Road toll suddenly lower on sixth day: Thai govt

[webfact]

Road toll suddenly lower on sixth day
Wattana Khamchu
The Nation



Road toll suddenly lower on sixth day toll of 302 dead is down from 334 a year ago: Govt

BANGKOK: -- THE SO-CALLED "seven dangerous days" of the New Year holiday period saw a rise in deaths and injuries for five straight days. But now the Road Safety Centre has surprised the public - with a report yesterday that road casualties on the first six days were actually lower across-the-board than the same period last year.

This New Year's first six days saw a total of 302 people killed and 2,843 others injured in 2,733 accidents - while the same period last year saw 334 deaths and 2,843 injuries from 2,891 accidents.

The northern province of Chiang Mai had the highest fatalities with 15 deaths, and the most people injured at 119, as well as the most accidents with 122 over the six days, PM's Office Minister ML Panadda Diskul said.

Only four of Thailand's 77 provinces - Trang, Narathiwat, Sing Buri and Nakhon Phanom - recorded no road accident deaths.

On Sunday, 42 people were killed and 301 injured in 287 accidents, Panadda reported. The major factors were drunk driving at 27.5 per cent; excessive speed 27 per cent; and one vehicle suddenly cutting in front of another at 25 per cent.

Most accidents involved motorcycles (79 per cent); with many occurring on a straight stretch of road (68 per cent); and a large number of these occurring between 4pm and 8pm in the evening (31 per cent), he said.

Officials at 2,266 main checkpoints arrested 89,257 traffic law violators - mostly for failing to wear helmets (24,662 cases) and failing to present a driver's licence (24,586 cases).

Deputy permanent secretary of the Interior Ministry Maitree Inthusut said most holidaymakers had returned by yesterday. Many roads to Bangkok saw low traffic volume, which caused some motorists to drive at high speed.

The centre instructed all provinces to be strict with speeding drivers and check on public transport drivers' sobriety.

Meanwhile, two thirds of this year's victims died instantly due to speeding and recklessness, Disaster Prevention and Mitigation chief Chatchai Phromlert said. He urged motorists to observe the traffic laws.

Public Health Minister Rachata Rajatanavin said the 1669 hotline had received 6,924 calls from accident victims who sought help and were taken to hospital during the six-day period - and about half, or 3,385 of these people were still in hospital.

Disease Control Department chief Sopon Mekthon said the ministry's checks on alcohol selling in 28 provinces since December 27 until yesterday had resulted in 306 people being fined - out of checks on 976 outlets selling booze. The most frequent offence was alcohol advertising/marketing - 167 cases - punishable for up to one year in prison and/or Bt500,000 in fines.

This year, 80 per cent of fines - except for the advertising charge - would be given to plaintiffs and arresting officers, in a bid to boost public participation to ensure safety from alcohol-induced harm, he said.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Road-toll-suddenly-lower-on-sixth-day-30251247.html


-- The Nation 2015-01-06

[hanuman2543]

If drunken drivers are the main factor causing accidents why they don't make the biggest share of the arrested? The two biggest groups of arrested wrongdoers were arrested for petty offences which have nothing to do with the main factors causing most of the accidents. With this sort of action it will be impossible to stop the massacre on the streets.

Edited January 5, 2015 by hanuman2543

[NongKhaiKid]

If drunken drivers are the main factor causing accidents why they don't make the biggest share of the arrested? The two biggest groups of arrested wrongdoers were arrested for petty offences which have nothing to do with the main factors causing most of the accidents. With this sort of action it will be impossible to stop the massacre on the streets.

How many drunk drivers were stopped then allowed to go having paid an appropriate ' fine ' ?

An on the spot payment for drunk driving is far more lucrative than that for speeding, no helmet etc.

[khwaibah]

"Road toll suddenly lower on sixth day"

That tea money must be kicking in to screw the numbers.

[Caveat Emptor]

"Road toll suddenly lower on sixth day"

That tea money must be kicking in to screw the numbers.

Tea money for speeding in bumper to bumper traffic. TIT

Edited January 6, 2015 by Caveat Emptor

[wilcopops]

The stats appear to have been analysed by a 4 year old child.

If the figures are down perhaps they might look at the volume of traffic compared to previous years?

It looks as though between two thirds and three quarters of the accidents didn't involve excessive speed or alcohol?

It also looks like the range of offences reflects a police force whose implementation policy involves only sitting at check points rather than getting out and about and actively pursuing offenders at various locations away from the comfort of their station.

Edited January 6, 2015 by wilcopops

[BigBadGeordie]

Road toll suddenly lower on sixth day

This year, 80 per cent of fines - except for the advertising charge - would be given to plaintiffs and arresting officers, in a bid to boost public participation to ensure safety from alcohol-induced harm, he said.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Road-toll-suddenly-lower-on-sixth-day-30251247.html

-- The Nation 2015-01-06

Legalised Tea Money. The bulls**it mountain gets bigger.

[rtco]

What do they say ...

[Pib]

Disease Control Department chief Sopon Mekthon said the ministry's checks on alcohol selling in 28 provinces since December 27 until yesterday had resulted in 306 people being fined - out of checks on 976 outlets selling booze. The most frequent offence was alcohol advertising/marketing - 167 cases - punishable for up to one year in prison and/or Bt500,000 in fines.

This year, 80 per cent of fines - except for the advertising charge - would be given to plaintiffs and arresting officers, in a bid to boost public participation to ensure safety from alcohol-induced harm, he said.

Yes, yes, continue to give the arresting officers a kickback on the number of fines/tickets they issue....must be the only way to get some or them to do their job.....wouldn't want to issue fines simply because it's their job.

