Songkran A Little Less Dangerous, But 271 Dead

[webfact]

Songkran a little less dangerous, but 271 dead

By Wattana Khamchoo,

Natthapong Khongsai

The Nation

This Songkran's so-called 'seven dangerous days', from April 11-17 have seen fewer accidents, deaths and injuries than the previous Songkran period, the Road Safety Centre (RSC)'s director reported yesterday.

Throughout this Songkran road accident surveillance period, 271 people were killed and 3,476 injured in 3,215 reported accidents nationwide, Interior Minister Chavarat Charnvirakul said. Compared to the previous Songkran, the accident rate was down by 301 cases or 8.56 per cent, the death rate down by 90 cases or 24.93 per cent and the injury rate down by 326 casualties or 8.57 per cent.

Ayutthaya had the highest cumulative deaths at 19 cases followed by Nakhon Sawan at 13 and Bangkok 12. Nakhon Si Thammarat had the highest cumulative accidents at 135 cases followed by Nakhon Sawan at 115 and Chiang Rai 114. Nakhon Si Thammarat had the highest cumulative injuries at 114 victims followed by Nakhon Sawan and Chiang Rai, each with 121 injuries, and Suphan Buri at 109 casualties.

On Sunday alone, there were 283 road accidents - 15 incidents fewer or 5.03 per cent down from the previous Songkran's last day. However 42 persons were killed - 13 deaths or 23.64 per cent fewer than last year - and 304 injured - four more, or 1.33 per cent, higher than 2010, Chavarat said.

Drunk driving remained the most frequent cause of accidents at 38.76 per cent while failure to wear safety helmets was the cause of most death and injury, at 32.59 per cent.

About 81 per cent of accidents involved two-wheelers and over half (57.73 per cent) occurred on straight stretches of road. Over half (53.77 per cent) of road casualty victims were working age people (aged 20-49) and another 28.08 per cent were under 20, he added.

Although this Songkran had seen fewer serious road accidents - which was satisfying - the big picture nationwide all year round remained high with drunk driving the major cause, Chavarat said. He has instructed provinces and local administration organisations to seriously back alcohol control measures and boost motorists' road safety awareness, especially among young people. He said next year's target was to reduce deaths from road accidents by at least 25 per cent and road injuries by 15 per cent.

Disaster Prevention and Mitigation chief Wibul Sanguanpong said that the RSC would join with local administration organisations to support the government's policy for 2011-2020 as a decade of road safety - including pushing for all bikers to wear safety helmets this year.

Meanwhile, Don't Drive Drunk Foundation secretary Taejing Siripanich, said that although the Songkran death toll was lower than the previous year's, the RSC should campaign against road accidents all year round and keep the public updated once a month or once a week - not just for the long holiday period.

-- The Nation 2011-04-19

[Boater]

Although this Songkran had seen fewer serious road accidents - which was satisfying -

i hardly call 271 people killed and 3,476 injured in 3,215 reported accidents nationwide satisfying

do the goverment not know that if they enforced the rule of the road and introduced a proper driving test system you might see this number at a 20th f the figure?

[Boater]

maybe someone could send this link to the man in charge - http://www.gloucestershire.police.uk/Crime%20Reduction/Roadsafe/item4084.html

[JoePai]

This Songkran's so-called 'seven dangerous days', from April 11-17

Who are they kidding - it's still full on in Pattaya - and today will see the most accidents !

[sirchai]

Although this Songkran had seen fewer serious road accidents - which was satisfying -

i hardly call 271 people killed and 3,476 injured in 3,215 reported accidents nationwide satisfying

do the goverment not know that if they enforced the rule of the road and introduced a proper driving test system you might see this number at a 20th f the figure?

He has instructed provinces and local administration organisations to seriously back alcohol control measures and boost motorists' road safety awareness, especially among young people. He said next year's target was to reduce deaths from road accidents by at least 25 per cent and road injuries by 15 per cent.

Boost motorists by buying them booze? Guess all TV members who made their driver's license test, plus watching a 2 hour Thai movie about road safety( most fell asleep) are much better drivers after passing this test.

By the way. How do you instruct a province? :jap:

[sirchai]

This Songkran's so-called 'seven dangerous days', from April 11-17

Who are they kidding - it's still full on in Pattaya - and today will see the most accidents !

And how many of the injured will pass away? :jap:

[londonthai]

And how many of the injured will pass away? :jap:

yesterday morning there was 299 "Songkran Road Accidents Killed 299 People Nationwide"

today it's 10% less at 271.

tomorrow it well might be 240 or 330 or any other figure around 300.

the dead are rising or just wrong statistics? Is Road Safety Centre director still drunk after songkran party?

Edited April 19, 2011 by londonthai

[Igor]

do the goverment not know that if they enforced the rule of the road and introduced a proper driving test system you might see this number at a 20th f the figure?

Somehow, I suspect it is the drinking skills not the driving skills that need work.