Is Phuket the Most Dangerous Place in the World to Drive?

[LivinginKata]

This is what I was referring to in my post (#60)

The policeman was well within his right to make a U'turn here.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/869465-drunk-minivan-driver-kills-phuket-police-officer-video/

WOW - I had not seen that video until now. The minivan was over the median grass and hit the policeman from the back. I had initially assumed the policeman was hit from oncoming traffic. That was a really bad bit of driving by the minibus driver.

Edited November 9, 2015 by LivinginKata

[Shot]

I hope the minivan driver fell down about a 100 times on his way to the police station.

[FBlue72]

ahahaahahahahah, have u driven in Russia, China, India, where else Italy.. Think its time to stop the booze.. aahahaahahahah

Agree.

The question and some posters agreeing with the OP shows very limited driving experience worldwide.

And some posters refuse to acknowledge the damning statistics that clearly show the roads on Phuket are dangerous, very dangerous.

Not just dangerous but the most dangerous in the world- as in most likely to die on- not have your alignment knocked out from a pothole, be honked at continuously, or have someone in front of you not stay in their lane and all the other comparatively petty annoyances in these example countries.

And the widening of roads to facilitate high speed travel (so taxis can get to the airport faster? ) is a factor, IMO.

In all countries, the "safer" a road is, the faster people will drive on it. Indeed the only way to stop the carnage on Phuket roads may be to make sure traffic can never reach speeds above 50 KPH.

[FBlue72]

Phuket seems relaxing after driving on Samui.

The drivers seem more orderly and the passing is less lunatic fringe.

Not to say Phuket is safe, oh no, but safer than Samui.

That's interesting and has been remarked upon repeatedly throughout the thread. I've not been there so cannot remark but I wonder does it have long straight roads where high speeds can be achieved?

It seems high speed is the universal killer on roads in any survey.

But knowing of Samui, and the mafiosa in place, I would not be surprised if fatality statistics there are manipulated downward quite a bit.

So, shall we say Thailand's two resort islands are -collectively, the most likely places in the world to die in a road accident.

Edited November 10, 2015 by FBlue72

[NamKangMan]

ahahaahahahahah, have u driven in Russia, China, India, where else Italy.. Think its time to stop the booze.. aahahaahahahah

Agree.

The question and some posters agreeing with the OP shows very limited driving experience worldwide.

And some posters refuse to acknowledge the damning statistics that clearly show the roads on Phuket are dangerous, very dangerous.

Not just dangerous but the most dangerous in the world- as in most likely to die on- not have your alignment knocked out from a pothole, be honked at continuously, or have someone in front of you not stay in their lane and all the other comparatively petty annoyances in these example countries.

And the widening of roads to facilitate high speed travel (so taxis can get to the airport faster? ) is a factor, IMO.

In all countries, the "safer" a road is, the faster people will drive on it. Indeed the only way to stop the carnage on Phuket roads may be to make sure traffic can never reach speeds above 50 KPH.

"Indeed the only way to stop the carnage on Phuket roads may be to make sure traffic can never reach speeds above 50 KPH." - another way is to reduce traffic.

Currently, everyone on Phuket has to have access to a vehicle, or they are at the mercy of the transport mafia here.

Less traffic results in less accidents.

The terrible loss of life, the injuries and accident statistics, are largely caused by the lack of proper public transport here.

The Thai military will not address the situation, so I can only see further carnage on the roads here and a shrinking western tourism market, especially if they are serious with the drink driving crackdown.

[NamKangMan]

ahahaahahahahah, have u driven in Russia, China, India, where else Italy.. Think its time to stop the booze.. aahahaahahahah

Agree.

The question and some posters agreeing with the OP shows very limited driving experience worldwide.

And some posters refuse to acknowledge the damning statistics that clearly show the roads on Phuket are dangerous, very dangerous.

Not just dangerous but the most dangerous in the world- as in most likely to die on- not have your alignment knocked out from a pothole, be honked at continuously, or have someone in front of you not stay in their lane and all the other comparatively petty annoyances in these example countries.

And the widening of roads to facilitate high speed travel (so taxis can get to the airport faster? ) is a factor, IMO.

In all countries, the "safer" a road is, the faster people will drive on it. Indeed the only way to stop the carnage on Phuket roads may be to make sure traffic can never reach speeds above 50 KPH.

