33 Dead As " Seven Dangerous Days " Of New Year's Break Begin: Thailand

[oldsailor35]

Its not just Thailand.

Check out road deaths in Uk,so far over the festive season.

They have a stringent testing process in place.

I read an article that says 7 have died in the UK since Christmas Eve.

Official figures for just yesterday in Thailand stand at 32.

I reckon if you have millions screaming around on mopeds on main roads in the UK the road toll would also be a lot higher there. Would like to see breakdown of statistics - passenger car accidents in both countries, for example. Around 90% of the accidents in Thailand involve bikes (mostly) and pickup trucks.

But they would at least have licences and adequate training !

[OzMick]

I wonder how many TV,ers could go back to the homeland and pass the requisite test,for a license in the home country.

Very few,I would think.

Here's one - car and motorcycle. Turns out it was completely unnecessary - clerical stuff-up.

[kimamey]

Its not just Thailand.

Check out road deaths in Uk,so far over the festive season.

They have a stringent testing process in place.

I'm not sure if you're suggesting that road deaths in the UK are high as well (which they're not) or pointing out the reduction in road deaths that comes from testing. I think there has been an increase this year for the first time in ages but it's still under or around the 2000 mark for a population similar to Thailand although there are less bikes of course.

[johnopolo]

You wimps had better steer clear of South Africa. The population is around 50 million, less than ten percent of the populace own a vehicle of any description (including bicycles) and there are no motorcycles to speak of. I quote news reported today: "Over 1 000 people have so far been reported as having died due to road crashes since December 1" http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Festive-carnage-concerning-dept-20121227 But, that's just the start of it - the real mayhem will begin today!

[jobsworth]

Gently pulling on the handbrake usually wakes them up:-)

I don't recommend this but when I become desperate what I do is to

bring my right foot across to the left and gently press on the brake pedal.

This turns on the brake lights without applying the brakes.

Check you mirror to ensure that the car behind has enough room

in front of the car behind him so that he can safely brake.

This opens up the gap.

If you want to be really hostile and again I don't recommend this

then accelerate away.

This is only to be done as a last resort in a potential accident situation.

[flamesfan]

The only way you are going to reduce accidents involving alcohol is to install in every motorbike and car is a guardian interlock device. In Canada I had a DUI and the court imposed a restriction on driving providing they could install a device which you have to provide a breath sample in order to start the vehicle. Once you passed the test you could proceed to start your vehicle and drive. The other catch was that this machine could go off any time within a 45 minute interval and ask you to provide another sample! For example if I had to make a 5 hour trip this machine would go off 5,6, or 7 times! In the year I had it , I never had a drink and then tried to drive. Now, if you think you can get someone else not drinking to blow in this contraption it is not easy. I had to go to a school to learn hoe to provide a breath sample. You had to blow for 5 seconds and then hum for another 3 seconds! Not easy, even at times I had to do more than once. If you try more than 3 times the car locks down. If you blow over not only the car locks down but an alarm is triggered! Now all of this is data is then sent through to Guardian. I had this device for a year at a cost of $100/month. This was in 1995! It has been suggested that this might someday be a standard feature on every vehicle and motorbike. Recent costs for this to be factory included is about $1000.00. Thee biggest obstacle is who would fund the personnel to run the entire program as it would require a huge network. Talks have suggested the insurance companies could subsidize this part of it, as it would reduce injury/death payments astronomically! Just my 2 cents!

[Jayroo]

you may be safer on the roads in the UK, but in danger once you reach your destination, with all the abhorrent, raging alcoholics that can't handle their drink in the UK. The most violet in the world, yes I'd rather be in Thailand.

complete nonsense....of Course you would never see this in Australia?, can you also explain what this has to do with Drunk Thais Driving over the Holiday period???

I love bbq baby corn...

[lee68]

Here is a novel idea start making people wear seatbelts.

Yes there should be a fine for people that are drinking and driving. The fine should be we take your car for 24 hours instead of a nose check I would suggest that they get peoplewith breathalyzer training and use the road side test.

i knowmany Thais that sit and drink then get on the bikes to go home.

I know many falangs that also do it,that would not think of doing it in there own country!

[JoeW]

It's also just the lack of being logical while driving...many accidents could be avoided if people would keep at least 30 meters between each other.

Yesterday I had a few vans and buses drive at 5 meters from me...and I was going 110 km/h...

When buses or trucks sit on my bumper in heavy traffic I break a little, then speed up to make some room, if they continue to sit dangerously close I wait for a hill and slow to a complete stop to give them a few minutes to think about how to keep safe on the roads.

