Survey suggests deaths of motorcylists in Thailand largely due to poor decision making

[rooster59]

Image: PPTV

 

In the clearest assesment yet of the carnage on the Thai roads from the death of motorcyclists the riders themselves have been mostly blamed.

 

A survey showed in more than half of deaths an inability to access dangerous situations, poor decision making and "reaction failure" - doing the wrong thing in an emergency - were all to blame. 

 

Better training has been called for, better law enforcement about helmets, improvements to roads and the setting up of a national data center to address the issue.

 

PPTV asked in their article if you were aware that 75% of deaths on the Thai roads - possibly as high as 24,000 to 26,000 yearly - were due to motorcycle accidents.

 

Readers of Thaivisa should be intimately aware of this as we have constantly highlighted the issue in reporting stories from the Thai press. 

 

PPTV said that now there are 21 million motorcycles on the road with 1% of those - 200,000 being Big Bikes of 400cc up.

 

The reasons behind road accidents according to The Red Line were published after 1000 cases of accidents between 2016 and 2020 were examined. 

 

In 53% of these cases the rider was at fault. 

 

The three main reasons for this among that 53% were

 

1. Perception failure - 49% - not properly assessing situations for their potential danger

 

2. Decision failure - 32% - not making the correct decision when an emergency occurs

 

3. Reaction failure - 13% - not having the skill to control a bike in an emergency particularly when it comes to correct braking.

 

The top three reasons most deaths from motorcycle accidents are:

 

1. Negligently and dangerously cutting in front of other vehicles

 

2. Going into the back of other vehicles and 

 

3. Having accidents while turning into side roads. 

 

Dr Kanwee Kanitpong of the Thai accident center stated what is widely known - most accidents causing death happen at speeds of 80kmph as a result of head injury.

 

In the 1000 cases studied 42% of riders had no helmet. 

 

In the doctor's opinion roads were not designed properly with bikers in mind  so riders needed to take especial care and wear good quality helmets. 

 

A six point plan to minimise the carnage came out of a seminar:

 

1. Better training for riders especially in awareness of situations and what to do in emergences before granting licences

 

2. Differentiating between car and bike licence training

 

3. Law enforcement improvement especially in the wearing of helmets

 

4. Improvements to roads to make them more biker friendly including at U-turns

 

5. Campaigns to raise awareness about the need to have properly fuctioning headlights, rear lights and brakes and awareness about when to change worn tires.

 

6. The setting up of a national accident center and  data collection
agency to focus on the issue. 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2021-03-27

 

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[Shuya]

4 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

inability to access dangerous situations, poor decision making and "reaction failure"

Isn't there a word that describes this quite well... I guess it starts with the letter 's'

[YetAnother]

1 hour ago, rooster59 said:

poor decision making

you can, i believe accurately account 80 plus percent of thailands current woes to either lack of decision-making or bad decision-making; 

look at the thai system; merit has no part in the placement of the decision-makers

[In the jungle]

Often the "poor decision making" was by the guy in the truck that crashes into the bike.

 

 

[Enoon]

 

10 minutes ago, In the jungle said:

Often the "poor decision making" was by the guy in the truck that crashes into the bike.

 

 

 

Indeed.

 

The article implies that 47% of MC fatalities are not the MC riders fault:

 

"In 53% of these cases the rider was at fault" 

 

However that does not exclude other MC riders being at fault among the 47%.

 

 

 

[Seismic]

"A survey showed in more than half of deaths an inability to access dangerous situations"

 

I think they actually mean "an inability to ASSESS dangerous situations".

[mancub]

Have a low attention span, take your mirrors off (or point them at your hair), ride at night with no lights, pull out into traffic without looking and generally do your own thing expecting other road users to avoid you. 

 

Yeah, that'll work just fine -plus ca change.

[richard_smith237]

Absolutely agree.... Poor decision making... 

 

Poor decision making by those in positions of decision making power to sit back and not do more. 

 

Poor decision making by the Police not to enforce existing laws enabling road users to exercise flagrant disregard for the law and general safety when riding and driving around. 

 

 

That six point plan is actually not a bad one. But, like all suggestions beforehand, like all crack downs over the last 20 years... nothing will change, nothing does change, why? because change takes effort and who wants to spend  the effort to impact change when the consequences of no change do not impact the decision makers. 

 

 

[tifino]

the 'Put Helmet On - Switch Off Brain' syndrome... 

[tingtong]

 

If police do its job, in 2 weeks all ride with helmet and license.

Everyone was made to wear mask, to the point that ride in mask but no helmet.

Prices that people can be made to do things, successfully, if pressed.

So let the police, schools press for helmet, driving license.

Not 10 squats, not tea money, but real job.

 

 

[ctxa]

1 minute ago, tingtong said:

If police do its job

If police do its job it will improve things slightly, but it will not magically fix it. 

We have to start calling things by their name, and stop looking for third parties to blame, the police, the grandma, Prayut…. 
 

Put it simple, there are over twenty million registered motorcycles in Thailand and over ten million registered cars in Thailand. You put them in the same roads, you are gonna have a lot of deaths on the motos sides, period. Regardless of whether the BiB does their job or not. 
 

Sure, if the BiB was as strict as in the west it most likely would be slightly down. But how much? 
 

In 2018 there were 4,985 deaths as a result of a motorcycle accident in the USA, there are only 8.3 million registered motos in the USA. 
 

