Saturday's Road Toll

[sbk]

30 deaths and 2309 injuries due to road accidents on Saturday April 11.

My husband just got this off the thairath website. Anyone need another reason to stay off the road? This is just Saturday the 11th's numbers. I shudder to think what kind of record this year's Songkran will hit.

[davethailand]

its a shame but, will they ever learn, i don't think so.

[KevinN]

Not hard to understand really.

left donmuang last night after meeting a friends plane and getting on the hyway north at 2200,gridlock to LOP BURI,,saw hundreds of pickups with 20+ people riding in the back and on top of the canopys,sitting on tailgates,lots of bottles of booze going around,singing and horseplay,people hanging out and off tailgates,little kids and loads of freight with people on top, ###### it no wonder there was deaths.If a rig goes up side down with the folks loaded like that,someone gonna die.

COMMON SENSE is a commodity that is completely lacking in the Thai race.

[MadFrankie]

its not only thailand wheres theres problems with people being stupid @ the new year, its a worldwide thing.. Just happens here @ a diff time of year..

Dont u think the road fatalitys go up all over europe and US, etc during the festive season?????

[Crash999]

My husband just got this off the thairath website. Anyone need another reason to stay off the road? This is just Saturday the 11th's numbers. I shudder to think what kind of record this year's Songkran will hit.

The number of deaths seems low? From memory I recall something like 30k deaths per year on the roads here. 30x365=10950.

Anyway, drive defensively and you all should be ok. A lot of the accidents I see on the highway are single vehicles in the median (lost control for whatever reason) and fender benders.

Last time back from Pattaya we saw a 4-car accident- the first car had braked hard and the others smashed into each other, one by one. The unusual part was the second car was up on the back of the first, third on the second, fourth on the third- so it looked like some sort of bizarre car mating ritual.

Cheers!

[Basher]

Just another annual culling season, it will never change...

Any excuse for a pissup basically init

Bash

[wamberal]

When I worked in Thailand some years ago, it was explained to me that Thai Buddhism has an element of fatalism in it, which might explain the nonchalant attitude many Thais appear to have towards their personal safety -- if you are fated to die, then you will die, it doesn't matter how carefully you drive, and conversely, if you are fated to survive, then you can take all the risks that you like. If this sounds racist, or prejudiced against Buddhism, then I apologise -- I am simply repeating what I was told by my Thai counterparts. If this interpretation of Thai Buddhism is correct, then it might explain a lot about Thai mores and behaviour.

[MadFrankie]

Worst one i've seen over here was on the chonburi bangkok road.. A bus thats driver had obviously fallen asleep or something had gone flying into the back of a stationary container carrying truck at full speed, it had cut the bus in two at neck height about half way down the length of the bus.

Luckly there were no passengers on board...

[Polo]

its a shame but, will they ever learn, i don't think so.

WASHINGTON, April 4 — Traffic accidents kill 1.2 million people worldwide every year and the number is expected to nearly double in the next 15 years. Unlike other mass killers such as AIDS or malaria, however, there is no international clamor to reverse the trend.

And What about these official figures, will they ever learn?

[edd]

Our normal trip from BKK to Udornthani we see between 5 and 7 accidents, no valid reason for them, only BAD driving.

[Polo]

Our normal trip from BKK to Udornthani we see between 5 and 7 accidents, no valid reason for them, only BAD driving.

And the 42,000 people that are killed on the roads in the USA yearly is down to what?

GOOD Driving?

[chonabot]

Our normal trip from BKK to Udornthani we see between 5 and 7 accidents, no valid reason for them, only BAD driving.    

And the 42,000 people that are killed on the roads in the USA yearly is down to what?

GOOD Driving?

Compare the population Polo , slight difference.

[edd]

Our normal trip from BKK to Udornthani we see between 5 and 7 accidents, no valid reason for them, only BAD driving.    

And the 42,000 people that are killed on the roads in the USA yearly is down to what?

GOOD Driving?

BKK TO UDORNTHANI IS ABOUT 450 MILES, 5 TO 7 ACCIDENTS. WHERE IN THE U. S. DO YOU SEE THAT.

I dont say that Thi drivers (on average) are the only BAD drivers But they are BAD drivers.

[sbk]

Actually, from what I have read in 2001 Thailand's traffic fatality toll was 11,652 deaths from 77,616 accidents. Not 30,000 something.

Look at the fact that Thailand has some 60,000,000 people and the US around 385,000,000. So, roughly 12,000 out of 60 million as compared to 40,000 out of 385,000,000. One quarter of the accidents but one-sixth of the population, not even taking into consideration how many vehicles are owned in each country.

What was your point again Polo?

[chonabot]

Another point worth making is that 70 % of Thailands motor related deaths are on or involving motorcycles , USa 80% are on 4 wheel vehicles.

Womder how many are on Tuk-Tuks?

[Boon Mee]

My father-in-law was just in a bad wreck riding in a car with a bunch of his fellow monks going to another Wat from where he lives. It was night-time and it happened at an intersection. His driver was killed as well as the passanger in the front seat. Luckily for him he escaped with just severly bruised ribs and some head lacerations.