Duplicate post removed.

Edited November 11, 2015 by NamKangMan

[FBlue72]

Not just dangerous but the most dangerous in the world- as in most likely to die on- not have your alignment knocked out from a pothole, be honked at continuously, or have someone in front of you not stay in their lane and all the other comparatively petty annoyances in these example countries.

And the widening of roads to facilitate high speed travel (so taxis can get to the airport faster? ) is a factor, IMO.

In all countries, the "safer" a road is, the faster people will drive on it. Indeed the only way to stop the carnage on Phuket roads may be to make sure traffic can never reach speeds above 50 KPH.

"Indeed the only way to stop the carnage on Phuket roads may be to make sure traffic can never reach speeds above 50 KPH." - another way is to reduce traffic.

Currently, everyone on Phuket has to have access to a vehicle, or they are at the mercy of the transport mafia here.

Less traffic results in less accidents.

The terrible loss of life, the injuries and accident statistics, are largely caused by the lack of proper public transport here.

The Thai military will not address the situation, so I can only see further carnage on the roads here and a shrinking western tourism market, especially if they are serious with the drink driving crackdown.

I don't think so, this reducing of traffic to curb fatalities seems rational, yes- but only works in places where drivers have a working knowledge of inertia with a good understanding of consequence of action.

Reduce traffic and most drivers in Thailand will take the opportunity to just drive faster. As long as fatalism is the modus operandi of the vast majority in Thailand, nothing can change.

I bet, and I really cannot prove it but I bet fatalities increase when roads are widened here. I think the airport road might be a good example. How many deaths before the widening? A widening which was completely unnecessary, there were no traffic jams, but taxis were impeded a bit in reaching mach 1 speeds. Now seems like every other week there is a horrific crash with grievous injuries because taxis are becoming airborne with regularity.

Should it be required equipment mini vans have air spoilers installed?

Edited November 14, 2015 by FBlue72

[Felt 35]

Surely in most third world countries the death toll statistics are completely unreliable.

I often hear people say that victims not count as traffic casualties when they die later in hospital. Anyone know if this is actually true or just something people read on the internet and keep repeating. And if so, is there a fixed time frame like for instance within 24 hours after the accident or is it decided case by case?

And how is this counted in the West?

So nobody knows then.

For the time being I put this in the category "had the farang not been in Thailand the accident would not have happened". Probably never uttered by a Thai but invented and repeated over and over by farangs.

Every time the subject of road fatalities comes up someone immediately shouts "and then they even don't count them when they die in hospital later". The same knee jerk reaction when a farang death is reported and the inevitable "there is more to this story" is posted instantly.

Anybody on here who knows a doctor or a police officer who can enlighten us?

There must be procedures in place. Thais love their paperwork.

This is how it is defined in the Netherlands (and in the UK) which looks pretty universal:

Road fatality means any person killed immediately or dying within 30 days as a result of a road injury accident. Suicides involving the use of a road motor vehicle are excluded.

Could it not simply be that this is also how it is counted in Thailand?

No, here they count but when the number not fit in with the latest "crack down" the numbers are made to fit.

[Felt 35]

Bangkok driving is much worse than Phuket. Multiple vehicle deaths per day, Phuket is about 25 - 30 per month. Phuket is Ok for driving except for high speed idiots like minbus and taxi. Just keep out of their way, let them by right away, but what can you do if the cross over and hit you head on - just your luck.

I've driven in Cairo, Egypt - much worse than Thailand.

Many more road deaths per 100,000 in all area outside of Bangkok than in Bangkok, for one simple reason, there is so much traffic the speeds are much lower and accidents or crashes as they should be called are not as severe as outside of Bangkok so lower amounts of deaths per 100,000 , many more crashes in Bangkok than out side of Bangkok but less severe , can easily Google it many articles about it on the internet.

Driving habits in a country I believe expose the social fabric of society... And I therefore am of the opinion that Thais are some of the nastiest people on the planet...the nice face they put up is a facade... as soon as I can hide behind anonymity in a vehicle (often with dark tainted windows) their real personality comes to the front... they will do anything as long as they can get away with it... they are a bunch of insular and arrogant people that comes from their lack of command of the English language as a result of which the only thing they know is Thailand...

Great that someone still can call a spade for a spade...

[FBlue72]

^ The truth is getting out. No amount of censorship can keep it in- not with Facebook's anonymous community pages.

