Thai safety centre to study road smashes, offer ways to cut toll

[webfact]

Centre to study road smashes, offer ways to cut toll
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- THE INTERIOR Ministry yesterday opened a Road Safety Centre to oversee road accidents during the New Year period (yesterday until January 5), analyse risk factors and recommend solutions.

Interior Minister General Anupong Paochinda said the centre would not predict a national accident toll. Instead the government would concentrate on avoidance and implement measures such as traffic law reinforcement, trying to limit the sale and consumption of alcohol, and road safety awareness campaigning.

Meanwhile, Public Health permanent secretary Dr Narong Sahamethapat reaffirmed people could call for help with accidents via the 1669 hotline. Emergency medical teams could reach accident scenes or help acutely ill people within 10 minutes of notification, he said.

In related news, 31 people were injured yesterday when a bus transporting 40 Russian tourists swerved to avoid an oncoming sedan before slipping off a curve and plunging into a five-metre-deep ditch in Phuket's Krathu district.

The driver of the sedan, Tantima Thaworn, 37, was seriously injured, along with 30 passengers from the bus - all were taken to Patong Hospital.

Bus driver Arun Yaemkreu, 46, was slightly hurt. He told police he was taking the Russians from the airport to a hotel when an oncoming sedan overtook another vehicle, prompting him to swerve to avoid it. The bus then plunged into the ditch.

In Sa Kaew's Khlong Leuk district, a van carrying 10 foreign tourists - Swedish, British, Argentinean and Korean - from Bangkok to the Aranyaprathet border checkpoint, crashed into a tree on Suwannasorn Road yesterday. Van driver Somkiat Surakhosit, 49, was knocked unconscious and admitted to hospital.

The tourists later continued their journey to Cambodia. Police suspect the driver's blackout resulted from a chronic illness or cardiac arrest after he took an energy drink.

In Nakhon Ratchasima's Muang district, a three-car pile-up on Mitraparp Highway - in front of Ratchasima Wittayalai School - prompted a bus to swerve across the traffic lane and collide with a pick-up, a motorcycle and a power pole early yesterday. Eleven people were slightly hurt. The accident caused a severe traffic jam up to five kilometres long.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Centre-to-study-road-smashes-offer-ways-to-cut-tol-30251008.html


-- The Nation 2014-12-31

[BigBadGeordie]

Analyse risk factors and recommend solutions.

Drink driving

Excessive speed

Failure to comply with the rules of the road in general

Poor road design

No helmets

Underage/undertrained drivers

No traffic law enforcement

This is not an exhaustive list, but could you just deposit my fee direct. Job done.

Edited December 31, 2014 by BigBadGeordie

[harrycallahan]

When you're among the worst in the world it shouldn't require experts to get you started. See above.

[chainarong]

There are numerous safety centres around the world and road safety org nearly in every state in every country err nearly every country, so one only has to contact any of these and they will gladly part with their knowledge some with over 5 decades worth , Thailand isn't alone in the accident rate , contributing factors contribute to any accident , these are well documented, conditions only vary slightly and Thailand not having horrific frozen winters is in front already, personally I think that poor education standards , (not taking responsibility for one's actions), is the major factor of accidents in Thailand and until this is addressed nothing much will change.

[Balance]

Analyse risk factors and recommend solutions.

Drink driving

Excessive speed

Failure to comply with the rules of the road in general

Poor road design

No helmets

Underage/undertrained drivers

No traffic law enforcement

This is not an exhaustive list, but could you just deposit my fee direct. Job done.

I posted a similar list about a year ago and also asked for my fee to be deposited; still waiting, patiently.

[Balance]

Give me break. Thailand has held the record for the first or second (after China) safety record in the world for years. So, now they are going to STUDY the problem. No more study needed folks; now you just have DO something.

[Manbing]

Despite appalling driving practices in this country, some fairly ridiculous rules and poor traffic management infrastructure, perhaps the biggest issue confronting any action task force is the insipid corruption of the police and judiciary.

Fix this problem and you might have a hope of enforcing any changes in regulations.

[cardinalblue]

Poor driver.eduction,understanding how to drive and no enforcement leads to the chaos out on the roads...

CB

[BSJ]

Are we going to discuss the same issues this time next year....and the following year....etc

[Fiddlesticks]

instead the government would concentrate on avoidance and implement measures such as traffic law reinforcement

Oh, be still my heart! What a wonderful and novel idea. Not sure what led to this epiphany but it would be a very welcome. Of course the next logical step would be ACTUAL traffic law Enforcement.

[berybert]

Are we going to discuss the same issues this time next year....and the following year....etc

Yes.

[jacky54]

Not so much poor driver education as none, the driving test is a joke and this is where they need to start.

[captspectre]

Give me break. Thailand has held the record for the first or second (after China) safety record in the world for years. So, now they are going to STUDY the problem. No more study needed folks; now you just have DO something.

one thing they should do but will never do is confiscate the vheicle at once! make the driver attend driving school(non existent) fine the hell out of him and place the idiot in jail for at least a month! it will never happen but it should.

[SCARLETIBIS1]

How much are they paying someone to do the study? I'll give them the one I just completed for free. It took one minute to finish. Difficult to believe these dullards don't know why people die in crashes:

1 Stop driving drunk (This means after the first case of beer you must stop drinking before driving)

2 Stay on your side of the road (Re-train them to know which side of the road belongs to them)

3 Keep within the speedlimit (Or no more than 50 over)

4 Stop texting while you are driving (She isn't gonna believe you anyway)

[thailand49]

Another study! study after study and still another study? I wrote a comprehensive letter to Bangkok Post a number of years ago, you guys didn't get it or was it just not from a Thai?