Hate to say it but the common theme with Thai drivers is: Buddha Will Protect. Heard that statement a thousand times...

[Polo]

Actually, from what I have read in 2001 Thailand's traffic fatality toll was 11,652 deaths from 77,616 accidents. Not 30,000 something.

Look at the fact that Thailand has some 60,000,000 people and the US around 385,000,000. So, roughly 12,000 out of 60 million as compared to 40,000 out of 385,000,000. One quarter of the accidents but one-sixth of the population, not even taking into consideration how many vehicles are owned in each country.

What was your point again Polo?

Britain, with a population of 59 million, lost 3,431 people in 2002 compared with 42,815 people killed on America’s roads. The population of the USA at that time was 285 million, only 4.83 times greater than Britain’s, and 4.83 multiplied by the UK death toll is 16,571. This would suggest that – if the USA could match the fatality ratios in Britain over 26,000 American lives could be spared annually.

You Mean this Point?

[chonabot]

Actually, from what I have read in 2001 Thailand's traffic fatality toll was 11,652 deaths from 77,616 accidents. Not 30,000 something.

Look at the fact that Thailand has some 60,000,000 people and the US around 385,000,000. So, roughly 12,000 out of 60 million as compared to 40,000 out of 385,000,000. One quarter of the accidents but one-sixth of the population, not even taking into consideration how many vehicles are owned in each country.

What was your point again Polo?

Britain, with a population of 59 million, lost 3,431 people in 2002 compared with 42,815 people killed on America’s roads. The population of the USA at that time was 285 million, only 4.83 times greater than Britain’s, and 4.83 multiplied by the UK death toll is 16,571. This would suggest that – if the USA could match the fatality ratios in Britain over 26,000 American lives could be spared annually.

You Mean this Point?

Thailand has a similar population to the UK and has 3 times as many deaths, it's bad , Thailand has a very bad ratio of road deaths per capita,thats the point of this thread...

[sbk]

Polo, the topic of the thread was THAILANDS road fatalities, not how you perceive the UK is superior to the US. My POINT was the high rate of fatalities already and Songkran is only just beginning. The official holiday begins on Tuesday.

Sorry, I did get my numbers wrong, the US is only 295 million now. Regardless, the topic, again, was Thailand's already high fatality rate. With millions pouring out of Bangkok (I think my husband read they estimate 4 million will leave) the death toll will rise. I, personally, am glad I won't be on the road this week. And, having had many local families lose alot of family members to road accidents, grieve for Thailand's losses.

[Rhys]

Interesting point on the Buddhist rationale for dangerous driving habits, yet it is the accountability factor that is overlooked.. it is an easy excuse to have the magic bullet attitude..

[meemiathai]

Does the size of a country affect the figures?

[chonabot]

Does the size of a country affect the figures?

Obviously the population will affect the ratio , but the physical size of the country and amount of roads and amount of cars should also affect the overall formula.

[pattaya pimp]

road deaths are terrible

[angie]

In ENGLand they just blame WOMEN DRIVERS!!!!!!!!

Angie

[possom]

this thread was about road deaths in thailand !!! bcouldnt give 2 f***s , how many yanks die on american roads , after all do they care how many iraqi civilians die for oil ??? oops sorry one too many beer changs , maybe i should be watching cnn ,and not the bbc !!!

[chonabot]

this thread was about road deaths in thailand !!! bcouldnt give 2 f***s , how many yanks die on american roads , after all do they care how many iraqi civilians die for oil ??? oops sorry one too many beer changs , maybe i should be watching cnn ,and not the bbc !!!

The distant sounds of a can of worms being opened....................

[angie]

OK lets leave the banter!!!!

This is a serious matter and we are talking about THAILAND, (Our Website)

Happy New Year!

Angie

[TizMe]

A history lesson:

The World's first death by motor vehicle

On 17 August 1896, Bridget Driscoll, a 44-year-old mother of two became the first person ever killed by a moter vehicle. She and her teenage daughter were on their way to see a dance performance at Crystal Palace in London. She was struck by a car as they crossed the palace grounds. Witnesses said the car was going 'at tremendous speed'. It may have been going eight miles per hour (12.8km/h), though it was meant to be going no more than four miles per hour ((6.4km/h). A young man was driving, giving free rides to demonstrate the invention and, according to some, trying to impress a young female passenger. At the inquest the coroner said, 'This must never happen again'.

Happy New Year

[chonabot]

Happy Easter an'all

[Boon Mee]

Interesting point on the Buddhist rationale for dangerous driving habits, yet it is the accountability factor that is overlooked.. it is an easy excuse to have the magic bullet attitude..

From my experience, it permeates the Thai psyche. Believe it has to do with the culture being predominantly Buddhist. I love it, but operating a motor vehicle in Thailand whether it's Songkran or any other day is a lot more dangerous than in the US or Uk.