[Shot]

very possible

[dageurreotype]

^ The truth is getting out. No amount of censorship can keep it in- not with Facebook's anonymous community pages.

Oh, those

[Jimi007]

Bangkok driving is much worse than Phuket. Multiple vehicle deaths per day, Phuket is about 25 - 30 per month. Phuket is Ok for driving except for high speed idiots like minbus and taxi. Just keep out of their way, let them by right away, but what can you do if the cross over and hit you head on - just your luck.

I've driven in Cairo, Egypt - much worse than Thailand.

Many more road deaths per 100,000 in all area outside of Bangkok than in Bangkok, for one simple reason, there is so much traffic the speeds are much lower and accidents or crashes as they should be called are not as severe as outside of Bangkok so lower amounts of deaths per 100,000 , many more crashes in Bangkok than out side of Bangkok but less severe , can easily Google it many articles about it on the internet.

Driving habits in a country I believe expose the social fabric of society... And I therefore am of the opinion that Thais are some of the nastiest people on the planet...the nice face they put up is a facade... as soon as I can hide behind anonymity in a vehicle (often with dark tainted windows) their real personality comes to the front... they will do anything as long as they can get away with it... they are a bunch of insular and arrogant people that comes from their lack of command of the English language as a result of which the only thing they know is Thailand...

Wow! What a load of crap! There are plenty of <deleted> drivers all over the world and it has nothing to do with their "lack of command of the English language." How's your command of the Thai language? What a racists comment! As they say; if you don't like it here, why do you stay here, especially with an attitude like that towards the Thai people...

[bearpolar]

Farangs in farangland with tinted window are the same as thais with tinted window

And thais with untinted windows(usualy bmw's and mercedes) are slow/calm drivers most of the time. It has to do with the person being a human and having anonymity.

Chinese are always bad because well.. they all look the same, genetic anonymity

Edited November 17, 2015 by bearpolar

[FBlue72]

Bangkok driving is much worse than Phuket. Multiple vehicle deaths per day, Phuket is about 25 - 30 per month. Phuket is Ok for driving except for high speed idiots like minbus and taxi. Just keep out of their way, let them by right away, but what can you do if the cross over and hit you head on - just your luck.

I've driven in Cairo, Egypt - much worse than Thailand.

Many more road deaths per 100,000 in all area outside of Bangkok than in Bangkok, for one simple reason, there is so much traffic the speeds are much lower and accidents or crashes as they should be called are not as severe as outside of Bangkok so lower amounts of deaths per 100,000 , many more crashes in Bangkok than out side of Bangkok but less severe , can easily Google it many articles about it on the internet.

Driving habits in a country I believe expose the social fabric of society... And I therefore am of the opinion that Thais are some of the nastiest people on the planet...the nice face they put up is a facade... as soon as I can hide behind anonymity in a vehicle (often with dark tainted windows) their real personality comes to the front... they will do anything as long as they can get away with it... they are a bunch of insular and arrogant people that comes from their lack of command of the English language as a result of which the only thing they know is Thailand...

Wow! What a load of crap! There are plenty of <deleted> drivers all over the world and it has nothing to do with their "lack of command of the English language." How's your command of the Thai language? What a racists comment! As they say; if you don't like it here, why do you stay here, especially with an attitude like that towards the Thai people...

Read it again- The insularity and arrogance is from lack of English skills, not the homicidal driving, that's from lack of common sense and courtesy.

[grumpyoldman]

Road my motorcycle from Rawai to the airport yesterday. Easy, no incidences, plenty of room all the way there, much of the way two lanes for cars a lane for bikes also.

Get out to Thalang and there are actually two lanes for bikes on top of the two lanes for cars.

To say Phuket "is the most dangerous place in the to drive" is just flat out wrong. Either you are not on the roads enough to come to the conclusion, or you just don't really know as you have not been on the roads in Nairobi,Moscow etc.

Anyway, did you see the Samui video of the tourist being run over? Already a couple of posters have said Samui is more dangerous so not only is Phuket not the most dangerous in the world,it's quite possibly not even most dangerous in Thailand OP.

[NamKangMan]

Road my motorcycle from Rawai to the airport yesterday. Easy, no incidences, plenty of room all the way there, much of the way two lanes for cars a lane for bikes also.

