New Year "safe driving" initiative in tatters - 316 dead nearly 3,000 injuries

[webfact]

New Year "safe driving" initiative in tatters - 316 dead nearly 3,000 injuries

 

Picture: Naew Na

 

Thailand's much heralded safe driving initiative is in tatters after appalling statistics revealed that it had failed totally. 

 

The project began on 29th December amid much fanfare and was optimistically called: "New Lifestyle - Safe Driving - No accidents".

 

With 5 days of the campaign gone by Saturday the authorities were forced to admit that the lifestyle is exactly the same, there was very little safe driving and "no accidents" was a pathetic pipedream.

 

The stats showed: 

 

There had been 316 DEAD

 

There were 2,748 ACCIDENTS

 

There were 2,741 INJURIES.

 

Worst for accidents was Chiang Mai with 97. 

 

Worst for death was Nakhon Ratchasima with 16.

 

Chiang Mai also had the worst injury figures with 99 people hurt. 

 

This was all despite 1,930 facilitation checkpoints being set up. 

 

And the carnage and injury happened despite 61,655 people being mobilized to prevent accidents.

 

The police are pursuing 117,106 cases against motorists.

 

Of these more than 31,000 are for not wearing helmets and 28,884 people did not even have licences. 

 

Reasons for the accidents were the usual 'culprits': 30% of accidents were because of DUI. 29% were the result of speeding.

 

Motorcycles accounted for about 80% and 67% were on straight roads. 

 

The figures reported by Naew Na were nationwide for the period of December 29th to January 2nd inclusive. 

 

Thaivisa notes that while an average of 63 deaths per day is appalling, it would only represent a "normal" figure for the average daily death toll in Thailand that exceeds 20,000 fatalities a year.  

 

Soure: Naew Na

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2021-01-04

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

[colinneil]

Just now, webfact said:

And the carnage and injury happened despite 61,655 people being mobilized to prevent accidents.

It will never end, until people here are taught how to drive properly, and that would be an impossible task.

[Thaiwrath]

6 minutes ago, webfact said:

"no accidents" was a pathetic pipedream.

And will continue to be, unless serious issues are addressed, proper driving tests, and police enforcement of laws at all times to name two.

Edited January 4, 2021 by Thaiwrath

[pattjock]

5 days and 316 dead and nothing is done. There are no checkpoints, no red light cameras, police sitting at crossings only look at their mobile phone while people are driving against red light all the time. In Pattaya very few use a helmet noways because no checkpoints, but most have a face mask.

 

After 10 months and 62 dead the country and economy is pretty much closed down???

 

 

[DaLa]

Just back from a 800km each way trip to Krabi. Only witnessed 3 accidents for the whole journey, so a vast improvement on one occasion where we saw 7 accidents on the trip down and 5 on the way back.

 

The Thais just appear to want to try out those ditches in the central reservation for some reason.

[Dmaxdan]

These people need to stop having road accidents soon in order to free up the hospital beds for the  Covid 19 second wave. 

[kotsak]

Just look at the driving behaviour in the OP photo and you know the reason why.. How many traffic violations in a single bloody photo..

[webfact]

Drunk Driving again causes most accidents

 

 

BANGKOK (NNT) - The Department of Probation, is enforcing stringent measures against irresponsible drivers by arresting, fining, and putting ankle bracelets on those on probation. Drunk driving is again the top cause of road accidents during the New Year holidays.

 

Department of Probation’s Director-General, Witthawhan Soonthornkajit, has reported the statistics collected during the department’s campaign to reduce the number of road accidents during the New Year festival, saying that the top causes of road accidents were still drunk driving and speeding. Motorcycles were also often found to have been in accidents on long straight roads, and roads in villages.

 

According to the statistics collected between December 29 and January 1, there were 2,365 accidents, 267 deaths, and 2,362 people were injured.

 

Provinces with the most accidents at this time are Chiang Mai and Songkhla with 87 cases. However, Nakhon Ratchasima had the most fatalities at 16. Meanwhile, Chiang Mai was also identified as having most injuries at 92.

 

During the four days of the New Year festival, the total number of irresponsible driving cases was 1,028, comprising 911 drunk driving, 100 drinking while driving, and 17 cases of careless driving.

 

Chaiyaphum, Ubon Ratchathani, Chanthaburi, and Buriram are the provinces with most cases of drunk driving.

 

 

-- © Copyright NNT 2021-01-04

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

[mtls2005]

~ 80% of road deaths involve motorcycles.

 

I'd separate that out and focus on it, in the short term. We can circle back to auto/truck/bus driving with a separate program.

 

People rarely offer up any concrete solutions, other than "education" or "training". Based on the state of the Thai educaiton system these feel doomed to fail.

 

Some options:

 

eliminate all motorcycles, everyone must use a bicycle. Obviously, not reasonable, but certainly open for discussion.

 

enforcement, ratchet up enforcement for any/all motorcycle transgressions. Impound motorbikes after a certain number of infractions. Motorbike can be redeemed after 30 days.

 

incentivize good behavior: reward people financially for good driving. Maybe offer rebates on fuel, and/or repairs.

 

 

Yes, I get that there are many poor people here, and that they rely on motrcycles for their daily life (and death).

 

 

 

 

 

[toofarnorth]

10 minutes ago, kotsak said:

Just look at the driving behaviour in the OP photo and you know the reason why.. How many traffic violations in a single bloody photo..

Yeah but if you were a passenger in that Taximeter would you not want the driver to get you to your final destination ASAP ?

[Henryford]

Good think we are in lockdown and not travelling. Otherwise it would be double that.

[Dumbastheycome]

45 minutes ago, colinneil said:

It will never end, until people here are taught how to drive properly, and that would be an impossible task.

