Bid To Reduce Accidents During New Year's Festival

[george]

Highway officials bid to reduce accidents during New Year's festival

BANGKOK, Nov 19 (TNA) - In an attempt to reduce road accidents during the upcoming New Year festival, the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation will organize a campaign called "Bangkok Countdown 2006" aimed at making motorists to be more responsible drivers.

Anucha Mokavej, Director-General of the department, said here on Friday that his department had joined with partners in organizing the "Bangkok Countdown 2006", and that the event would focus on preventing road accidents.

Exhibitions, giveaways and entertainment programs will also be held, according to Mr. Anucha.

More than 3,000 highway checkpoints will be set up throughoutb the kingdom with a round-the-clock hotline--1784--which will let drivers call for traffic information and seek help if they face any accident, he said.

With the festival drawing near, highway safety officials had set the targets for revelers losing lives in the central region at not more than 456 and injuries at not over 8,203, he added.

An operational centre for preventing and reducing road accidents during the New Year festival in the central region will also be set up in the department from December 28 2005-January 5, 2006, according to the department's chief.

--TNA 2005-11-19