Get out to Thalang and there are actually two lanes for bikes on top of the two lanes for cars.

To say Phuket "is the most dangerous place in the to drive" is just flat out wrong. Either you are not on the roads enough to come to the conclusion, or you just don't really know as you have not been on the roads in Nairobi,Moscow etc.

Anyway, did you see the Samui video of the tourist being run over? Already a couple of posters have said Samui is more dangerous so not only is Phuket not the most dangerous in the world,it's quite possibly not even most dangerous in Thailand OP.

How do you explain the damning road fatality statisitics for Phuket, which only include those who die at the scene, not shortly after, in a hospital, not to mention road accidents with serious injury?

The most accurate statisitcs, which can be relied upon, come from the various Embassies and Consulates in Thailand, on the death of their citizens in Thailand.

These statistics show road death is a major killer in Thailand, with Thai officials admitting Phuket has the highest fatality rate.

[Peterocket]

Road my motorcycle from Rawai to the airport yesterday. Easy, no incidences, plenty of room all the way there, much of the way two lanes for cars a lane for bikes also.

Get out to Thalang and there are actually two lanes for bikes on top of the two lanes for cars.

To say Phuket "is the most dangerous place in the to drive" is just flat out wrong. Either you are not on the roads enough to come to the conclusion, or you just don't really know as you have not been on the roads in Nairobi,Moscow etc.

Anyway, did you see the Samui video of the tourist being run over? Already a couple of posters have said Samui is more dangerous so not only is Phuket not the most dangerous in the world,it's quite possibly not even most dangerous in Thailand OP.

How do you explain the damning road fatality statisitics for Phuket, which only include those who die at the scene, not shortly after, in a hospital, not to mention road accidents with serious injury?

The most accurate statisitcs, which can be relied upon, come from the various Embassies and Consulates in Thailand, on the death of their citizens in Thailand.

These statistics show road death is a major killer in Thailand, with Thai officials admitting Phuket has the highest fatality rate.

Low level of drivers using safety belts and helmets. Dangerous to themselves not to anyone else.

[NamKangMan]

Road my motorcycle from Rawai to the airport yesterday. Easy, no incidences, plenty of room all the way there, much of the way two lanes for cars a lane for bikes also.

Get out to Thalang and there are actually two lanes for bikes on top of the two lanes for cars.

To say Phuket "is the most dangerous place in the to drive" is just flat out wrong. Either you are not on the roads enough to come to the conclusion, or you just don't really know as you have not been on the roads in Nairobi,Moscow etc.

Anyway, did you see the Samui video of the tourist being run over? Already a couple of posters have said Samui is more dangerous so not only is Phuket not the most dangerous in the world,it's quite possibly not even most dangerous in Thailand OP.

How do you explain the damning road fatality statisitics for Phuket, which only include those who die at the scene, not shortly after, in a hospital, not to mention road accidents with serious injury?

The most accurate statisitcs, which can be relied upon, come from the various Embassies and Consulates in Thailand, on the death of their citizens in Thailand.

These statistics show road death is a major killer in Thailand, with Thai officials admitting Phuket has the highest fatality rate.

Low level of drivers using safety belts and helmets. Dangerous to themselves not to anyone else.

So, a "low level driver" crashes into you, killing you, and themselves - doesn't help you much, even though you were wearing your seat belt / hemet, does it?

Edited November 19, 2015 by NamKangMan

[Peterocket]

Road my motorcycle from Rawai to the airport yesterday. Easy, no incidences, plenty of room all the way there, much of the way two lanes for cars a lane for bikes also.

Get out to Thalang and there are actually two lanes for bikes on top of the two lanes for cars.

To say Phuket "is the most dangerous place in the to drive" is just flat out wrong. Either you are not on the roads enough to come to the conclusion, or you just don't really know as you have not been on the roads in Nairobi,Moscow etc.

Anyway, did you see the Samui video of the tourist being run over? Already a couple of posters have said Samui is more dangerous so not only is Phuket not the most dangerous in the world,it's quite possibly not even most dangerous in Thailand OP.

How do you explain the damning road fatality statisitics for Phuket, which only include those who die at the scene, not shortly after, in a hospital, not to mention road accidents with serious injury?

The most accurate statisitcs, which can be relied upon, come from the various Embassies and Consulates in Thailand, on the death of their citizens in Thailand.