I tend to do something like that from time to time, but not when I have my 6 month old son in the car

[tropo]

These New Years road death figures are just sensationalistic nonsense. Why don't they give us the figures for the rest of the year and give us the net increase over this period. How many people died on the roads in the weeks before?

Edited December 28, 2012 by tropo

[fiberman]

Its not just Thailand.

Check out road deaths in Uk,so far over the festive season.

They have a stringent testing process in place.

So.. which roads would you rather be driving on.. ''UK' or ''Thailand'' ...

I know where i would feel safer... but thats me....

you may be safer on the roads in the UK, but in danger once you reach your destination, with all the abhorrent, raging alcoholics that can't handle their drink in the UK. The most violet in the world, yes I'd rather be in Thailand.

So you would rather be hit by a truck than some drunks fist, hmmmm!! Most of them tend to be green rather than violet by the way, 10 pints of beer tends to have that effect .

[edwinchester]

Gently pulling on the handbrake usually wakes them up:-)

I don't recommend this but when I become desperate what I do is to

bring my right foot across to the left and gently press on the brake pedal.

This turns on the brake lights without applying the brakes.

Check you mirror to ensure that the car behind has enough room

in front of the car behind him so that he can safely brake.

This opens up the gap.

If you want to be really hostile and again I don't recommend this

then accelerate away.

This is only to be done as a last resort in a potential accident situation.

I agree with what you suggest.

My reply was a lighthearted jest and not something I would honestly recommend.

[thomash]

Traffic laws are just a minor inconvenience for most Thais and as far as safety that is not in their vocabulary. When I drive in Thailand I always assume no one is thinking or looking and about 80% of the time I am right. It is dangerous enough driving in Thailand during the broad day light forget about it on New years eve with most people drinking and driving as they say it's an accident waiting to happen. So it is better to just stay home and have a good time at home or it just might be your last new years eve.

[MaxYakov]

Gently pulling on the handbrake usually wakes them up:-)

I used to use the handbrake only when I didn't want the brake light to turn on, so this is potentially dangerous with a tail-gating car if one's handbrake doesn't turn on the brake lights. What I used to do with tail-gating cars is start radically weaving without slowing (indicating that I wanted them off my you-know-what). This is only if I could not change lanes to let them by.

My philosophy about following too closely that it is an indication to me of a 'desire to pass' by the following car and I would initiate a lane change as soon as possible or find some way to relinquish the lane. I didn't see it as my job to enforce speed laws with my vehicle and actions. If they wanted to go faster than than I, then I let them by. This helps avoid a potential road-rage situation as well.

I heard an interview with the at-the-time Director of the California Department of Motor Vehicles and it was his opinion that following too closely was the biggest cause of accidents. That may be true, but the reality is that during commute hours, if cars did not tailgate at high speeds (maintain a safe distance), the commute would take much longer because the highway throughput would be less due to less vehicle density.

I got initiated to this situation one during a morning commute into San Francisco on Hwy 24 (I typically avoided peak commute hours like the plague). All I could do is shake my head and hope that nobody screws up. That's the bottom line, the high-speed, high-density commute drivers have to be alert, skilled and no mistakes or a multi-vehicle pile-up would likely occurs.

Edited December 28, 2012 by MaxYakov

[lannaman]

I am surprised there aren't more accdents considering the appalling driving I see on Chiang Rai road from drivers with City of Angel number plates - too fast and little consideration for other road users. Lannaman will be happy to see them all go home, that is if they return there alive!

[tropo]

I am surprised there aren't more accdents considering the appalling driving I see on Chiang Rai road from drivers with City of Angel number plates - too fast and little consideration for other road users. Lannaman will be happy to see them all go home, that is if they return there alive!

A lot of people talk about how dangerous the roads in Pattaya are (all year round), but I'm also surprised there aren't more deaths. There are so many insanely dangerous drivers here.

[saroq]

Its not just Thailand.

Check out road deaths in Uk,so far over the festive season.

They have a stringent testing process in place.

I read an article that says 7 have died in the UK since Christmas Eve.

Official figures for just yesterday in Thailand stand at 32.

Just out of interest does anyone know the populations of both or better still the driving population of both?

[saroq]

I wonder how many TV,ers could go back to the homeland and pass the requisite test,for a license in the home country.

Very few,I would think.

But at least we passed a proper test to get our first driver's license.

