5 People An Hour!

[plachon]

Was looking through the Brit Embassy website yesterday and noticed in the travel warnings section, a bit on road Safety saying "An average of 5 people an hour die in motorbike accidents in Thailand".

Do the math and that works out at 43,800 people a year snuffing it on the roads, and not even counting cars, coaches, trucks, tuk-tuks, etc!!!!!! That's the same as removing a small town each year from the population and put's SARS, bird flu (so far) and the toll from many diseases in perspective (but perhaps, not AIDS).

Can this figure be right, or has the Brit Embassy got its facts muddled and is unneccesarily exagerating the situation on the roads, as serious as it is with helmetless teenagers coming out of side roads legless (but on two wheels) and determined to join their mates in the next life.

[Tornado]

I suspect it is probably right. Scary, when you think about 5 an hour. It must be the highest per head in the world?

[Pink Mist]

maybe I might need travel insurance after all.

you up for a beer torn??

[penzman]

With the number of new spray painted body outlines that keep appearing on the pavement in my area, I figure those numbers must be right, maybe more...

[aletta]

Locally the hot spots seem to be the junctions on large roads where the khon barn nok don't seem to realise they are supposed to stop and survey the traffic flow.

[toastwars]

This all stems from police corruption, you can do what you like here, commit any traffic offence as long as you have got a few hundred in your back pocket to pay off the cops. selectivly targeting farang on helmet use is just a money making scheme and the standards of helmets here is appaling. get ready for more carnage at songkran

[jackr]

I heard it was about 14 per hour in total about 3 or 4 years ago.

[BrissyBoy]

get ready for more carnage at songkran

Second that Toast. With the driving style the thais have and blatant disregard for rules and police not willing to effectively enforce them it is little wonder the toll is as high as it is. People are so desensitised to motorbike accidents that they don't even really care about them or just stand on the sidewalk and laugh whilst a fallen biker has to pick his bike up. Add to this the car that hit him gets pissed because they have to wait for the rider to pick up his/her bike. Plus people think it funny to throw water at bikes as they are minding their own business.

[Shola]

I could defo see the number being that high, it's so bad that if me and huuby drive any kind of distance and I see, what looks like a traffic jam up ahead where there normally isn't one, I always cover my eyes and ask my hubby to tell me if theres anything thats happened and when i can look again!

The usuall reply is 'Oahaaaaaaw! mai dong doo!' so then I know its some poor motercy guy thats been spread over the road or something

I've seen a guy being given a leg and a wing and slung into the back of one of those 'rescue' trucks before, and I never wanna see anything like it again

[Ijustwannateach]

Take a closer look at people's elbows and knees as you're walking around. Chances are you'll see many of them with puckered, ugly scars in those areas. Those scars are almost universally from motorcycle accidents- and there are *lots* of people with 'em. If that many people have been injured, it's no big surprise to me that a lot of folks get killed as well.

I still use the motorbike taxis, but I'm a big guy and they don't go so fast when I'm on one.

"Steven"

[Shola]

I still use the motorbike taxis, but I'm a big guy and they don't go so fast when I'm on one.

"Steven"

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Fast or not it's not gonna make any difference when an ignorant SUV driver cuts up the motocy driver, knocks the bike, you fall off and a bus drives over your head

Sorry not to be morbid! but alot of these fatal accidents with motercy's arn't becuase of excess speed but just due to lack of attention on another drivers part.

Agree about scarring, see alot of pretty girls with terrible scars on legs/arms, shame

[booma]

Take a closer look at people's elbows and knees as you're walking around.  Chances are you'll see many of them with puckered, ugly scars in those areas.  Those scars are almost universally from motorcycle accidents- and there are *lots* of people with 'em.  If that many people have been injured, it's no big surprise to me that a lot of folks get killed as well.

I still use the motorbike taxis, but I'm a big guy and they don't go so fast when I'm on one.

"Steven"

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yup and the scar inside many peoples right leg from burns caused by the exhaust during accident's is widely known as the Koh Pha-ngan tattoo on KPN, these fellas are everywhere!

B

[Sir Burr]

In Phuket, the statistic is two deaths every three days. Phuket has the highest motorcycle accident rate in Thailand. Scary.

The scar on the leg from the hot exhaust is known here as a "Thai Tattoo".

[jackr]

Phuket has the highest motorcycle accident rate in Thailand

Surely that honour goes to Bangers, or are we talking purely tourist areas?

[andy50]

In Phuket, the statistic is two deaths every three days. Phuket has the highest motorcycle accident rate in Thailand. Scary.