These statistics show road death is a major killer in Thailand, with Thai officials admitting Phuket has the highest fatality rate.

Low level of drivers using safety belts and helmets. Dangerous to themselves not to anyone else.

So, a "low level driver" crashes into you, killing you, and themselves - doesn't help you much, even though you were wearing your seat belt / hemet, does it?

I should re-phrase that to be low number of people wearing seat belts and helmets.

Strange comment anyhow...a driver crashes into me killing themselves and not me because I am wearing a helmet/seatbelt....helps me a lot. Doesn't it?

[NamKangMan]

@ Peterocket

Read again, "So, a "low level driver" crashes into you, killing you, and themselves."

The point is, who cares whether the other driver wears a seat belt / helmet, if they crash into an innocent road user.

Example: A tourist gets drunk in a bar and rides off, without a helmet, on his rental motorbike, and crashes into someone on a motorbike who is sober, and wearing a helmet, with both riders dead.

Look at the police officer killed by the drunk minivan driver. His helmet didn't save him from the criminal actions of the other driver.

Edited November 19, 2015 by NamKangMan

[Peterocket]

@ Peterocket

Read again, "So, a "low level driver" crashes into you, killing you, and themselves."

The point is, who cares whether the other driver wears a seat belt / helmet, if they crash into an innocent road user.

Example: A tourist gets drunk in a bar and rides off, without a helmet, on his rental motorbike, and crashes into someone on a motorbike who is sober, and wearing a helmet, with both riders dead.

Look at the police officer killed by the drunk minivan driver. His helmet didn't save him from the criminal actions of the other driver.

I drove across India a few years back...now that was dangerous!

In fact the topic is ridiculous...Phuket the most dangerous place in the world...lol

This is dangerous:

[NamKangMan]

@ Peterocket

Read again, "So, a "low level driver" crashes into you, killing you, and themselves."

The point is, who cares whether the other driver wears a seat belt / helmet, if they crash into an innocent road user.

Example: A tourist gets drunk in a bar and rides off, without a helmet, on his rental motorbike, and crashes into someone on a motorbike who is sober, and wearing a helmet, with both riders dead.

Look at the police officer killed by the drunk minivan driver. His helmet didn't save him from the criminal actions of the other driver.

I drove across India a few years back...now that was dangerous!

In fact the topic is ridiculous...Phuket the most dangerous place in the world...lol

This is dangerous:

Your photo clearly shows a dangerous road - no doubt about that.

I have a question for you, Peterocket. How many drunk locals, and tourists from all around the world, and expats, use that road, in/on their own vehicle, everyday?

Edited November 19, 2015 by NamKangMan

[yooyoo]

Driving habits in a country I believe expose the social fabric of society... And I therefore am of the opinion that Thais are some of the nastiest people on the planet...the nice face they put up is a facade... as soon as I can hide behind anonymity in a vehicle (often with dark tainted windows) their real personality comes to the front... they will do anything as long as they can get away with it... they are a bunch of insular and arrogant people that comes from their lack of command of the English language as a result of which the only thing they know is Thailand...

A rather gloomy view, with which I disagree. I think the biggest problem with Thai drivers is the driving instructors are incompetent.

My teerak has a full driving licence. I went out with her and the instructor once, and had to intervene before he got all of us killed. Screw his face, our lives were more important. Even now, I am still teaching her basic stuff such as handbrake starts, how to override the gears on an automatic uphill and downhill, and turning into sois on a curve in preference to a 90 degree angle. She has actually learned to check her rear vision mirror every 60 seconds, which most Thai drivers don't do. Along with using her seat belt.

If the instructor she had was representative of most Thai driving instructors, then IMHO it's no wonder Thai roads are so dangerous.

Where do you think the instructors come from?.. they are Thais born and bred in Thai society... it is their culture to behave the way they do... I rest my case

[Peterocket]

@ Peterocket

Read again, "So, a "low level driver" crashes into you, killing you, and themselves."

The point is, who cares whether the other driver wears a seat belt / helmet, if they crash into an innocent road user.

Example: A tourist gets drunk in a bar and rides off, without a helmet, on his rental motorbike, and crashes into someone on a motorbike who is sober, and wearing a helmet, with both riders dead.

Look at the police officer killed by the drunk minivan driver. His helmet didn't save him from the criminal actions of the other driver.

