Woman killed when her car fell from Don Muang Tollway

[webfact]

Woman killed when her car fell from Don Muang Tollway

BANGKOK: -- A 39-year-old woman was killed when her car crashed into the concrete barrier at the end of the Don Muang Tolloway in Pathum Thani's Klong Luang district at 2 am Monday, causing it to fall onto the road below.

The woman was identified as Prassniya Srisutthikul from Khon Kaen.

Police believe the woman did not realize that it was the end of the elevated way and she drove toward it at a high speed.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/Woman-killed-when-her-car-fell-from-Don-Muang-Toll-30245352.html


-- The Nation 2014-10-13

[MobileContent]

RIP

[Sayonarax]

No images of the location? How does one just drive off the tollway?

[kotsak]

No images of the location? How does one just drive off the tollway?

Apparently she hit the barrier that forces you towards the exit ramp. You can see the attached image from the Google Street View (it's from the opposite direction looking towards the exit, couldn't get a view from the other side)

[Local Drunk]

No images of the location? How does one just drive off the tollway?

She didn't. She crashed into a concrete barrier at a high rate of speed and momentum gravity did the rest. Skid marks would tell the story if there are any. Perhaps she fell asleep... or maybe it was her way out.

[andygunther]

It surprises me that it does not happen more often...

The barriers are not especially high.

[bkkheat]

Sounds like she fell asleep. RIP

[Briggsy]

"2 AM" may well have been a contributing factor.

[Commerce]

I live in Khlong Luang, an the end of this expressway is a death trap - it nearly caught me out a few first times!

The tollway is still mid-air at its end - with a few posts at the end of it - as it appears it will be continued on at some stage to pass right over Thammasat Uni area, and onto Phayonyothin further down the line, to get to Saraburi or Ayutthaya more quickly. Currently, it is just a 40m high dead-end.

The 3 lanes very quickly turn into two, but there is only 1 exit at the left, to drop down onto the frontage road. There is little warning the tollway is actually a straight ended shut off road - hanging mid-air.... I'm surprised not many more have flown over the end!

RIP Lady - not your fault... it is an abysmal piece of unwarning.

[WitawatWatawit]

^^^ Commerce, what you describe is not unusual for tollways around the city. When the Eastern Seaboard expressway was being built 15 years ago, several cars went off the unfinished end - resulting in deaths - because there were either no barriers or inadequate signs and lights. The usual vows of cleaning up their act were made, but nothing was really done. In one instance I recall, a project engineer and a couple of workers were arrested and charged. Their bosses weren't.

[Cuchulainn]

Didn't realise where she was going.............................at high speed.....................

Says it all.

[webfact]

Woman dies after car hits barrier and falls from elevated tollway

BANGKOK: -- A 39-year-old woman from Khon Kaen province died when her Honda car crashed into concrete barriers at the tollway end and fell 20 metres below on the road in Klong Luang district of Pathumthani on Monday.

The victim was identified as Mrs Prasniya Srisuthikul, a resident from Khon Kaen.

The accident happened at about 2.30 am on the Don Muang elevated tollway.

Police believed the woman did not see the concrete barrier which blocked the end of the elevated tollway.

She might come in speed and rammed at the concrete barriers and plunged to the ground below on Phaholyothin road.

From a preliminary investigation, it was believed the woman was driving from Bangkok on the Din Daeng – Don Muang tollway heading for Klong Luang district.

Police believed the woman was not familiar with the route and did not notice the exit ramp to Klong Luang district.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/woman-dies-car-hits-barrier-falls-elevated-tollway/


-- Thai PBS 2014-10-13

[toybits]

This is tragic. Unfortunately, there are so many road hazards on the highways. The Thai government's Department of Highways or the Tollway authorities should be held responsible for not make sure such a thing does not happen. This thing will happen again - unless something is done to correct it.

[wow64]

RIP - poor thing. Someone is without a mother and wife tonight.

[Thai at Heart]

I know this woman personally. Very sad.

RIP Pam

[Thai at Heart]

Sounds like she fell asleep. RIP

Pure speculation

She might have been high on yaa baa and found her boyfriend with another woman.

So can't say if it is what she wanted or not. It is what it is, as many here say.

Knowing her family and herself quite well, I doubt there is anything more here than a tragic accident. This family was one of the best to do in Khon Kaen, and I have known them well for 15 years. Very super people.

[mike324]

Roads like this needs better signage and lights to warn drivers of whats a head. In western countries, there would be signs saying like "Roads merging in 100 m"

[zaphod reborn]

Thailand's roadways are replete with unreasonably dangerous hazards. Modern roadway design employs construction techniques and installation of safeguards to prevent accidents such as this. The idea is to create a "forgiving roadway". It will not prevent every accident, but will minimize the damage caused by a distracted or dozing driver, reducing fatalities.

