Chiang Mai Ranks 3Rd In The Nation For Road Accident Deaths

[khwaibah]

Chiangmai Mail

Chiang Mai ranks 3rd in the nation for road accident deaths

Due to the high number of tourists and residents who are injured and die in Chiang Mai from road accidents the Committee for Accident Prevention and Road Traffic Management and the Thai Health Promotion Foundation Office called upon the government and relevant agencies to find a solution for the problem.

Dr. Teerawuth Komutbutr, a representative from the Committee noted that a large number of deaths were due to drunk driving and driving without a helmet. He added that the police said Chiang Mai ranks third behind Bangkok and Nakhon Ratchasima. He said approximately 3,903 people per one hundred thousand are injured in accidents every year while around 43 per 100,000 are killed annually making it the fifth leading cause of death in the nation.

The average age of victims of both injury and death are between the ages of 15-34 years old and include students, laborers, farmers, business people and tourists.

The doctor urged the government to declare road safety a national agenda, noting that the entire world is paying attention to the road accident death rate in Thailand as it now ranks 6th in the world and worst in the world for motorbike and two-wheeler deaths with more than 11,000 motorbike drivers or passengers dying annually. Motorbike accidents account for 70% of the country’s road fatalities. Dr. Teerawuth said that a key factor is enforcement of helmet laws, noting that mortality rates for those not wearing a helmet and in an accident are 80% higher than those who are wearing helmets.

He added that Chiang Mai has great potential to develop with its many attractions and leading institutions of higher education however, he concluded, it is crucial that the government provide education and enforcement of laws to prevent road accidents. “We need to make changes now,” Dr. Teerawuth concluded.

[simple1]

Great - about time. I am amazed there isn't a grass root campaign in Thailand to agitate for law enforcement to actually do their job & reduce the fatality rate.

[ARISTIDE]

I always thought Chiang Mai ranks 1st

[Greenside]

No Brainer (and completely cost free) solution to reducing at least some of the casualties in CM and elsewhere. Have the helmet roadblocks check and enforce that all lights on motorbikes are working. They could even (as a starter measure) provide free bulbs and then maybe progress onto selling them - a bit of socially beneficial private enterprise perhaps. Fines for no lights seems an obvious way to start improving things.

[uptheos]

No Brainer (and completely cost free) solution to reducing at least some of the casualties in CM and elsewhere. Have the helmet roadblocks check and enforce that all lights on motorbikes are working. They could even (as a starter measure) provide free bulbs and then maybe progress onto selling them - a bit of socially beneficial private enterprise perhaps. Fines for no lights seems an obvious way to start improving things.

They have to get the BIB out at nights and have breathalyser tests on car and truck drivers. Goodness knows, there's enough of them parked outside drinking establishments, restaurants etc.

Nail the drunk drivers and nail them hard!

[mesquite]

No Brainer (and completely cost free) solution to reducing at least some of the casualties in CM and elsewhere. Have the helmet roadblocks check and enforce that all lights on motorbikes are working. They could even (as a starter measure) provide free bulbs and then maybe progress onto selling them - a bit of socially beneficial private enterprise perhaps. Fines for no lights seems an obvious way to start improving things.

They have to get the BIB out at nights and have breathalyser tests on car and truck drivers. Goodness knows, there's enough of them parked outside drinking establishments, restaurants etc.

Nail the drunk drivers and nail them hard!

This is one area where countries like the US should use extraterritorial prosecution like they do with child molesters. Get two DWI's in a foreign country and bingo you're back in a US prison for a long time. Drunk drivers hurt and kill people including children as much as the other group.

Edited August 16, 2012 by mesquite

[uptheos]

No Brainer (and completely cost free) solution to reducing at least some of the casualties in CM and elsewhere. Have the helmet roadblocks check and enforce that all lights on motorbikes are working. They could even (as a starter measure) provide free bulbs and then maybe progress onto selling them - a bit of socially beneficial private enterprise perhaps. Fines for no lights seems an obvious way to start improving things.