In Thailand in 2018 there were around 18,000 deaths as a result of a motorcycle accident, with over 20 million registered motos. 
 

Many more motos, fewer kms of roads by far than the US, poor traffic laws enforcement, you get 18,000 deaths. 
 

But, enforcement alone can not solve the issue…

 

[ezzra]

As a Moto rider in Thailand for the last 30 years, i can concur with all the above findings and also with the fact that some of the fatalities can be put to riding the moto while under the influence of substances such as alcohol and drugs, big part of the local economy is being facilitated and serviced by two wheels and similar vehicles and with so many moto riders around at the same time, fatalities will continue to happen...

[rabas]

7 hours ago, In the jungle said:

Often the "poor decision making" was by the guy in the truck that crashes into the bike.

The guy in the truck was not required to make decisions because his vehicle was larger.

 

Thai Road Law no. 1

[Damrongsak]

14 minutes ago, rabas said:

The guy in the truck was not required to make decisions because his vehicle was larger.

 

Thai Road Law no. 1

I saw one video where a Thai driver approached a car at a red light from the back on a 2-lane intersection at a good rate of speed.  Couldn't brake in time, so it swerved into the slow lane and took out the motorcyclist there.  Less crash damage, I suppose.  Brutal.

[PatOngo]

11 hours ago, rooster59 said:

In the clearest assesment yet of the carnage on the Thai roads from the death of motorcyclists the riders themselves have been mostly blamed.

Well it's not BAD spirits that cause accidents! I think most of us worked that out over 20 years ago!

[PatOngo]

5 hours ago, ctxa said:

If police do its job it will improve things slightly, but it will not magically fix it. 

 

The police do their job, what they do is how police operate in Thailand, they collect revenue, they don't prevent accidents, have'nt you worked that out yet???

[klauskunkel]

13 hours ago, rooster59 said:

better law enforcement

Thailand has the law enforcement it deserves. 

If they want better law enforcement, then Thailand has to earn that privilege. It's an evolution.

[bloodyholly]

Education ... education ... EDUCATION 

[trainman34014]

They are taught at School that they are the most intelligent and Superior Race in Asia.........nuff said !

[Wongkitlo]

10 hours ago, mancub said:

Have a low attention span, take your mirrors off (or point them at your hair), ride at night with no lights, pull out into traffic without looking and generally do your own thing expecting other road users to avoid you. 

 

Yeah, that'll work just fine -plus ca change.

You forgot look at your mobile phone while riding

[Artisi]

10 hours ago, tifino said:

the 'Put Helmet On - Switch Off Brain' syndrome... 

in most cases the brain is already switched off, therefore no need to put on the helmet.

[Artisi]

I didn't notice drunk riding, riding on the wrong side of the road (and expecting right of way), a complete lack of attention, incorrect amulet choice etc  --- just another one looking for 5 minutes of fame.

[Artisi]

5 hours ago, Damrongsak said:

I saw one video where a Thai driver approached a car at a red light from the back on a 2-lane intersection at a good rate of speed.  Couldn't brake in time, so it swerved into the slow lane and took out the motorcyclist there.  Less crash damage, I suppose.  Brutal.

you don't really think their thinking was that sophisticated, do you? 

[Surelynot]

15 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Campaigns to raise awareness about the need to have properly fuctioning headlights, rear lights and brakes

I would say, at a conservative estimate, over 50% of the motorbikes (plus sidecars) in and around our village have one or both lights out......and those that do have lights rarely put them on until it is pitch black.

[tifino]

10 minutes ago, Artisi said:

6 hours ago, Damrongsak said:

I saw one video where a Thai driver approached a car at a red light from the back on a 2-lane intersection at a good rate of speed.  Couldn't brake in time, so it swerved into the slow lane and took out the motorcyclist there.  Less crash damage, I suppose.  Brutal.

you don't really think their thinking was that sophisticated, do you? 

... simpleton way of achieving minimal damage to  'themselves'...   it is all about selfishness

[Kwasaki]

There will always be motorcycle accidents even if proper training and restrictions are put in place like say the UK but not so many. 

 

Road police to enforce too but they will need retraining to. 

[brucegoniners]

Another brilliant deduction from the Thai government, lol

 

Poor decision making? Ya think? To make a decision you need a brain and these moron children who ride at 150 kmh with no helmet get what they deserve.

 

The only good thing is that it gets some of the stupid out of the gene pool.

 

Don't get me started...

[Artisi]

6 minutes ago, brucegoniners said:

Another brilliant deduction from the Thai government, lol

 

Poor decision making? Ya think? To make a decision you need a brain and these moron children who ride at 150 kmh with no helmet get what they deserve.

 

The only good thing is that it gets some of the stupid out of the gene pool.

 

Don't get me started...

No wouldn't want to get you started with that type of mindset, but think just a little further:

no parent deserves to lose a child even if there aren't all that bright. 

[Thecritic]

17 hours ago, Shuya said:

Isn't there a word that describes this quite well... I guess it starts with the letter 's'

These motorcycle guys ride like they have said last good bye to their families before leaving home they seem to be not bound by law can cut red lights like it's normal becuse they are not afraid of being penalized.

[losername]

17 hours ago, rooster59 said:

A survey showed in more than half of deaths an inability to access dangerous situations

Accessing dangerous situations is not their problem, assessing them is.