Thai roads are the biggest killer of Americans abroad

[sojourner007]

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/12/13/us-road-crashes-americans-abroad-idUKBRE9BC0XN20131213

[angsta]

Thai Roads Vs Teenagers with automatic rifles...who ya got?

[craigt3365]

Thailand topped the list of traffic fatalities with 16.5 deaths per million visits, followed by Vietnam, with 15 fatal road accidents per million visits. A majority of those deaths involved motorcycles or scooters.

Not very good statistics. Several countries are listing Thailand as the most dangerous with regards to traffic fatalities.

[Paangjang]

"The hub of death" What do you think to that 1 TAT? Catchy enough slogan?

[stevenl]

Nothing of the header to this thread is claimed in the article.

[lomatopo]

U.S. State Department data showed a total of 5,417 unnatural deaths among Americans abroad during the six-year study period

, 2003 - 2009.

So fewer than 1,000 per year.

In Thailand 16.5 deaths per million "visits" for traffic fatalities, and 5.5 deaths for homicide, again over the six year period.

To put that in perspective, in a single year, 2010, in the U.S. ...

120,589 unintentional injury deaths

26,009 of those from falls

33,687 of those from motor vehicle accidents

33,041 of those from unintentional poisoning (most from abuse of prescription and illegal drugs)

In this same year, 2010, in the U.S. there were 38,364 suicides.

People go on vacation, they get liquored up and do stupid things. The motorbikes, different side of the road and alcohol all probably contribute to the Thai figures?

My SWAG on the U.S. figures leads to ~ 70 deaths from traffic fatalities over the six-year period, and ~ 23 homicides over the same period, for Thailand.

[craigt3365]

Understood, but Thailand is still a much more dangerous place for travel than either the US or Europe, in terms of road travel. Yes, a lot of it is attributed to tourists on scooters who don't have much experience...but still...getting around here is a lot more dangerous than getting around in more developed countries.

I believe Thailand is #1 for deaths of British tourists also????

[thrilled]

When I first came to Thailand in 71,no one had to explain to me the dangers of Thai's on their roads.Since then the roads have gotten bigger.I believe as for Thai's and their driving,maybe their getting more bolder.However ya want to put it.It's dangerous out there.

[qdinthailand]

It said bus and train travel is a safer mode of travel than car or motorcycle (for all you, oh my god, another bus crash/train derailment people). Getting in an automobile is more dangerous than public transportation. (Ever check your friends driving record? check his license? before you hop in his car for that trip to Bangkok/Pattaya/Hua Hin?)

Few Americans are licensed to ride motorcycles or have any experience on a motorbike. It's not hard to understand the statistics. They see the other farang riding bikes and think, "I can do that", not understanding that other farang nay have come from a country with a bigger bike culture than the U.S.

[JeremyBowskill]

quelle surprise?

[Mrjlh]

Totally bogus report. Another case of making statistics match your opinion. More Brits actually die in Thailand than Americans. Why? More Brits visit or live Thailand than Americans. It's a numbers game. Statistically it just by the numbers, Brits are more likely to die in Thailand from all causes. There is a news report published (I just can't find it now) that showed the actual numbers by country of those who died in Thailand. Americans where down the list a ways. I think even the Russians beat us, but quote me on that.

edited: Not the one I was looking for but very interesting stats anyway.

http://www.worldlifeexpectancy.com/cause-of-death/road-traffic-accidents/by-country/

[craigt3365]

Totally bogus report. Another case of making statistics match your opinion. More Brits actually die in Thailand than Americans. Why? More Brits visit or live Thailand than Americans. It's a numbers game. Statistically it just by the numbers, Brits are more likely to die in Thailand from all causes. There is a news report published (I just can't find it now) that showed the actual numbers by country of those who died in Thailand. Americans where down the list a ways. I think even the Russians beat us, but quote me on that.

edited: Not the one I was looking for but very interesting stats anyway.

http://www.worldlifeexpectancy.com/cause-of-death/road-traffic-accidents/by-country/

I'm sure you are right about more British deaths here than Americans, but this report is just about Americans. It's not saying more of them are killed here than other nationalities, just that more die here than in other countries. Surprising as some 20 million visit Mexico each year. Not as many scooters there, but still...I would think road deaths would be higher.