They have to get the BIB out at nights and have breathalyser tests on car and truck drivers. Goodness knows, there's enough of them parked outside drinking establishments, restaurants etc.

Nail the drunk drivers and nail them hard!

This is one area where countries like the US should use extraterritorial prosecution like they do with child molesters. Get two DWI's in a foreign country and bingo you're back in a US prison for a long time. Drunk drivers hurt and kill people including children as much as the other group.

I've heard many car drivers discuss the problem of not wearing helmets, over a few large Chang's!

[isanbirder]

It's also 3rd in the country for population.

[khwaibah]

It's also 3rd in the country for population.

More like 6th.

Edited August 16, 2012 by khwaibah

[hellodolly]

When I fell asleep at the wheel in Canada I was in the room with a cop who told me falling asleep at the wheel was as big a problem as drunk driving. But it dosen't grab the head lines.

Here in Chiang Mai they could start inforcing the no helmet law when ever they see it being not obeyed. No need to only do iit at road blocks.

I found this paragraph interesting

"Motorbike accidents account for 70% of the country’s road fatalities. Dr. Teerawuth said that a key factor is enforcement of helmet laws, noting that mortality rates for those not wearing a helmet and in an accident are 80% higher than those who are wearing helmets."

So many times I hear people say the helmets are no good here in Thailand. Those statistics kind of disprove that rumor. They may not be the best but they do work.

[isanbirder]

It's also 3rd in the country for population.

More like 6th.

I tried another listing, and it said 5th (after Bangkok, Ubon, Korat, and Nakhon si Thammarat.). Oh well......

[TommoPhysicist]

I would suggest, for a start, they prohibit m/c hire companies from allowing those without a valid m/c license to hire a m/c.

Bloody huge fine and confiscation of m/c from the companies that fail to comply.

The amount of money they could collect each day from having a cop outside the Petronas petrol station in Moonmuang from 'wobbly foreign riders' would be a great little earner.

Edited August 16, 2012 by TommoPhysicist

[Howzitbro]

It seems rather simple - enforce the traffic laws. Fat chance I know, but still..........

[uptheos]

Here in Chiang Mai they could start inforcing the no helmet law when ever they see it being not obeyed. No need to only do iit at road blocks.

Agree 100%, trouble is the BIB would have to start fining themselves.

[slapout]

The only non use of helmet I can speak about with any knowledge, while having coffee/people watching at the Corner resturant on the moat. In the time from 0700 to 0800, I have counted during a 5 minute time span, a low of 60 up to a high of 100 driving without a helmet violations. Add in the 3 or more on the cycle, those going the wrong way, then throw in the non liscened driver, and/or cycles, and any other checks that the BIB wanted to make, bingo it could be jackpot time.

These figures hold fast for the 5 main working days, just not sure how the BIB would.could handle over 1000 citiations in such a short time, much less where they would have them park while awaiting ticketing.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

It's also 3rd in the country for population.

Indeed. (Or at least third in the combination of overall population in the province and population density in urban centers). Note that Khon Kaen and Ubon provinces officially have marginally more people than Chiang Mai, but that's people who are born and registered there, not the people actually living there. Chiang Mai is a place that people migrate *to*, Ubon and Khon Kaen are places that people migrate out of.

Edited August 16, 2012 by WinnieTheKhwai

[trainman34014]

Good report but, as always, rather sadly, it will fall on deaf ears. Three day 'crackdowns' are no use and we all know that the present helmet checkpoints are all about tea money. The BIB don't want to lose their nice little earners now do they? The will to enforce the laws that are already in place is just not there so it will be same old same, and then next year and the year after there will be more reports, more warnings that things need to be done blah blah blah.

[Johpa]

The only non use of helmet I can speak about with any knowledge, while having coffee/people watching at the Corner resturant on the moat. In the time from 0700 to 0800, I have counted during a 5 minute time span, a low of 60 up to a high of 100 driving without a helmet violations.