I drove across India a few years back...now that was dangerous!

In fact the topic is ridiculous...Phuket the most dangerous place in the world...lol

This is dangerous:

Your photo clearly shows a dangerous road - no doubt about that.

I have a question for you, Peterocket. How many drunk locals, and tourists from all around the world, and expats, use that road, in/on their own vehicle, everyday?

No idea...dangerous whether they are drunk or not. Maybe they are all drunk....?

[phuketrichard]

god NO,

just back from a road trip into Cambodia,

they are without a doubt the worst in se asia

[FBlue72]

Road my motorcycle from Rawai to the airport yesterday. Easy, no incidences, plenty of room all the way there, much of the way two lanes for cars a lane for bikes also.

Get out to Thalang and there are actually two lanes for bikes on top of the two lanes for cars.

To say Phuket "is the most dangerous place in the to drive" is just flat out wrong. Either you are not on the roads enough to come to the conclusion, or you just don't really know as you have not been on the roads in Nairobi,Moscow etc.

Anyway, did you see the Samui video of the tourist being run over? Already a couple of posters have said Samui is more dangerous so not only is Phuket not the most dangerous in the world,it's quite possibly not even most dangerous in Thailand OP.

How do you explain the damning road fatality statisitics for Phuket, which only include those who die at the scene, not shortly after, in a hospital, not to mention road accidents with serious injury?

The most accurate statisitcs, which can be relied upon, come from the various Embassies and Consulates in Thailand, on the death of their citizens in Thailand.

These statistics show road death is a major killer in Thailand, with Thai officials admitting Phuket has the highest fatality rate.

Low level of drivers using safety belts and helmets. Dangerous to themselves not to anyone else.

^

I've noticed a lot of Phuket expats seem to think enforcing helmet laws is a safety issue. I've always thought it is the ultimate in nanny state controls and affects no one but the non- helmet wearer. Police efforts would be better spent stopping speeders, which do endanger everyone.

Personal opinion is just that- personal opinion. Presenting personal opinion as fact does not make it so and neither does repeating it incessantly whilst comparing cliffs, bike lanes, pot- holes, honking drivers or helmet wearing with road fatality stats.

Phuket is the most likely place in Thailand to die on the road. Thailand is rated second n the world and with its dubious fatality statistics in question, it may well actually be first place or close to a level as Libya, rated number 1.

Therefore, Phuket is extremely likely to be the most likely place on the planet to meet your end in a road accident.

Incidentally Thailand was 3rd last time this UN survey was conducted, so it's gotten worse. As long as building wider faster roads is seen as a solution, and not part of the problem, this dismal fatality rate will increase as will general road congestion. Build it and they will drive on it.

[Peterocket]

Road my motorcycle from Rawai to the airport yesterday. Easy, no incidences, plenty of room all the way there, much of the way two lanes for cars a lane for bikes also.

Get out to Thalang and there are actually two lanes for bikes on top of the two lanes for cars.

To say Phuket "is the most dangerous place in the to drive" is just flat out wrong. Either you are not on the roads enough to come to the conclusion, or you just don't really know as you have not been on the roads in Nairobi,Moscow etc.

Anyway, did you see the Samui video of the tourist being run over? Already a couple of posters have said Samui is more dangerous so not only is Phuket not the most dangerous in the world,it's quite possibly not even most dangerous in Thailand OP.

How do you explain the damning road fatality statisitics for Phuket, which only include those who die at the scene, not shortly after, in a hospital, not to mention road accidents with serious injury?

The most accurate statisitcs, which can be relied upon, come from the various Embassies and Consulates in Thailand, on the death of their citizens in Thailand.

These statistics show road death is a major killer in Thailand, with Thai officials admitting Phuket has the highest fatality rate.

Low level of drivers using safety belts and helmets. Dangerous to themselves not to anyone else.

^

I've noticed a lot of Phuket expats seem to think enforcing helmet laws is a safety issue. I've always thought it is the ultimate in nanny state controls and affects no one but the non- helmet wearer. Police efforts would be better spent stopping speeders, which do endanger everyone.

Personal opinion is just that- personal opinion. Presenting personal opinion as fact does not make it so and neither does repeating it incessantly whilst comparing cliffs, bike lanes, pot- holes, honking drivers or helmet wearing with road fatality stats.