[roamer]

When I first came to Thailand in 71,no one had to explain to me the dangers of Thai's on their roads.Since then the roads have gotten bigger.I believe as for Thai's and their driving,maybe their getting more bolder.However ya want to put it.It's dangerous out there.

Agreed. I think for many though its difficult to picture how different it was back then. It was low speed danger,fast cars few and far between as were the roads.

Still, there are statistics within statistics.

And it is the motorcycle accident rate that totally distorts the picture.

It's really a no brainer, which is also what happens when your head hits the road without a helmet.

[wayned]

I can imagine what the statistics in the US would look like if 80% of the population traded in the cars for motorbikes. Rush hour in LA or NY would be scene of total carnage!

[lomatopo]

An average of 12 deaths per year (11 in 2012) from car/motorcycle acidents, with ~ 650,000 visits (tourists) - note that some/many/most could also be retirees/ex-pats/long-stay/non-I/O/B as there doesn't seem to be a distinction - so I guess I'm surprised the figure isn't greater?

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/636212-death-of-u-s-citizens-in-thailand-by-non-natural-causes/

[55Jay]

I had to look it up because I just couldn't handle the idea of State spending 51.6 Billion, with a B, just on protecting citizens traveling abroad. Much less "at home", where there's already a plethora of government officials falling over each other to protect me. The warm, fuzzy feeling of safety being in the USA was strangely arousing, until I cracked one eye open and saw it was a male TSA agent with his hands on my ass.

Anyway, turns out 51.6 Billion was State's total operating budget request for FY13, including USAID and other programs.

I still am curious how State's Public Health Interventions have reduced homicides or how, if more funding was given as Professor Bishai seems to indicate, they might prevent us from becoming Phad Thai Road Kill.

[01322521959]

Well, I rode my pushbike 3 kms yesterday and counted 28 traffic offences, one nearly causing an accident, motorcycle taxi going the wrong way at what appeared to be at least 80kph past a turning on the wrong side of the road. Me, well I felt a little guilty as I wasn't wearing a cycle helmet..

[qdinthailand]

I can imagine what the statistics in the US would look like if 80% of the population traded in the cars for motorbikes. Rush hour in LA or NY would be scene of total carnage!

Your problem is, you can't imagine what L.A. would be like with 80% fewer vehicles.

Nothing like it is now I would imagine. There would probably a good public transportation system - subways, buses, trains - and less space devoted to freeways. Imagine what LA would be like if ribbons of concrete didn't cut off and isolate large sections of the city from neighbors living a few hundred feet away?

I know, hard to imagine. But, what if...

[Mrjlh]

Totally bogus report. Another case of making statistics match your opinion. More Brits actually die in Thailand than Americans. Why? More Brits visit or live Thailand than Americans. It's a numbers game. Statistically it just by the numbers, Brits are more likely to die in Thailand from all causes. There is a news report published (I just can't find it now) that showed the actual numbers by country of those who died in Thailand. Americans where down the list a ways. I think even the Russians beat us, but quote me on that.

edited: Not the one I was looking for but very interesting stats anyway.

http://www.worldlifeexpectancy.com/cause-of-death/road-traffic-accidents/by-country/

I'm sure you are right about more British deaths here than Americans, but this report is just about Americans. It's not saying more of them are killed here than other nationalities, just that more die here than in other countries. Surprising as some 20 million visit Mexico each year. Not as many scooters there, but still...I would think road deaths would be higher.

Somewhere my muddled brain was thinking Reuters was British paper. Wrong corporate hqs is in New York. dam_n been retired tooooo long....