Ever see these in Thailand?

RIP poor lady and condolences to your family and friends.

[tx22cb]

I occasionally use this tollway. There are many signs reminding motorists of the (risible) 80 kph speed limit. I have yet to see any car going below 80. As usual, the road is poorly lit at night.

I'm sure the footage from the video cameras will be released shortly.

[seajae]

actually better warnings, lighting where barriers are set up would help all over the country. I know that the barriers to turn you into the inspection area on Phuket on the road off are not lit up at night nor is there a warning sign about the barrier so you cant see it from any distance, doing 100k and you are on it very quick at night, its the same with virtually all the barriers in Thailand, they refuse to have signs warning people and they refuse to light them of a night, one way to pocket some extra cash I suppose

[jimky]

I'm not familiar with this particular road, but relatively near Bangkok I seen a lane end without notice once. There was a red construction type sign only in Thai language a bit earlier that might have indicated it, but I couldn't read it and wasn't a normal traffic sign. This was also on an elevated expressway. The truck in front of me changed lanes and immediately I see a tiny wall thinking oh &^@# as I slammed on breaks to avoid what likely would have been the same fate.

Also luckily the cars behind me didn't send me over too. Because based on the fact traffic all backed up behind me, I think others didn't know it was ending either and by the looks of the wall might have been a temporary situation (lane/road ahead might not normally end there).

I drove in middle lane rest of trip rather slowly as I was pretty shook up over that.

[MartinBKK]

^^^ Commerce, what you describe is not unusual for tollways around the city. When the Eastern Seaboard expressway was being built 15 years ago, several cars went off the unfinished end - resulting in deaths - because there were either no barriers or inadequate signs and lights. The usual vows of cleaning up their act were made, but nothing was really done. In one instance I recall, a project engineer and a couple of workers were arrested and charged. Their bosses weren't.

I almost did this myself on the road you are talking about. Just managed to skid to a halt, will never forget it for the rest of my life. Very little consideration here for road safety unfortunately.

[AlphMichaels]

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Sounds like she fell asleep. RIP

Pure speculation

She might have been high on yaa baa and found her boyfriend with another woman.

So can't say if it is what she wanted or not. It is what it is, as many here say.

Knowing her family and herself quite well, I doubt there is anything more here than a tragic accident. This family was one of the best to do in Khon Kaen, and I have known them well for 15 years. Very super people.

Thanks for sharing your connection. A dose of reality..., it can be anyone's friend, family member, etc. I know this exit and it's not well designed. Perhaps this could prompt a review and change. Let's hope they at least take the effort to better mark it with sufficient warning signs, rumble strips, etc.

[ratcatcher]

I have just finished reading all the posts on this topic and I have an apology to make.

I was the first person to make a glib comment on here and it was subsequently removed by the mods. Correctly so.

I regret offending all posters who saw it ,regardless of whether you knew the deceased or not.
It is easy on this forum to be cynical about accidents involving trucks, vans etc and in this case it was probably human error on the driver's behalf. A person loved by her family and friends died, thus, my belated condolences and sincere apologies.

ratcatcher.

[mca]

I've been cut off a few times there when somebody comes flying past me at speed before realising the road ends and you have to filter down the exit ramp.

[Eric Loh]

Caution to all using this highway. It's has a peculiar narrowing exit from four lanes to two. This due to the unfinished highway as some previously posted. There are barriers that help guide you down the exit but if you travelling at speed and with the dim lights, can be dangerous. I used this highway almost daily and at times when I am tired, I too have near misses. To the poor lady, RIP.

[YeaBiGgiEs]

OK so she was in full operational control of her vehicle and it didn't have anything to do with the vehicle doing this on its own...So perhaps this was a suicide... Regardless, chances are she was dead upon impact to the barrier PRIOR to the vehicle falling. So its not a vehicle malfunction

[12DrinkMore]

Maybe one of these?

[Nepsydaz]

Sad news.... RIP

I take this road daily and just can't imagine how can one go over these barrier and fall... maybe there is more to the story... but again strange things do happen...

[kannot]

I live in Khlong Luang, an the end of this expressway is a death trap - it nearly caught me out a few first times!

The tollway is still mid-air at its end - with a few posts at the end of it - as it appears it will be continued on at some stage to pass right over Thammasat Uni area, and onto Phayonyothin further down the line, to get to Saraburi or Ayutthaya more quickly. Currently, it is just a 40m high dead-end.

The 3 lanes very quickly turn into two, but there is only 1 exit at the left, to drop down onto the frontage road. There is little warning the tollway is actually a straight ended shut off road - hanging mid-air.... I'm surprised not many more have flown over the end!

RIP Lady - not your fault... it is an abysmal piece of unwarning.

Just like most roadworks where 2 out of 3 lanes are closed and the only warning is the cones when you almost hit them!