Jacob Maslow Posted April 9, 2015 Share Posted April 9, 2015 night driving - Caution - driving on a curvy country road. Stock image Thailand has the third-highest rate of road accident deaths in the world. Every day, 38 Thais die in road accidents. To help combat the problem and lower accident deaths, the NHCO (National Health Commission Office) launched a new road safety campaign earlier this week. The goal of the campaign is to reduce road fatalities, particularly during the Songkran festivities when accident deaths are expected to double. Approximately 2,300 highway police officers will be deployed during the holiday to deal with traffic issues. Officials say that many road fatalities are a result of driving drunk or falling asleep behind the wheel. This year, police will be cracking down on motorists who are driving drunk on roads and highways. Officials are also encouraging motorists to rest at one of the many pit stops along the highways. Between 2013 and 2014, there were 14,000 road fatalities in Thailand. That equates to about 38 deaths per day, and this number doubled during holidays, like Songkran. Thailand is just behind the Dominican Republic and Niue in the highest road deaths. Officials are urging motorists to refrain from drunk driving, driving recklessly and not wearing helmets or safety belts. Tougher traffic laws are being called for as well as social pressure to help reduce the number of road fatalities each year. -- 2015-04-09 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Chang_paarp Posted April 9, 2015 Popular Post Share Posted April 9, 2015 Officials are urging motorists to refrain from drunk driving, driving recklessly and not wearing helmets or safety belts. Tougher traffic laws are being called for as well as social pressure to help reduce the number of road fatalities each year. How about enforcing the existing laws without fear or favour. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Just1Voice Posted April 10, 2015 Popular Post Share Posted April 10, 2015 Actually, they would be #1 in the world if they also accounted for those who later die in the hospital from their injuries. But since they only count the dead bodies at the scene of the accident, they give false statistics. But that's not unusual for Thailand. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thaddeus Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 Officials are urging motorists to refrain from drunk driving, driving recklessly and not wearing helmets or safety belts. Tougher traffic laws are being called for as well as social pressure to help reduce the number of road fatalities each year. How about enforcing the existing laws without fear or favour. Yep, if it isn't enforced it isn't a campaign, it's just words. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marko kok prong Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 More nonsense,how about introducing proper driver training and a proper driving test,and telling motorsai's they have to stop and look before just pulling out of a side street on to a main road. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clifric Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 Despite the fact that I have a 55 year accident free driving history I was forced to sit among all the licence applicants who were renewing licences while we watched a 45 minute video on how to drive safely. This included advice on how not to jump traffic lights, drive on the wrong side of the road. not use hazard lights to indicate going ahead since the Thais haven't realised drivers to the side only see indicator lights on their side. On driving away with my 6 year renewed licence I noted all this advice being ignored by people who sat through the same video. Driver training doesn't work here proper enforcement might, but in a country where Police officers ride motorbikes with no helmet it's a faint hope. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northernphil Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 Despite the fact that I have a 55 year accident free driving history I was forced to sit among all the licence applicants who were renewing licences while we watched a 45 minute video on how to drive safely. This included advice on how not to jump traffic lights, drive on the wrong side of the road. not use hazard lights to indicate going ahead since the Thais haven't realised drivers to the side only see indicator lights on their side. On driving away with my 6 year renewed licence I noted all this advice being ignored by people who sat through the same video. Driver training doesn't work here proper enforcement might, but in a country where Police officers ride motorbikes with no helmet it's a faint hope. Yep , I had to sit through the same damn video a couple of months back in Chiang Rai. As I was the only one in the room watching the vid ( my wife went out and came back with a coffee to keep me alert through the process) I started yawning and stretching . After 30 mins and at midday I was told I could go. I was bored and the chaps in charge needed their somtam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
how241 Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 Actually, they would be #1 in the world if they also accounted for those who later die in the hospital from their injuries. But since they only count the dead bodies at the scene of the accident, they give false statistics. But that's not unusual for Thailand. +1... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diehard60 Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 They got the wrong department for this. It should be the motor vehicle department in conjuction with the police department. And maybe even the education department. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thaddeus Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 Despite the fact that I have a 55 year accident free driving history I was forced to sit among all the licence applicants who were renewing licences while we watched a 45 minute video on how to drive safely. This included advice on how not to jump traffic lights, drive on the wrong side of the road. not use hazard lights to indicate going ahead since the Thais haven't realised drivers to the side only see indicator lights on their side. On driving away with my 6 year renewed licence I noted all this advice being ignored by people who sat through the same video. Driver training doesn't work here proper enforcement might, but in a country where Police officers ride motorbikes with no helmet it's a faint hope. Yep , I had to sit through the same damn video a couple of months back in Chiang Rai. As I was the only one in the room watching the vid ( my wife went out and came back with a coffee to keep me alert through the process) I started yawning and stretching . After 30 mins and at midday I was told I could go. I was bored and the chaps in charge needed their somtam. They made me sit through the whole thing last August. One thought struck me, there were about 40 people watching the video, every one of them was renewing an expired or expiring licence, so, they had all been driving for at least a year, possibly six years or even longer ....... and you're showing them this now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rubl Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 Maybe a campaign as with the 'warnings' on cigarette packages might do the trick. Just imagine for a moment a scene from the Frankenstein movie with Boris Karloff. Appropriate music. A voice stating "With the current state of Medical Science we can make you look like new again" Even TAT might be impressed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Langsuan Man Posted April 11, 2015 Share Posted April 11, 2015 It's a Law Enforcement problem and getting the Health Office in the mix just waters down any real chance of change Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerojero Posted April 11, 2015 Share Posted April 11, 2015 Just enforce the traffic laws. Duh! Police force overhaul is the only way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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