Edited January 6, 2015 by Pib

[upena]

Numbers are pure fiction. Road deaths only count if the person dies at the scene. Multiply the total road deaths by 4 or 5 to get a more accurate picture.

[bangkokheat]

i think this is great news, the road safety campaign here just took 5 days to kick in, same like taking an asprin, shame when the asprin wears off

[anon467848]

The total combined deaths every year for New Year and Songkran is nearly 1,000. The government do sweet F.A. apart from the usual verbal diarrhoea about clampdowns etc, they should be so proud of themselves, NOT... Discover Thainess

[SOTIRIOS]

......a resounding success......

[BeforeTigers]

The sad thing is; a whole lot of people will read that and just swallow it whole.

There's your trouble.

[sexy man]

must be some bullshit there as number of injured is 2843

this is the exact same number as for the preceeding year

[chrisinth]

302 deaths over the six day period works out to roughly 50 deaths a day.

What is the national daily average for road deaths in Thailand?

Add in the additional traffic over the holiday period and you probably won't see much difference.

I'm just stating this as it never seems to be taken into consideration while broadcasting these figures over 'danger' periods.

And of course that maths/averages/formulas wasn't one of my strong points................

[crickets]

Was arrested for drink driving saturday.spent 4 hours in jail and wife paid 10000 bail then then monday in a courthouse all day with 4000 baht fine. Then taken back to police station and shaken down for my 10000 baht bail money for them to keep. I was .054 and the limit was .05. I will never drink drive here again and probably see it as a oman to quit drinking all togeather. I wouldnt wish it on my worst enemy to go through it. Good to see thailand is getting tough on dd.

[pedro01]

I think the average road speed was down to 20kmh country wide on that 6th day....

[trainman34014]

The only 'surprise' is that they didn't cook the books earlier !

[marko kok prong]

Was arrested for drink driving saturday.spent 4 hours in jail and wife paid 10000 bail then then monday in a courthouse all day with 4000 baht fine. Then taken back to police station and shaken down for my 10000 baht bail money for them to keep. I was .054 and the limit was .05. I will never drink drive here again and probably see it as a oman to quit drinking all togeather. I wouldnt wish it on my worst enemy to go through it. Good to see thailand is getting tough on dd.

No suspension of licence?

[Sviss Geez]

The stats appear to have been analysed by a 4 year old child.

If the figures are down perhaps they might look at the volume of traffic compared to previous years?

It looks as though between two thirds and three quarters of the accidents didn't involve excessive speed or alcohol?

It also looks like the range of offences reflects a police force whose implementation policy involves only sitting at check points rather than getting out and about and actively pursuing offenders at various locations away from the comfort of their station.

"The stats appear to have been analysed by a 4 year old child."

Why, just because something positive is being reported? Can't have that, can we?

"If the figures are down perhaps they might look at the volume of traffic compared to previous years?"

Why, the point of the exercise was to reduce the number of actual deaths on the roads, not the percentages, and that is what has happened.

[Sviss Geez]

Numbers are pure fiction. Road deaths only count if the person dies at the scene. Multiply the total road deaths by 4 or 5 to get a more accurate picture.

Pure fiction, where did you get that multiple from?

[Sviss Geez]

The total combined deaths every year for New Year and Songkran is nearly 1,000. The government do sweet F.A. apart from the usual verbal diarrhoea about clampdowns etc, they should be so proud of themselves, NOT... Discover Thainess

So you have some insight into the number of road deaths there are going to be this Songkran 3 months in the future and you know that they are not going to be less than last year? You've discovered ThaiVisaness for sure.

[Sviss Geez]

I think the average road speed was down to 20kmh country wide on that 6th day....

Really?...

"Many roads to Bangkok saw low traffic volume, which caused some motorists to drive at high speed."

[island hopper]

Road toll suddenly lower on sixth day

some people must have woke up from the dead

[45slap]

Officials at 2,266 main checkpoints arrested 89,257 traffic law violators - mostly for failing to wear helmets (24,662 cases) and failing to present a driver's licence (24,586 cases).

At about 500-600 a clip that's not a bad commission.

[anon022]

"one vehicle suddenly cutting in front of another at 25 per cent."

Nuff said, this happens year round. It's like some virus takes over driver's brains and forces them to do it, can't fight the urge. Like rats that can't resist the smell of cat pee, because their brains have been affected by that cat virus that makes them love it, instead of seeing it as a red flag.

[rickirs]

This toll road looks like the ideal place for a speed trap. Seems to me every car was doing 100km/hr. Police could collect an entire year's revenue in one week.

[wilcopops]

If drunken drivers are the main factor causing accidents why they don't make the biggest share of the arrested? The two biggest groups of arrested wrongdoers were arrested for petty offences which have nothing to do with the main factors causing most of the accidents. With this sort of action it will be impossible to stop the massacre on the streets.

27 % apparently.

[wilcopops]

The stats appear to have been analysed by a 4 year old child.

If the figures are down perhaps they might look at the volume of traffic compared to previous years?

It looks as though between two thirds and three quarters of the accidents didn't involve excessive speed or alcohol?

It also looks like the range of offences reflects a police force whose implementation policy involves only sitting at check points rather than getting out and about and actively pursuing offenders at various locations away from the comfort of their station.

"The stats appear to have been analysed by a 4 year old child."

Why, just because something positive is being reported? Can't have that, can we?

"If the figures are down perhaps they might look at the volume of traffic compared to previous years?"

Why, the point of the exercise was to reduce the number of actual deaths on the roads, not the percentages, and that is what has happened.

So let's see....if the numbers didn't drop on the first five days, despite the same "the exercise", how would YOU explain a sudden drop on the sixth day?

Maybe you should run out and find a 4 year old child, because it doesn't make sense to me!