Actual enforcement would  go a long long way to  help. Last two days have witnessed vehicles blind over taking at  speed over a crest in the road with  no passing lanes  recently  refreshed. Over taking long line of other vehicles moving slowly due  to cause  of delay further  on out of  sight. Two Police  sitting and  watching it happen ! Freakin  ridiculous! At least  10 times ambulances  and/or  ems vehicles going opposite way to nearest  hospital during  those to days. ????

[2long]

"28,884 people did not even have licences."  ????

Now in any civilised country with a similar population I don't think the cops could find that many unlicensed drivers in a year!

[bloodyholly]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Reasons for the accidents were the usual 'culprits': 30% of accidents were because of DUI. 29% were the result of speeding.

70% of accidents involved sober motorists

[overherebc]

1 hour ago, colinneil said:

It will never end, until people here are taught how to drive properly, and that would be an impossible task.

True but severe punishment for DUI  speeding, not just revoking a licence and 500 baht fine, might eventually have an effect.

DUI, crush the vehicle.

Speeding, a real fine, not 500 baht.

[Tropicalevo]

I find it a bit strange that these statistics do not mention how many accidents involve foreigners or migrants?

[trainman34014]

What failed ?  They didn't do anything other than what they normally do; talk a lot and stand people around like stuffed dummy's.  Other than that it was old men in little tents by the side of the road offering 'advice' to Motorists when they know nothing themselves about road safety !

[Moonlover]

I don't think that anything will change in this country until they can somehow find a way of getting through to the youngsters that thing must change.

 

A well known American psychologist Dr. Edith Eger said in a podcast recently that: 'children don’t do what we say, they do what they see'. Come to think of it, it's exactly how primate youngsters learn isn't it.

 

And what do Thai youngsters see? Well I don't have to list all the bad habits, you've all seen them for yourselves. The kids see them when they're young, consider that to be the right way to do it and emulate them when they take to the roads themselves in later years.

 

And there is nothing in place to break that chain. If dad rides his motorcycle whilst drunk, so will the son. If mum blabs on her phone whenever she drives, so will her daughter.

 

This problem, IMO is far too complex to be resolved simply by imposing sanctions.

[jaiyen]

3 hours ago, 2long said:

"28,884 people did not even have licences."  ????

Now in any civilised country with a similar population I don't think the cops could find that many unlicensed drivers in a year!

And that's only the ones they stopped !  Wonder what the real figure is ?  We all know that none of the kids riding to school have a licence, and in most cases no helmet too. But the police don't care ! The police are the problem stopping the solution !!

[Bender Rodriguez]

5x more death in a week than covid in 10 months

 

but please lock down the country again for this dangerous virus that you have to be tested for, to know you have it

[RichardColeman]

5 hours ago, colinneil said:

It will never end, until people here are taught how to drive properly, and that would be an impossible task.

I disagree, they could stop this carnage overnight by during the 7 days reducing all roads in Thailand to 1 lane, forcing them all into 20 miles an hour !

[Artisi]

5 hours ago, colinneil said:

It will never end, until people here are taught how to drive properly, and that would be an impossible task.

I don't see it as an impossible task, I see it as never happening until such times as someone with enough clout and big B all's is game to take-on the problem in a meaningful way. 

[Artisi]

2 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

I find it a bit strange that these statistics do not mention how many accidents involve foreigners or migrants?

Don't ask, as it will surely be the fault of those dirty, disease ridden farangs ????

[ChipButty]

4 hours ago, overherebc said:

True but severe punishment for DUI  speeding, not just revoking a licence and 500 baht fine, might eventually have an effect.

DUI, crush the vehicle.

Speeding, a real fine, not 500 baht.

In Phuket my friend got fined 5000 Baht, the police wanted 40,000 Baht at the roadside, my friend refused spend the night in jail and go to court in the morning

[Asquith Production]

5 hours ago, colinneil said:

It will never end, until people here are taught how to drive properly, and that would be an impossible task.

First you need to revamp the road infrastructure by removing U-turn  etc. Then you start  on the driver training. But the mindset of Thai drivers is something you have to change and that can be only done by confiscation of ability to drive and that is impounding there vehicle, Its no use taking the licence away they will continue to drive

[bodga]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

67% were on straight roads. 

if  u gave them all square  wheels  theyd  still kill each other

[bodga]

53 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

I disagree, they could stop this carnage overnight by during the 7 days reducing all roads in Thailand to 1 lane, forcing them all into 20 miles an hour !

A winka  drove into me at just 5  mph 4  months  ago, total  lack of  attention is the problem, can see it with staff working with me, they have a 1  second attention span in many cases

[Mr Meeseeks]

5 hours ago, colinneil said:

It will never end, until people here are taught how to drive properly, and that would be an impossible task.

In addition to proper initial and refresher training, with proper competence assessments, they would need to have a process to discourage and remove dangerous and incompetent drivers out of the system.

 

None of this exists. The training is non-existent, the tests are comically immature and simple and there's no process to discourage or stop people that should not be operating vehicles from doing so. 

[Mr Meeseeks]

5 hours ago, pattjock said:

In Pattaya very few use a helmet noways because no checkpoints, but most have a face mask.

Comical stupidity but par for the course here.

[overherebc]

21 minutes ago, ChipButty said:

In Phuket my friend got fined 5000 Baht, the police wanted 40,000 Baht at the roadside, my friend refused spend the night in jail and go to court in the morning

Fined 5000 for being your friend is a bit harsh. ????????

Seriously,  that's not a serious fine.

To get through to most here who drink and drive it has to be a lot more, 50,000 up and as a minimum car impounded until it's paid.