How Many More Victims Must Die On Thailand's Public Buses?

[hellodolly]

The populations of Thailand and the UK are broadly similar. Total road traffic deaths in the uk in 2010 were approx 2000, in Thailand 20,000. I think that statistic says it all. Until there is a tenfold increase in driver skills, awareness, consideration, safety awareness, road traffic rules awareness, common sense (as if!) etc. nothing much will change.

A little bit out of focus here aren't you.Yes Thailand has it's share of bad drivers.

What it dosen't have is the quality infrastructure England does.

Also the people in the know will tell you that the first hour after the accident is the most critical where as England pretty well has resources that can be on the scene within the hour

Thailand is not that far advanced with there emergency response to accidents. Some can take hours.

Also look at the number of tourists who have never been on a motorbike in their life jumping on one and racing around with out a clue as to how to handle one. I believe the most accidental deaths in Phuket are tourists trying to be Evel Knievel

[oops]

As a user of the buses along Ramkhamhaeng road, I concur that just closing the doors would go a long way to help safety.

My personal observations are the doors seem to stay open for several reasons:

Greater air flow (in the non-aircon buses). The buses do get very hot.

For quicker entry and exit to and from the bus.

The entry and exit from the bus can be a challenge. Many times the drivers don't see a need to bring the bus to a complete stop, preferring to go as slowly as they can, while you exit. Wearing flip flops on exit can be a challenge, made worse by a broken roadside or footpath. Make sure you have both hands free for support.

Entry can also be challenging; Step down from the gutter, grab hold of the slowly moving bus, hope that the driver doesn't accelerate too fast or change lanes at an acute angle. Front or back door just as challenging.

Some small changes and enforcement of keeping doors closed would go a long way to keeping people safe. This unfortunate girl in the article must be one of many that has been hurt or killed in this way over the years.

Yes....I have experienced this myself. I one point I almost broke my ankle getting off the bus, because the bus driver wouldn't come to a complete stop. While landing I landed on a crack in the pavement. It took me month for my ankle to heal....no pun intended..

[oops]

Things will never change until they hold the owners of the company liable for any accidents that occure. Once they start holding them responsible they will change who they hire and

how they keep their jobs.

The secound thing should be the insurance company's making it manditory that each driver carry an independent insurance policy, because if the motor vehicle division can't keep track you can bet after having to pay out a couple of times the insurance company will make sure the driver doesn't drive anymore.

This will most likely never happen.

[belg]

aren't you supposed to hold on to something on the bus, so you would not fall on the floor or out of the bus ? same same as security belts missing in 100% of taxis