The letter had point by point as to what was being done and not being done? My experience in the States were well stated and my offer was for free but now I've lived here for so long I basically one of you I'm told so if you want help now and if the leaders have the fortitude I can cut it in half in one year, just one year! it is easy! but it comes with a price? Give me a call?

Edited December 31, 2014 by thailand49

[MaxLee]

Kids of Influential parents, are off the charts here, eh???

[Lupatria]

I doubt they will ever learn its not about always studying things to the ground and leave everything as it is. Whenever it comes to implement measures and enforce rules and regulations there is nothing but disinterest as it may involve hard work and commitment, which is contrary to the mindset of making some 'easy money'.

[PaulHamon]

speed limit all Thai cars to 80km/h until the police actually do there job.

[oneday]

Why do they always have to have these committees and studies when other countries have good solutions that would go a long, long way to reducing accidents in this country. Do they really think they will come up with unique solutions that are better than other country's solutions.

One of the best solutions, but certainly not the ONLY solution, I know of is what we do is the US. You MUST have patrol cars out in all cities and on all highways in the country ready to run down a reckless or speeding driver or for any other traffic law violation. Once driver's know they can easily be caught anytime and anywhere then they will start to modify their driving habits. Thais or falang have zero incentive to modify their habits. I am NEVER stopped for speeding in a city and very seldom on the highways.

Checkpoints do not do the job. However, checkpoints at certain times and in certain areas for the sole purpose of checking on driver impairment due to alcohol or drugs is an extremely useful tools. Thailand does not do enough of this. Most checkpoints on highways are for speeding and lately there have been many reports of urine testing, but what about alcohol? Has anyone ever seen or had a Thai cop use a "breathalyzer"?

[Thaiready]

How about learning "Common Sense"

[Thaiready]

speed limit all Thai cars to 80km/h until the police actually do there job.

With the common issue of "Brake Failure"... I think a bicycle is the only solution.

[kannot]

Square wheels on Thai only driver vehicles?

[bangon04]

"THE INTERIOR Ministry yesterday opened a Road Safety Centre to oversee road accidents during the New Year period "

strange, the Thais seem to be able to have road accidents very efficiently without needing any overseeing...

[Carrerakiss]

Why do they always have to have these committees and studies when other countries have good solutions that would go a long, long way to reducing accidents in this country. Do they really think they will come up with unique solutions that are better than other country's solutions.

One of the best solutions, but certainly not the ONLY solution, I know of is what we do is the US. You MUST have patrol cars out in all cities and on all highways in the country ready to run down a reckless or speeding driver or for any other traffic law violation. Once driver's know they can easily be caught anytime and anywhere then they will start to modify their driving habits. Thais or falang have zero incentive to modify their habits. I am NEVER stopped for speeding in a city and very seldom on the highways.

Checkpoints do not do the job. However, checkpoints at certain times and in certain areas for the sole purpose of checking on driver impairment due to alcohol or drugs is an extremely useful tools. Thailand does not do enough of this. Most checkpoints on highways are for speeding and lately there have been many reports of urine testing, but what about alcohol? Has anyone ever seen or had a Thai cop use a "breathalyzer"?

Breathalyzers are in fairly regular use in Udon Thani town.

I saw one being used a few years ago at NY on a motorcyclist. It was fairly superfluous though as the guy was incapable of blowing into it and had to be assisted accross the road to the fine desk by the police officer, because he was incapable of walking. I think they actually detained that guy.

But they're in use through the year as well, a friend of mine was stopped a few months ago around 11pm.

[gandalf12]

Significant reductions could easily be made if the following are adopted:

1. Teach people to drive and not just aim a vehicle in the general direction

2. Have the police enforce the laws rigorously

3. Set up speed traps / cameras and get away from Baht 500 fines. Make it significant like Baht 5000 for first offense and increased for subsequent offenses.

4. Tour buses and public transport drivers to take a drug and blood test every day before they get into the vehicle. Anyone failing, instant dismissal

The above is not hard but would probably cut the accident rate significantly

[drgoon]

Common sense, abiding by road rules and courtesy is all that is needed.

But hey.... don't see much of that.

Do what we do in NZ. Nail the f**kers when the cause an accident. Frequent checkpoints for road worhtiness, license checks, alcohol and drug consumption. Take their vehicles off them because they won't be able to pay fines. Hammer the message home and don't just pay lip service again to another issue.

[kannot]

Significant reductions could easily be made if the following are adopted:

1. Teach people to drive and not just aim a vehicle in the general direction

2. Have the police enforce the laws rigorously

3. Set up speed traps / cameras and get away from Baht 500 fines. Make it significant like Baht 5000 for first offense and increased for subsequent offenses.

4. Tour buses and public transport drivers to take a drug and blood test every day before they get into the vehicle. Anyone failing, instant dismissal

The above is not hard but would probably cut the accident rate significantly

may as well go back home

[swifty5x5]

I see alot of people talking about speeding but no mention of drivers going to slow or two or three lorries in a row giving no chance to pass. It takes a bit of intelligence to drive responsiably nuff said.

[kannot]

"The tourists later continued their journey to Cambodia. Police suspect the driver's blackout resulted from a chronic illness or cardiac arrest after he took an energy drink."

Yeah those bloody energy drinks eh.................why dont they just say he fell asleep which is much more likely, either that or he had the drink in one hand phone in the other, either way i bet it aint a heart attack!

[kannot]

I see alot of people talking about speeding but no mention of drivers going to slow or two or three lorries in a row giving no chance to pass. It takes a bit of intelligence to drive responsibly nuff said.

Speed is not a cause of accidents as long as distance is controlled aircraft fly 1000kmh, contrary to the BS western SPEED KILLS campaigns of years ago.

Autobahns have no limits in places.

Biggest cause here is total lack of...................well ANYTHING really