Phuket is the most likely place in Thailand to die on the road. Thailand is rated second n the world and with its dubious fatality statistics in question, it may well actually be first place or close to a level as Libya, rated number 1.

Therefore, Phuket is extremely likely to be the most likely place on the planet to meet your end in a road accident.

Incidentally Thailand was 3rd last time this UN survey was conducted, so it's gotten worse. As long as building wider faster roads is seen as a solution, and not part of the problem, this dismal fatality rate will increase as will general road congestion. Build it and they will drive on it.

You don't think wearing helmets/seatbelts effect road fatality numbers?

For me I don't care if people wear seatbelts or helmets...up to them if they want to die.(unless in my vehicle)

According to Rebecca B. Naumann, MSPH, Ruth A. Shults, PhD, Div of Unintentional Injury Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, CDC:

Helmet use is estimated to prevent 37% of fatalities among motorcycle operators and 41% of fatalities among passengers (4). NHTSA estimates that in 2010, helmet use saved the lives of 1,544 motorcyclists, and an additional 709 lives might have been saved if all motorcyclists had worn helmets (NHTSA, unpublished data, 2012). With motorcycle ownership at an all-time high (8.2 million registered motorcycles in 2010, compared with 4.3 million in 2000),†† motorcycle-related deaths and their associated costs are expected to remain at high levels unless more effective protective measures are implemented (10). Helmets are proven to save lives and money, and universal helmet laws are the most effective way to increase helmet use (3).

[stevenl]

How do you explain the damning road fatality statisitics for Phuket, which only include those who die at the scene, not shortly after, in a hospital, not to mention road accidents with serious injury?

The most accurate statisitcs, which can be relied upon, come from the various Embassies and Consulates in Thailand, on the death of their citizens in Thailand.

These statistics show road death is a major killer in Thailand, with Thai officials admitting Phuket has the highest fatality rate.

Low level of drivers using safety belts and helmets. Dangerous to themselves not to anyone else.

^

I've noticed a lot of Phuket expats seem to think enforcing helmet laws is a safety issue. I've always thought it is the ultimate in nanny state controls and affects no one but the non- helmet wearer. Police efforts would be better spent stopping speeders, which do endanger everyone.

Personal opinion is just that- personal opinion. Presenting personal opinion as fact does not make it so and neither does repeating it incessantly whilst comparing cliffs, bike lanes, pot- holes, honking drivers or helmet wearing with road fatality stats.

Phuket is the most likely place in Thailand to die on the road. Thailand is rated second n the world and with its dubious fatality statistics in question, it may well actually be first place or close to a level as Libya, rated number 1.

Therefore, Phuket is extremely likely to be the most likely place on the planet to meet your end in a road accident.

Incidentally Thailand was 3rd last time this UN survey was conducted, so it's gotten worse. As long as building wider faster roads is seen as a solution, and not part of the problem, this dismal fatality rate will increase as will general road congestion. Build it and they will drive on it.

You don't think wearing helmets/seatbelts effect road fatality numbers?

For me I don't care if people wear seatbelts or helmets...up to them if they want to die.(unless in my vehicle)

According to Rebecca B. Naumann, MSPH, Ruth A. Shults, PhD, Div of Unintentional Injury Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, CDC:

Helmet use is estimated to prevent 37% of fatalities among motorcycle operators and 41% of fatalities among passengers (4). NHTSA estimates that in 2010, helmet use saved the lives of 1,544 motorcyclists, and an additional 709 lives might have been saved if all motorcyclists had worn helmets (NHTSA, unpublished data, 2012). With motorcycle ownership at an all-time high (8.2 million registered motorcycles in 2010, compared with 4.3 million in 2000),†† motorcycle-related deaths and their associated costs are expected to remain at high levels unless more effective protective measures are implemented (10). Helmets are proven to save lives and money, and universal helmet laws are the most effective way to increase helmet use (3).

And I would say in Thailand, with relatively low speed motorbikes as compared to the US, where I presume this study stems from, the percentage saved would be much, much higher, especially if helmets were of good standard.

[bearpolar]

older woman on chaofa east this morning just before underpass, started zigzagging without looking in her mirror, other thai man beeped her with his motorbike and hit her, she rolled 3 times. Hit her head 3 times.

no helmet = brain splatered everywhere = more traffic for everyone = helmet important for everyone, nothing to do with nanny state.