Thailand Road Carnage: At least seven dead in early morning Korat tour bus smash - driver "fell asleep"

[9653]

6 hours ago, LomSak27 said:

Asleep?! That sounds like a classic case of brake failure.  

.. or texting ...

[Bangkok Barry]

Why does the media call these tour buses? They aren't. They are a regular bus service and have nothing at all to do with any tour..

[9653]

4 hours ago, Thailand Noobie said:

No, it's called microsleep 555

No, it’s called texting while driving 555

[PEE TEE]

Sad news again. but no surprise in the country with most dangerous roads  

[dallen52]

Some things never change..

Especially the bus drivers.

Wonder if he did a runner?

[Happyman567]

Good to see things getting back to normal. 

[Moonlover]

2 hours ago, Jimbo53 said:

Probably no requirement for buses to have seat belts installed!

Yes there is. It's been the law here for a few years now, not only to have them fitted but to wear them.

 

The last time we traveled by bus the only two people wearing belts were my wife and I!

[pixelaoffy]

Most moronic drivers in the world. Yes and I've been to other Asian countries and in Africa.  Thailand has the most careless dangerous

[dunroaming]

3 hours ago, worgeordie said:

I think all these truck & bus drivers need to be given a couple of speed pills

before setting off on the journey to keep them awake,i suspect many do anyway,

it's just those that don't that fall asleep ????.

RIP more lives lost needlessly, the roads are claiming many more lives here

than Covid 19,but nothing is really been done about it.

regards worgeordie

 

Yes it's a hard call.  Getting on a bus being driven by someone high on Ya Ba or someone who is too tired to drive. 

[Cake Monster]

I will never understand the logic behind turning off the Traffic Lights at night.

There was a similar Accident in  the Village where I live last night - Lights turned off  at 8pm

Another senseless waste of life on Thai roads.

RIP those affected, and I hope the survivors recover without any lasting problems.

[Foghorn]

Sleep , I say bs , big man syndrome, but the truck was as big and the passengers pay the price , trying to save a few seconds by not slowing down thinking the truck won’t either 

Edited September 26, 2020 by Foghorn

[impulse]

15 minutes ago, Foghorn said:

Sleep , I say bs , big man syndrome, but the truck was as big and the passengers pay the price , trying to save a few seconds by not slowing down thinking the truck won’t either 

 

According to the article in the source that can't be linked, survivors told police the driver had dozed off at the wheel at least once.  When they suggested he take a break, he declined because the 2 other buses he was traveling with scheduled a rendezvous.

 

Edited September 26, 2020 by impulse

[chang1]

31 minutes ago, marquis22 said:

They are straps that dangle on the seats. But heck no one else seems to know what they are for or if they do, they do not tighten them around their bodies, so why should I????

This is a problem, even if there are useable belts people are too cool to wear them. Anytime belts appear optional, me and my family are the only ones putting them on. Then when the driver puts pressure on the passengers by saying things like police do spot checks, others start to put them on until only the most cool (ignorant) are left. This is the same almost all over the world. Unfortunately these muppets can become projectiles in a crash injuring those who do the sensible thing. Then there is also the problem of those that can't wear them properly as it is cool to show others that they only put them on because they were forced to and don't actually need them. 

Taxis (and some buses) that have belts tucked away are a constant pain in Thailand and yes, I do get them out from under the seat while complaining to the driver (unless I am with the wife - I don't worry about face/cool for myself)

 

[Yinn]

1 hour ago, cardinalblue said:

He didn’t fall asleep - he wasn’t paying attention to road traffic. It’s called situational awareness 

 

sadly, but this country refuses to accept driving accountability so excuses like wet roads falling asleep brake failure are tossed about

 

they will say anything as long as it isn’t driver error...Zero acceptance of driver’s fault and until drivers are held accountable and punished, driving behavior will remain the same...
 

 

You want to punish him now. 

Or wait after his funeral?

 

 

[moe666]

8 hours ago, NanLaew said:

So the trucker thought that the bus would slow down for him? I guess in the same vein as Thai traffic lights needing a countdown timer, they will need to install brake lights on the front of vehicles so that second-guessing like this can be eliminated in the 'investigation'. Will certainly make playing 'chicken' and 'shooting the gap' much more exciting.

Re-read the bus rear ended the truck while he was going thru the intersection.

Edited September 26, 2020 by moe666

[Whip]

Moral of the story: Take it easy, take the train

[davidmann]

8 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

domestic tourism off to a good start. NOT.

How Many dead. this year. to covid.  ,,,,,,,,how many dead  due to bad driving.  ,  whos the winner.  ,why control corvid when everybody being killed on the road 

[Pancho]

A cultural minefield. What escapes me is the seemingly non existent punitive stuff.

Critical thinking is apparently asking to much.

I mean it’s ok if someone wants to centerpunch a solid concrete post on the overpass, @160kph alone, up to you. taking innocent people & children with you...........That’s BS.

[chang1]

2 hours ago, cardinalblue said:

He didn’t fall asleep - he wasn’t paying attention to road traffic. It’s called situational awareness 

 

sadly, but this country refuses to accept driving accountability so excuses like wet roads falling asleep brake failure are tossed about

 

they will say anything as long as it isn’t driver error...Zero acceptance of driver’s fault and until drivers are held accountable and punished, driving behavior will remain the same...
 

