Road fatalities in Myanmar continue to rise

[rooster59]

Road fatalities in Myanmar continue to rise

YANGON: Traffic accident fatalities in Myanmar continued to climb last year, with the latest data placing the figure at more than 4,000 deaths in 2015, The Irrawaddy reported.


Official traffic police statistics indicate that of the country’s 4,233 traffic fatalities in 2015, Mandalay Division topped the list with 609 deaths, followed by Yangon with 574. The former capital, which has some 500,000 registered vehicles, saw 15,046 road accidents last year, the most in the country.

Myanmar’s state-run newspapers reported Thursday that the figure for traffic fatalities last year had doubled from the number recorded in 2011, though the increase was marginal compared with 2014, when Myanmar recorded 4,163 traffic fatalities.

Thailand ranked second in the world for road fatalities, with an average of 80 lives lost per day in 2014. The Thai government recently said that 380 people died during Thailand’s so-called “Seven Dangerous Days,” referring to the New Year holiday, known for fueling drink and reckless driving.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/road-fatalities-in-myanmar-continue-to-rise

-- Thai PBS 2016-01-09

[trogers]

No doubt the cause of high fatality is the common use of vehicles designed to be driven on the left side of the road, being driven on the right side of the road like in the US.

[Thunder26]

I can't understand why Thailand doesn't do anything to prevent road accidents? It is there in the top! Don't the leaders feel ashamed of this place? I've been driving in Thailand for the last 10 years and I think 2015 was among the worst when it came to driving discipline. 2016 follows the same picture. Thai people drive in complete disregard to others. There are way too many aggressive drivers (pick ups especially). You meet them several a day which is appalling. Also way to many motorcyclists do not care about the rules riding without a helmet or in the opposite direction of the traffic.

I am going to reiterate that there is nothing done about it!

Edited January 9, 2016 by Thunder26

[Thunder26]

I can't understand why Thailand doesn't do anything to prevent road accidents? It is there in the top! Don't the leaders feel ashamed of this place? I've been driving in Thailand for the last 10 years and I think 2015 was among the worst when it came to driving discipline. 2016 follows the same picture. Thai people drive in complete disregard to others. There are way too many aggressive drivers (pick ups especially). You meet them several a day which is appalling. Also way to many motorcyclists do not care about the rules riding without a helmet or in the opposite direction of the traffic.

I am going to reiterate that it is nothing done about it!

I know that my answer doesn't relate to Myanmar incident. I just wanted Thailand to focus more on the internal problems!

[gregk0543]

No doubt the cause of high fatality is the common use of vehicles designed to be driven on the left side of the road, being driven on the right side of the road like in the US.

Actually Myanmar has some unique driving characteristics. Looking at those stats. Mandalay has more than Yangon because it has motorbikes.

Yangon doesnt have them. We also have very low speeds in Yangon due to traffic congestion.

I think it would be interesting to check how many of the deaths are pedestrian, motorbike, agricultural vehicle etc. That would say a lot.

Seat belt wearing in Yangon would help. And they are putting in overhead walkways for pedestrians. Most people observe that Burmese people are very uneducated even in crossing a road by looking both ways. They drive the same. They dont look much.

So we have a long way to catch up with Thailand but we will get close if we have the same amount of vehicles.

The other day I was in Mandalay in a car being driven by my Myanmar friend. As motorbikes cut in front of us and nearly killed themselves he kept saying. "Their life is cheap" sort of meaning they dont value their life. Its sort of true. I think you can apply this attitude to Thailand. They dont worry so I guess we dont need to either?

Or is it just showing us how much of a different value we place on life and safety in developed nations? It was like this there once too. Just a lifelong exercise in education.

For instance look at road accident to gun death stats in the US. They are almost equal now. Which says a lot about road safety and disregard for gun safety.

http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2015/01/americas-top-killing-machine/384440/

[Stuart21]

No doubt the cause of high fatality is the common use of vehicles designed to be driven on the left side of the road, being driven on the right side of the road like in the US.

I thought that also - but in a week there with a lot of driving, didn't see any problems. However a big problem seems to be no vehicle inspections - lighting can be any of many on or off - high beams left on, & cars and partic. motor bikes driven at night, WITHOUT LIGHTS!

But still road toll per cap is only 40% of here -