]

11 minutes ago, stevenl said:

So they get fined for a traffic offence, not for drowsy driving as you claimed earlier.

Please refresh my memory and post a quote for me since I fail to see where I had mentioned being "fined for drowsy driving".  Thanks

[owenm]

It's commonly known that when flying, the most dangerous section of the flight is on departure and accending from the airport, or descending on approach to an airport.. 

 

But in Thailand the most dangerous  is when arriving or departing an airport on a minibus.. Too many drivers fall asleep or lose attention resulting in an accident and possible hospital admission.. Shouldn't this be safe travel but a weekly history proves otherwise.. TIT.. 

[CharlieH]

Reported post and some bickering removed.

[Road Warrior]

warning NEVER USE MINI VANS ===  THEY ALL SUICIDE DRIVERS  

[brianthainess]

18 hours ago, MeePeeMai said:

So what would you suggest for commercial driver's who work too mut, sleep too little and knowingly continue driving until they fall asleep and injure or kill innocent people on the highways? 

 

500 baht and a wai... would that make you happy?

Taco Taco Tachometers to regulate how many hours you can drive as in Europe fitted for decades to new trucks and buses but TIT. 

[AussieBob18]

18 hours ago, MeePeeMai said:

Comparing the Threats

So which is worse – driving while drunk or driving while drowsy?

The answer is a simple and scary one. Both drowsy and drunk driving are equally dangerous, and recent studies have shown that there is actually no difference between the two when it comes to the threat to public safety while on the roads. Driving while drunk or drowsy can both more than double your risk for causing an accident.

While the possibility for danger is the same with drowsiness and drunkenness, there is no test to determine if someone is too sleepy to be behind the wheel of a vehicle. This makes drowsy driving an even bigger threat in terms of going undetected by authorities and being removed from the road.

 

https://lull.com/blog/drunk-driving-vs-drowsy-driving-which-is-the-biggest-threat/

Actually, I think that drowsy driving is far worse for a Thai.

I can drive when drunk - it is a 'skill' most of us learned in the 60s - go slow and only on roads you know. But I cannot drive when I am asleep.

 

The problem for Thais is that they seem to lack that 'reflex' that jerks you awake when your brain senses sleep is an innapropriate thing to do at this time.  I think some Thais could fall asleep when falling out of a plane if they were very tired - and that might actually be the best thing to do now I think about it.