 

How can you say "He didn’t fall asleep"? Unless you have some evidence that is just <deleted> speculation. Post 42 shows there is some basis for thinking he did fall asleep. Edit - BS was deleted - bloody snowflakes.

Secondly, falling asleep at the wheel is the drivers fault. Brake failure in Thailand is normally brake fade from overheating the brakes on long downhill roads - again the drivers fault. Driving too fast on wet roads is also the drivers fault.

Thirdly, don't blame the drivers as these type of crashes are almost entirely down to the companies cutting costs and not ever being held responsible for those hurt and killed by their drivers. Ask a few simple questions to find the true cause of this crash - note, crash, not accident as sooner or later it was inevitable. 

Did the company ensure the driver was properly trained? - importance of rest, instability of tall vehicles, braking systems, etc.

Did the company ensure he was well rested before starting this trip?

Did the company tell the driver that passenger safety is his most important consideration?

Did the company ensure drivers ask all passengers to wear seatbelts?

Did the company always have a second driver on long trips especially overnight?

Did the company ensure that there are sufficient rest stops for the drivers?

Did the company put excessive pressure on drivers to meet tight deadlines?

Does the company maintain their buses adequately?

 

Next ask - will the company make any changes where shortcomings are found?

 

As you should now see blaming the driver is stupid unless he deliberately caused the accident. Even blaming the company is not the way to stop this happening as they have no incentive to change their ways. Look at the last question and follow that up to the top of the pyramid. Until the government want a change then this will never end and if everyone blindly blames the drivers for these crashes, there is no need for the government to worry about them.

 

"until drivers are held accountable and punished, driving behavior will remain the same..." How very short sighted.

Until the government is held accountable, drivers will be forced to drive in an unsafe manner due to pressure from companies that don't care about the deaths and injuries they are causing.

 

 

 

Edited September 26, 2020 by chang1

[billd766]

3 hours ago, PETERTHEEATER said:

But there is. It was made mandatory a couple of years ago as part of the minibus shakeup. But wearing them........?

The last time I took a bus trip was about 2 years ago and it was a sort of double decker with a 12 seat cabin downstairs. It was one of the Transport Company buses with a crew of 2 professionals who were very good.

 

It had seat belts and I wore mine in the downstairs cabin.

[billd766]

2 hours ago, Moonlover said:

Yes there is. It's been the law here for a few years now, not only to have them fitted but to wear them.

 

The last time we traveled by bus the only two people wearing belts were my wife and I!

The only two smart people on the bus.

[chang1]

5 minutes ago, billd766 said:

The last time I took a bus trip was about 2 years ago and it was a sort of double decker with a 12 seat cabin downstairs. It was one of the Transport Company buses with a crew of 2 professionals who were very good.

 

It had seat belts and I wore mine in the downstairs cabin.

Was it the same company?

[billd766]

2 hours ago, Cake Monster said:

I will never understand the logic behind turning off the Traffic Lights at night.

There was a similar Accident in  the Village where I live last night - Lights turned off  at 8pm

Another senseless waste of life on Thai roads.

RIP those affected, and I hope the survivors recover without any lasting problems.

If I go to pick up my son late in the evening I go through 2 sets of flashing traffic lights.  I ALWAYS slow down and put my 4 way flashers on and check all directions for maniacs running the lights.

[chang1]

2 minutes ago, billd766 said:

If I go to pick up my son late in the evening I go through 2 sets of flashing traffic lights.  I ALWAYS slow down and put my 4 way flashers on and check all directions for maniacs running the lights.

Not much use when the driver behind is asleep.

[billd766]

2 minutes ago, chang1 said:

Was it the same company?

No. The transport Company use silver and grey buses and have routes all over Thailand.

 

AFAIK this particular bus is not a national company bus but one based in a province that may or may not be lienced to drive on a regular route. It may have been hired for a specific journey or journies.

[Strongheart]

4 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Horrific. Yet, even though there are well over 12,000 recorded deaths a year here, nothing is being done. Nothing. And have they shut down the highways? 

 

Yet, 58 covid deaths, and the entire nation's economy was shut down. Go figure. 

You can't fix stupid.

[billd766]

5 minutes ago, chang1 said:

Not much use when the driver behind is asleep.

But you never know who or what ANY other driver is doing or will do at any time, day or ni.

[alacrity]

2 hours ago, Cake Monster said:

I will never understand the logic behind turning off the Traffic Lights at night.

There was a similar Accident in  the Village where I live last night - Lights turned off  at 8pm

Another senseless waste of life on Thai roads.

RIP those affected, and I hope the survivors recover without any lasting problems.

Common practice in many countries. Junctions are then subjected to Right of Way rules.

Must be far too complicated for Thais to comprehend.

If there's a choice then 'me first' becomes the mandatory circumstance here.  Thais rule!

[Burma Bill]

10 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Dead bodies were strewn all over the road surface

Very sad and with due respect. From my own experience of travelling on such long distance buses, I wonder how many of the passengers were actually wearing their seat belts? I always did, however many others did not as they liked to curl up unrestricted to sleep under their blankets. RIP victims and condolences to their families.

[Burma Bill]

2 hours ago, Whip said:

Moral of the story: Take it easy, take the train

Oh really?

Ratchaburi, February 2020 (photo The Nation)