DLT and Road Safety Fund work together to reduce likelihood of road accidents

[webfact]

DLT and Road Safety Fund work together to reduce likelihood of road accidents

BANGKOK, 29 July 2014 (NNT) - The Department of Land Transport (DLT) has teamed up with the Road Safety Fund network in a campaign to promote safe driving and reduce road accidents.

DLT Director-General Adsathai Rattanadilok na Phuket revealed that since 2005, there have been at least 100,000 to 120,000 road accidents in Thailand, causing a heavy loss and damage to lives and property.

The DLT and the Road Safety Fund are therefore implementing several measures to create safety environment for road users. They have also been supporting road security plans proposed by other units and provide financial assistance to people who become crippled by road accidents.


-- NNT 2014-07-29

[clockman]

Always lots of talk!

[bangkokheat]

oh this will be interesting, cant wait for the life saving measures and the estimate of how many lives will be saved each year

[robertthebruce]

One thing , at least they are aware of the problem, but the thing is it's the whole of Thailand, that needs to change driving habits and skills...

The death toll here in Thailand, is like water of a ducks back, it just does not seem to bother them..

Sad loss of lives....

[CelticBhoy]

I thought DLT was banged-up with Rolf Harris.

[NongKhaiKid]

I thought DLT was banged-up with Rolf Harris.

The charges were dropped when he offered to be DJ on the prison radio

[gemini81]

Always lots of talk!

Any more hot air, and they'll turn into a balloon and float away. Then there will have to be air safety considerations for all the dangerous floating balloon fliers over Thai skies.

[NongKhaiKid]

One thing , at least they are aware of the problem, but the thing is it's the whole of Thailand, that needs to change driving habits and skills...

The death toll here in Thailand, is like water of a ducks back, it just does not seem to bother them..

Sad loss of lives....

Just think what's needed, a sea change in the habits of a lifetime.

The BIB to actually do their job and no ' special on the spot fines ', as if that will ever happen.

The courts to impose proper penalties and disqualify drivers for lengthy periods not the 5 / 10 days mentioned a couple of weeks ago. Driving while disqualified to mean jail time.

and on and on with too many measures to be mentioned here but this will never happen because there's not the will and never will be.

However keep talking and make it look as if something is being done.

[Hawk]

Nothing will reduce the likelihood because in Thailand road accidents are part of everyday life(or death).

[Nampetch]

Maybe speed bumps (sleeping policemen) every 100m? Na, forget that idea. The SUVs and Isuzu's would still crack-on over them at 100mph, causing more accidents.

Which brings us to the only logical step (which has also been considered in the US and EU very recently), and that is all cars having speed limiters as a legal requirement. Many in Europe argued that it took away 'freedom', and was equivalent to Big Brother. I argue against that - if you want to use the roads in a car, or on a motorbike for that matter, then you must obey the law. If the law stipulates that you have a max travel speed, then so be it. Nobody likes paying bills, but if you choose to be a part of society then you must pay your bills. Same applies to driving, does it not?

Edited July 29, 2014 by Nampetch

[Jonmarleesco]

How many Thai drivers actually know the road rules and can recognise the road signs and road markings? Little point in any campaign which is aimed at a target market that doesn't understand the underlying fundamentals.

[robsamui]

How many Thai drivers actually know the road rules and can recognise the road signs and road markings? Little point in any campaign which is aimed at a target market that doesn't understand the underlying fundamentals.

Add that to a police force which does not enforce the laws and there is an instance recipe for carnage and destruction.

R

[Emster23]

Just promoting seat belts would be a good start. Somehow it seems many cannot connect the dots regarding road deaths: "Gee that could have been me" just doesn't pop up on the radar.

[kleelof]

Step 1 - Get the police to actually enforce the driving rules.

I'm sure people from Western countries think their roads are safe because everyone wants to drive more safely. But this is not the whole truth. A big part of it is that drivers KNOW there are real consequences for breaking the rules.

If the police actually went to lengths to penalize drivers, eventually the number of accidents would decrease.

But, instead, they just put up the monthly helmet and papers checks and spend the rest of the month drinking coffee.

[taony]

Build a road!!

[mrtoad]

I thought DLT was banged-up with Rolf Harris.

I think he was Jimmy Saviles mate to be honest

Second from left.

[thhMan]

Thais get their driving habits at around age 12, when their parents buy them a motorbike to get to school. By the time they are legally able to drive/ride, they already know their rules (as opposed to the proper rules)... sic

[ChrisY1]

It will be a hard task to reduce road fatalities from the current ~30000 each year......this is at the crash site.....probably another 3-5000 afterwards......it's a staggering statistic.....and mostly all through stupidity....and of course "brake failure"!