The scar on the leg from the hot exhaust is known here as a "Thai Tattoo".

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

ive got one ,!i jumped onto a m/cy taxi during the tsunami(3 on a bike ,me(18 stone) my t/ g/f and the driver

, i touched my bare leg onto the exhaust, the top layer of skin peeled off and sizzled like bacon does in the pan

[Sir Burr]

Phuket has the highest motorcycle accident rate in Thailand

Surely that honour goes to Bangers, or are we talking purely tourist areas?

Sorry, I should have been a bit clearer. Yes, Bangkok has more accidents in absolute terms, but, per head of the population, Phuket has the worst road accident rate of any province in Thailand.

[Golf]

Let them, if that's what they're asking for. I am really sick wtih these "Thai" driving habits. Really...

Let them...

Golf

[jackr]

Let them, if that's what they're asking for.  I am really sick wtih these "Thai" driving habits.  Really... 

Let them...

Golf

Steady Golf...get out of the wrong side of the bed this morning?

A bit of education and more of a substantial testing system might curb a certain amount of road statistics. Watching a video and then driving around some cones does not a good driver make. Saying that, if they fail the test, what's to stop them from driving anyway, a 200baht fine? Saw a 10 - 12 year-old kid driving is family about on one of those 'motorpike and side carp' things yesterday...it ain't gonna get better unless there's some serious changes.

[sua yai]

I read last year - in the BKK Post, I think - that Thailand does have the highest per capita motorcycle death and serious injury rate in the world.

China is catching up fast as more people are able to afford bikes.

I was discharged from hospital yesterday after 11 days recovering from a motorcycle accident. Going home one night with the wife. Virtually nothing on the main road and a car travelling in the opposite direction suddenly turned right into a small soi without seeing us and hit us broadside. I took the brunt of the collision. The car's headlight smashed on my leg, tearing the bottom of it apart from the knee to the ankle. A real mess. Won't be walking for another two weeks and I'll have some nice scars.

Fortunately, the driver stopped and was fully insured. Paid for all my treatment including two operations - a third may be necessary.

One instance when the motorcycle was definitely not in the wrong.

I'm taking out insurance asap. I've been an idiot not to have done so for the past 7 years.

[toastwars]

In Phuket, the statistic is two deaths every three days. Phuket has the highest motorcycle accident rate in Thailand. Scary.

The scar on the leg from the hot exhaust is known here as a "Thai Tattoo".

ive got one ,!i jumped onto a m/cy taxi during the tsunami(3 on a bike ,me(18 stone) my t/ g/f and the driver

, i touched my bare leg onto the exhaust, the top layer of skin peeled off and sizzled like bacon does in the pan

Thats a dry heat too...I like the tearing sound you get when you pull it off. ouch

[aletta]

The sight of a road junction, for locals here, seems to trigger that part of the brain which controls suicidal urges and they accelarate into the junction as if they believe that if you go fast enough nothing can hit you.

[McAttack]

The figures might be exaggerated due to 4 or 5 on one bike. If two bikes hit each other then you have your quota for the next hour as well.

[srisatch]

As I recall The Nation at last New Year or Songkran or whatever produced the statistic that Thai roads are the 6th most dangerous in the world

My rather lame and innocuous questions about 'Single Minded Thais' and such, mask I fear a belief that any Thai in or on a 'vehicle' is King (or Queen) of the Road and will kill you before considering or noticing whether you or anyone else might even be on the road....Caveat Conductor...Of course if, as a foreigner, you have the misfortune to hit or be hit by one of these royalty you will be in big trouble....

[maerim]

it's so bad that if me and huuby drive any kind of distance and I see, what looks like a traffic jam up ahead where there normally isn't one, I always cover my eyes and ask my hubby to tell me if theres anything thats happened and when i can look again!

I just hope when you and hubby are out for a drive you are not behind the wheel when you see a traffic jam.

[RDN]

.... Going home one night with the wife. Virtually nothing on the main road and a car travelling in the opposite direction suddenly turned right into a small soi without seeing us and hit us broadside.....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Was your headlight working? (Before the smash )

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Phuket has the highest motorcycle accident rate in Thailand

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Surely that honour goes to Bangers, or are we talking purely tourist areas?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Sorry, I should have been a bit clearer. Yes, Bangkok has more accidents in absolute terms, but, per head of the population, Phuket has the worst road accident rate of any province in Thailand.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It might just be down to the population difference Sir Burr