Poor road design - and brake failure - blamed for nine vehicle pile-up in Khon Kaen

[webfact]

Picture: Siam Rath

 

Siam Rath reported that social media platforms in the NE of Thailand were busy sharing the news after dash cam footage was posted of a nine-vehicle pile-up at the Tha Phra intersection in Khon Kaen.

 

A truck trailer laden with gravel experienced brake failure after coming down a bridge just 400 meters before the red lights. 

 

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There were no deaths and only one person was injured. A motorcyclist managed to flee death in time. 

 

Locals said there were many accidents at this spot that leads to the Friendship Highway.

 

They blamed the close proximity of the intersection to the bridge.

 

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[ikke1959]

It is strange that brake failure is many times the cause of an accident... It seems that the driver have never needed to stop before... at home, to eat, to load or unload, traffic lights, toll way.... and never problems.... only when there is an accident

[worgeordie]

25 minutes ago, webfact said:

A truck trailer laden with gravel experienced brake failure after coming down a bridge just 400 meters before the red lights. 

 

If that's the truck in the photo , looks very new , calling B/S

on brake failure , loaded with gravel , braked too late, more

like it, will the Police test the trucks brakes , doubt it. 

regads Worgeordie

[Denim]

1 minute ago, worgeordie said:

calling B/S

on brake failure

Brake failure here means driver did not apply the brakes in time ....therefore they failed.

 

Braking distance ? .........Say what ???????

[JoeW]

That piece of road in Khon Kaen is absolutely insanely dangerous. Drivers come down the bridge at full speed (100, 120 km/h), knowing they have to brake just a few hundred meters further. It has nothing to do with poor road design, but with poor driving skills.

[mancub]

The prevailing/over-riding mentality is to speed up, rather than slow down in case the green light changes !

Braking an after-thought.

[greenmonkey]

22 minutes ago, JoeW said:

That piece of road in Khon Kaen is absolutely insanely dangerous. Drivers come down the bridge at full speed (100, 120 km/h), knowing they have to brake just a few hundred meters further. It has nothing to do with poor road design, but with poor driving skills.

i see this kind of driving everywhere, Thai's simply never ever anticipate any danger. It's crazy.

[RichardColeman]

Think lack of roundabout didn't help

[Moonlover]

20 minutes ago, JoeW said:

That piece of road in Khon Kaen is absolutely insanely dangerous. Drivers come down the bridge at full speed (100, 120 km/h), knowing they have to brake just a few hundred meters further. It has nothing to do with poor road design, but with poor driving skills.

I've just done a virtual drive down from that bridge. There is only one small sign giving advance warning of the traffic lights ahead and the lights themselves are in a visually confusing position in front of that D.M.H.T.T sign.

 

I'm not surprised the locals speak of many accidents there. Poor road design is surely a factor in them.

[blackshadow]

5 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

Think lack of roundabout didn't help

they would drive straight over it !!!!

dont know what a roundabout is for.....!!!

[2long]

I've never been there....
Is there a lot of downhill driving prior to this intersection and bridge? If yes, then it could be argued that bad driving knowledge causes drivers to use their brakes instead of a lower gear when driving downhill for extended periods. Using the brakes too much will of course overheat them.

Poor road design? In Thailand!? NEVER! Oh, and insufficient warnings or warnings in the wrong place! Impossible! ????

[FriendlyFarang]

10 minutes ago, 2long said:

I've never been there....
Is there a lot of downhill driving prior to this intersection and bridge? If yes, then it could be argued that bad driving knowledge causes drivers to use their brakes instead of a lower gear when driving downhill for extended periods. Using the brakes too much will of course overheat them.

Poor road design? In Thailand!? NEVER! Oh, and insufficient warnings or warnings in the wrong place! Impossible! ????

None, just the one bridge. I think "brake failure" doesn't mean that the brakes of the vehicle failed, but simply that the driver failed to brake. Maybe he was playing on his phone or busy watching TV.

 

 

Here the intersection for anybody interested: https://goo.gl/maps/SJenA5pyJApWnSzY7

The traffic light is indeed close to the bridge, so adding some warning signs would be a good idea.

[sammieuk1]

About 7km to Makro from my house today I managed to flee death in time x3 what little driving skills these fools possess have evaporated ???? 

[hotchilli]

3 hours ago, blackshadow said:

they would drive straight over it !!!!

dont know what a roundabout is for.....!!!

Potted plants and an expensive ornamental lamp?

[Road Warrior]

and another brake failure !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  cars being made for some 70/.80 years and brakes fail .what load of  ***

[Anant72]

6 hours ago, worgeordie said:

If that's the truck in the photo , looks very new , calling B/S

on brake failure , loaded with gravel , braked too late, more

like it, will the Police test the trucks brakes , doubt it. 

regads Worgeordie

Brake failure, my foot. It is another case of speeding and braking too late. 

[Dials on my Dash]

Always blame something that can’t argue, everyone saves face.
 

Nothing to do with phone, arrogance, poorly maintained vehicle, zero skill etc 

[KhunBENQ]

On 5/20/2022 at 10:56 AM, webfact said:

They blamed the close proximity of the intersection to the bridge.

Oh yes. What a challenge:

https://goo.gl/maps/53kCwP9hn6XgKuLd6

 

Bloody steep, comes just after Khyberpass