[selftaopath]

Maybe speed bumps (sleeping policemen) every 100m? Na, forget that idea. The SUVs and Isuzu's would still crack-on over them at 100mph, causing more accidents.

Which brings us to the only logical step (which has also been considered in the US and EU very recently), and that is all cars having speed limiters as a legal requirement. Many in Europe argued that it took away 'freedom', and was equivalent to Big Brother. I argue against that - if you want to use the roads in a car, or on a motorbike for that matter, then you must obey the law. If the law stipulates that you have a max travel speed, then so be it. Nobody likes paying bills, but if you choose to be a part of society then you must pay your bills. Same applies to driving, does it not?

As a result of observing Thai behavior I an only conclude that - contrary to Thai talk a/b being community minded - they are NOT. Community minded and part of a society means accepting laws that benefit the masses. Thais - as far as I've observed - think mostly/only a/b themselves i.e. me me me me me. When have you ever been allow entry into traffic by a Thai? I know they will usually drive you off a cliff to be FIRST. Speeding and reckless driving is not society/community minded. I am sure many can add examples of this indicating a lack of a societal mindset in the Thai behavior.

[surinderek]

I thought DLT was banged-up with Rolf Harris.

If not, should be

[impulse]

I looked out my high rise (not hi-so) office window today on the busy red light intersection below. Not a single scooter pulled up in front of all the cars at the very busy red light. They were all waiting behind the stop line. Last week, there were dozens pulling up to the front on each light cycle.

I read yesterday that one of the most numerous tickets they have been giving out in their current traffic crackdown is to scooters who pull out ahead of the stop line at red lights.

Coincidence? I think not.

Habits, even entrenched habits, can change in a heartbeat with the proper motivation. All it takes is a little bit of political will. Or a junta.

Edited July 29, 2014 by impulse

[Captor]

100 000 - 120 000 accidents since 2005?! He must mean on Phuket, right? Not whole Thailand.

If there are 28 000+ deaths every year at the accident sites only! Menaing not dying in the ambulance or at the hospital later....

How can there be only 10 000 accidents? Or at least 3 people dies in every accident which not sounds correct.

[Thaiberius]

Why is Dave Lee Travis taking an interest in this?

[mrtoad]

Why is Dave Lee Travis taking an interest in this?

He hrard they were going to raise awareness in schools

Sent from my GT-I9500 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[tonytigerbkk]

The Hairy cornflake?

[mrtoad]

I thought DLT was banged-up with Rolf Harris.

If not, should be

For crimes against Radio?

[selftaopath]

Always lots of talk!

Any more hot air, and they'll turn into a balloon and float away. Then there will have to be air safety considerations for all the dangerous floating balloon fliers over Thai skies.

Thailand destiny: The Hub of Hot Air.

[JAYDOUBLEYOU]

"The World Health Organization (WHO) gathers statistics about all things relating to the wellbeing of a nation, including the rate of road accidents resulting in mortalities.

Numbers listed are in terms of annual mortalities per 100,000 people, and to give a familiar point of reference, there are roughly 4 fatal road accidents per 100,000 people in the U.K. each year, and 11 in the U.S."

THAILAND ranks officially number 3, with a score of 38.1 fatalities per 100,000.

HOWEVER, I reckon they have been ripped off…I firmly believe that Thailand has the worst drivers in the world - by far - and that they would truly rank Number One IF the actual accurate statistics were applied i.e. including the poor people that died either en route to the Hospital or in the Hospital.

Driving here in Thailand is scary!

The combination of poor driving skills, excessive speed, and a selfish and aggressive attitude, is indeed lethal, particularly given the large number of bigger vehicles on the roads i.e. Pickups.

I just thank God that in the three years I have now lived here, that we have only had several very close calls, but so far no actual prangs.

I hope for continued good luck for me, and for all my learned TV colleagues. Stay safe out there.

J.W.

[Jeremy50]

Thais have no idea of the size of the road death toll neither are they interested. Road safety is not taught in schools,

and bad motoring habits are handed down from older generations. Changes can only be made with outside help, from

experts who have transformed road safety in their own countries over the past three decades, in particular, France, the UK

and Germany. It would take a massive campaign lasting years to reduce Thailand's road death toll from 20000+ a year to

what it should be, around 2000 a year.

[thailand49]

Thai's do not think what they are doing is wrong. This is all they know and see because the officials who are in charge drive the same way! Pedal to the metal? I can give any official at the top anyone from both of these organizations and surprise road test and would fail them all based on the rules of driving now from their handbook! Things will never change I've seen and read many editorials from these two organization they are powerless to do anything except make a statement each year.