One Child Dies Every Hour

[Jai Dee]

AN AVERAGE OF ONE THAI CHILD DIE EVERY HOUR FROM MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENT

The Thai Health Promotion Foundation has indicated that the trend of Thais aged less than 15 years losing their lives from motorcycle accidents has continuously amplified. Right now, the figure is averaging one Thai youth per hour.

Md. CHAMAIPHAN SANTIKARN (ชไมพันธุ์ สันติกาญจน์), the manager of a project to promote helmet-wearing among motorcyclists, said losses incurred from motorcycle accidents have prompted the Public Health Ministry to collaborate with the foundation in arranging the project. The project is being piloted in 15 provinces of Thailand, including Bangkok.

Md. CHAMAIPHAN said statistics show that deaths from motorcycles average at a minimum of one person per hour, while this rate increases to three people an hour during festival periods. Of these, 1.4% is children aged less than 15 years. However, during festival periods, around three to four children die from such accidents. Furthermore, as many as 13,589 Thais aged less than 15 suffer severe injuries from motorcycle usage per year. This averages to 1.5 people per hour, while the fatalities rate for the age group stood at 1.4 people per day, notably 13 times more than dengue fever.

Md. CHAMAIPHAN added that if 90% of children on motorcycles wear helmets then this would help to reduce the number of children fatalities by at least 150 per year. Meanwhile, it would help reduce severe head injuries by at least 5,000 cases per year, and reduce economic losses by at least 100 million baht annually.

Source: thaisnews.com ประจำวันศุกร์ที่ 30 กันยายน 2548

[smacko]

1 per hour!!!! thats crazy... wear your helmets people!

[Mighty Mouse]

These are frightening statistics, yet the traffic police still don't perform any meaningful enforcement of the traffic laws.

That's probably because most of the Thai motor cycle riders couldn't afford to pay the fines anyway. It is far easier and more lucrative for the cop to invent a traffic offence for the next farang that is unfortunate enough to drive past.

[chownah]

The statistics in the article are really confusing and garbled....makes me think they are incorrect....regardless, there are way too many deaths on the roads of Thailand....wear a helmet if you want or not...its up to you and only affects your life...on the other hand drinking and driving not only jeoprodizes yourself but also many innocent helmet wearing children.

[lopburi3]

I really wish people would read before they cut and paste trash like this. Headline is wrong. Period.

[RamdomChances]

Md. CHAMAIPHAN said statistics show that deaths from motorcycles average at a minimum of one person per hour, while this rate increases to three people an hour during festival periods. Of these, 1.4% is children aged less than 15 years

OK I tahke it that "average at a minimum of one person per hour" is the actuall yearly average and of those 1.4% are below the age if 15.....so

There are 8760 hrs a year. which would work out to 8760 deaths 1.4 % or about 123 per year would be under 15......that works out to 0.014 children die/hour....just does'nt make the same sort of headline, does it?

Apparently though

Md. CHAMAIPHAN added that if 90% of children on motorcycles wear helmets then this would help to reduce the number of children fatalities by at least 150 per year

Which is'nt bad considering that from the stats...there are only 123 fatlaities/year

[Jai Dee]

I really wish people would read before they cut and paste trash like this.  Headline is wrong.  Period.

With respect lopburi3, the headline was quoted as well. Period.

And although I have not made any comment on the article so far, I personally think it's an important and disturbing issue.

[lopburi3]

I really wish people would read before they cut and paste trash like this.  Headline is wrong.  Period.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

With respect lopburi3, the headline was quoted as well. Period.

And although I have not made any comment on the article so far, I personally think it's an important and disturbing issue.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Can't you see that it is garbage? The figures do not match. As is the case in many, many press items here. I do not like misleading headlines. Repeating a "fire" cry does not make it right.

[mumbojumbo]

1 per hour!!!! thats crazy...  wear your helmets people!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Especially the thin plastic toy-looking ones and don't bother to connect the neck strap.

One per hour is probably correct during the Sonkran festival.

[Thaipwriter]

Does Thailand have the equivalent of the "organ donor" card that the UK has??

[PeaceBlondie]

Agreed, the article is yet another example that there are no reasonable statistics in Thailand. And as Chownah and others said, there are way too many motorcycle deaths here.

Head injuries are the most obvious. My best student died from head injuries, but the helmet was sitting in the basket when they got hit. Happens every day. Also, Thais just start riding bikes without a safety course. Most of the bikes are underpowered with only a pilot, most have bad brakes and wheels even when new. They are neither maintained properly nor driven properly. While any foam-lined helmet is better than nothing, the cheapies you see 90% of the time aren't half good enough.

I'm on holiday in Spain, and I see helmets worn all the time, helmets that meet Euro crash standards, and many are full-face, even on small scooters.

Life is too cheap in Thailand. Rich kids ride in BMW cars.