[simple1]

In my opinion, one of the issues in Thailand is the actual Q & A test for the license. Their are no questions related to drink driving e.g. how many glasses per hour for average person to be over the limit, nor questions on stopping distances. So from the get go no incentive to even think about speed & drink driving, the primary causes of death on the roads. Also drivers are not tested on the open road for control of the car prior to issuing a license. Just think, their are no L plates in Thailand.

[Tanaka]

Its not just Thailand.

Check out road deaths in Uk,so far over the festive season.

They have a stringent testing process in place.

Yes, UK in 2011 approx 2,000 road deaths and population of 62,641,000, compared to around 12,000 in Thailand with a population of 69,518,555. Huge difference.

12000 in Thailand do not even cover the deaths on motorbikes in year. It is the official statistics but the total number road fatalities is MUCH higher.

[DrFloyd]

I am surprised there aren't more accdents considering the appalling driving I see on Chiang Rai road from drivers with City of Angel number plates - too fast and little consideration for other road users. Lannaman will be happy to see them all go home, that is if they return there alive!

A lot of people talk about how dangerous the roads in Pattaya are (all year round), but I'm also surprised there aren't more deaths. There are so many insanely dangerous drivers here.

Most of the deaths and injuries are simply nor accounted for , that's why those numbers are absolute poppycock.

[tropo]

In my opinion, one of the issues in Thailand is the actual Q & A test for the license. Their are no questions related to drink driving e.g. how many glasses per hour for average person to be over the limit, nor questions on stopping distances. So from the get go no incentive to even think about speed & drink driving, the primary causes of death on the roads. Also drivers are not tested on the open road for control of the car prior to issuing a license. Just think, their are no L plates in Thailand.

You can make the tests as thorough and as difficult as you like. It won't make one iota of difference on the roads. That's up to enforcement of the traffic laws - something which is not taken seriously here.

In Pattaya the traffic police are mainly focused on catching foreigners riding bikes without helmets. I've never ever seen a driver booked for driving dangerously. I've never seen anyone booked for jumping a red light. I've never seen anyone booked for passing on double orange centre lines. I don't see them stopping unlicensed school kids riding 4 up.

I have seen them grab motorcycles and keys from foreigners stopped 2 inches over the (faded) white line at the traffic lights though. Yeah - they're really focused on road safety, aren't they?

Edited December 28, 2012 by tropo

[Potosi]

Girlfriend got picked up today by her family to spend new-year's eve in Isaan. About ten people in the truck and on its bed. The driver had a couple of beer before the long journey. Girlfriend tried to open the crown caps of the bottles with a can opener, one of modern ones with a spinning handle, and this was before she had a beer.

[NoshowJones]

No passing will be allowed on these seven roads.

OK what about the drivers who drive too slow? I mean too slow, these drivers can be as dangerous on the road as the speedsters.

[NoshowJones]

no passing allowed...so I better drive on the right side of the road the whole time?

They will just pass you on the inside then, and on the highway, on the hard shoulder. They do it all the time.

[tropo]

No passing will be allowed on these seven roads.

OK what about the drivers who drive too slow? I mean too slow, these drivers can be as dangerous on the road as the speedsters.

You'll probably find that the drivers you're accusing of driving too slowly are driving at the speed limit.

[advancebooking]

Maybe try making the driving test for both bikes and cars to a better standard as the test the country has is a joke, stevie wonder could pass both of them. IMO this is the reason there are some many deaths on the roads here serious lack of education on road safety and pretty much everything else.

I concur with the above. Also, teach the thai's not to 'tailgate'. Why do these stupid van drivers drive so fast and 3 m behind the car in front. Its so dangerous and during the year Ive never seen any highway patrol on the roads. Its a joke. The drivers in this country go as fast as they want.

[NoshowJones]

Maybe try making the driving test for both bikes and cars to a better standard as the test the country has is a joke, stevie wonder could pass both of them. IMO this is the reason there are some many deaths on the roads here serious lack of education on road safety and pretty much everything else.

It won't matter how hard the driving test is, to drive safely, you need a lot of common sense. That is one thing most Thais do not have, especially on the roads.

[tropo]

The drivers in this country go as fast as they want.

The drivers in your country would most likely be driving as fast as they want too. Speed cameras and radar were introduced to make them more honest.

In Australia it was like the wild west too.... then they introduced random breath testing, speed cameras, red light cameras and big fines - plus a points system.

[tropo]

]It won't matter how hard the driving test is, to drive safely, you need a lot of common sense. That is one thing most Thais do not have, especially on the roads.

LOL. The common sense in your country is probably just the sense to not get booked. Take away all traffic law enforcement in your own country and let's see how much common sense most drivers display.

(or are you just Thai bashing?)