And how many were wearing those 300 baat plastic helmets that provide little in the way of cranial protection? The problem is not helmets, the problems are drugs: drunk car drivers and hyped up on amphetamines truck drivers. And the associated problem is a corrupt police force that is not able to enforce the laws on certain segments of the population, including the truck drivers whose employers pay off the police. There was another very serious accident just last week where a local ex-pat was just minding his business driving a scooter down the road and was hit by a truck that did not stop and the man is now paralyzed. And the beat goes on......

[MilesCh]

Perhaps motorbike riders would be more careful if they didn't have the absolute right-of-way. Hell, when a bike cuts in front of a car/truck going in the same direction enforce a distance law between vehicles. Also enforce use of turning signals -- how many times have you waited at an intersection only to find that the next couple of bikes coming at you will be turning and without signalling.

And to start with, the driver's handbook could be made available as a must-purchase or rental to receive a driver's license, then a written test within a short period of time.

[KRS1]

No Brainer (and completely cost free) solution to reducing at least some of the casualties in CM and elsewhere. Have the helmet roadblocks check and enforce that all lights on motorbikes are working. They could even (as a starter measure) provide free bulbs and then maybe progress onto selling them - a bit of socially beneficial private enterprise perhaps. Fines for no lights seems an obvious way to start improving things.

They have to get the BIB out at nights and have breathalyser tests on car and truck drivers. Goodness knows, there's enough of them parked outside drinking establishments, restaurants etc.

Nail the drunk drivers and nail them hard!

I think it would be better to nail the drivers that don't know how to drive drunk.

It should be a law to turn on your hazard lights when your driving drunk and drive less than 40 kph. Many would comply, lives would be saved, arrest would drop.

Only problem is...it would take me forever to get home.

[uptheos]

Went past a couple of establishments tonight, where farang's were guzzling copious amount of beer. I know a few of them had their cars/trucks and I'm sure others did. BIB could just stand on the corner at midnight, the minute they pull away breathalyser them and those over the limit (which will be almost everyone) nail them hard, take the vehicle away permanently and put them in the clink for a few days. Not just the farang's, but the Thai places too. There's a little goldmine to be had and at the same time do a good public service.

Edited August 16, 2012 by uptheos

[hellodolly]

The only non use of helmet I can speak about with any knowledge, while having coffee/people watching at the Corner resturant on the moat. In the time from 0700 to 0800, I have counted during a 5 minute time span, a low of 60 up to a high of 100 driving without a helmet violations.

And how many were wearing those 300 baat plastic helmets that provide little in the way of cranial protection? The problem is not helmets, the problems are drugs: drunk car drivers and hyped up on amphetamines truck drivers. And the associated problem is a corrupt police force that is not able to enforce the laws on certain segments of the population, including the truck drivers whose employers pay off the police. There was another very serious accident just last week where a local ex-pat was just minding his business driving a scooter down the road and was hit by a truck that did not stop and the man is now paralyzed. And the beat goes on......

As stated earlier 80% of the motor bike deaths are by people not wearing a helmet. You can't seriously believe that all those Thai's have 2,000 baht helmets on can you. It dosen't take much for a head blow to kill you and at the normal speeds in Chiang Mai it would take several blows to break the helmet where as only one to kill. You can fall down and hit your head on the table and die.

Not saying cheap helmets are the answer but they sure do save a lot of lives.

[happysanook]

Great - about time. I am amazed there isn't a grass root campaign in Thailand to agitate for law enforcement to actually do their job & reduce the fatality rate.

I'd be amazed if there was one. This is the last thing they care or think about.

[LarryBird]

It's also 3rd in the country for population.

It gives the statistic as a rate.

[LarryBird]

People die in car crashes everywhere. what's it matter if some places have higher rates than other places???

[hellodolly]

People die in car crashes everywhere. what's it matter if some places have higher rates than other places???

Tough Job but some one has to do it.