Drunk driving and speeding were blamed for over 78 percent of road accidents

[webfact]

Drunk driving and speeding were blamed for over 78 percent of road accidents

 

 

BANGKOK: -- Death toll from road accidents during the New Year’s festival between December 29-31 has risen to 199 with 2,099 injuries, according to the latest statistics compiled by the Centre for the Prevention and Reduction of Road Accidents.

 

Education permanent secretary Chaipruek Serirak said that on December 31 alone, 86 people were killed and 800 injured in 757 accidents.

 

Drunk driving was blamed for 43.86 percent of the accidents while speeding was blamed for 33.29 percent of the accidents.

 

Motorcycles accounted for 80.84 percent of the accidents and 63.01 percent of the accidents involving motorbikes took place on straight roads during 4-8 pm. Which was described as the period with the highest road accidents.

 

Full story: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/drunk-driving-speeding-blamed-78-percent-road-accidents/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2017-01-02

[webfact]

1,011 vehicles seized in Drink Don’t Drive campaign

 

 

BANGKOK, 2nd January 2017 (NNT) – 1,011 vehicles have been seized in the first three days of the Drink Don’t Drive campaign, says the NCPO, commending officials working to maintain order during New Year celebrations. 

National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) Deputy Spokesperson Col Sirichan Ngathong has revealed members of the public last night attended countdown events and prayer services with happiness and in an orderly fashion, adding that the NCPO wishes to thank all officials working to ensure safety at venues during the New Year holidays. 

She has said the number of holiday travelers has caused some main roads especially to be congested, but most motorists are cooperative with traffic regulations. Officials will continue to facilitate the needs of travelers and ensure public safety. 

As for the Drink Don’t Drive campaign against road accidents, the latest numbers for 31st December 2016 show 7,298 cases of alcohol consumption while driving among motorcycle riders, and 3,769 cases among bus and car drivers. 414 motorcycles and 145 cars were seized, with 278 driver’s licenses confiscated, and 2,813 persons charged. 

Officials have seized 1,011 vehicles in the period 29th - 31st December 2016, 810 of which are motorcycles, and 201 cars. 11,764 motorcycle riders were prosecuted, along with 5,850 bus and car drivers. 

The NCPO wishes to thank the general public who obeyed the safety instructions on New Year’s Eve, and for the good wishes given to officials during the New Year’s Day.

 

-- nnt 2017-01-02

[leeneeds]

We have had two deaths so far in my local village, one a drunk motor bike rider, the other death was a pick up slamming into a motor bike,

the driver of both the pick and motor bike were sober, ( NOT LOOKING ) both proportionately to blame,

 

When the skill set of driving a vehicle is non existant prior to getting access to a licence making the driver / rider legal 

The carnage will continue,  Having a Thai friend who was picked up on the 25th for being drunk behind the wheel, he was locked up overnight

released in the morning, faced court the following day paid 6000 baht fine and had his license returned,

 

Living and being part of the culture in Thailand has some totally fantastic aspects, 

and some totally bewildering ones , 

 

[trogers]

So now we know, the deeply rooted cause of carnage is CORRUPTION, and the subsequent MAI PEN RAI...

[arithai12]

The root problem is that driver licence tests are a joke.

[metisdead]

A troll post has been removed. 

[does]

26 minutes ago, arithai12 said:

The root problem is that driver licence tests are a joke.

Given the cause of most accident, alcohol is the root problem.

[licka]

Speeding and alcohol account for most accidents ALL year round

Do we really need education ministers and others to tell us this

 

[smedly]

52 minutes ago, arithai12 said:

The root problem is that driver licence tests are a joke.

nothing to do with it

 

Think about this

 

If the current driving Test was abolished in the UK and they adopted a similar system to Thailand do you think the death toll on the roads would suddenly become the same as Thailand ? well I can assure you it wouldn't

 

What primarily causes accidents/deaths on Thai roads is lack of law enforcement and blatant stupidity

[Sydebolle]

Well, one way of putting the lid on this ongoing boil of problems could be to apply the same taxation of local booze to imported booze. As alcohol-free beer still contains tiny fractions of alcohol (in the 0.000x %) the Ministry of Finance (under which customs is nested) still charges the full beer import duty while the local firewaters, be it in beer, spirits or wine containers, are privileged financially. 
Drunk driving will stop if you impound the vehicle (say THB 20'000/car and THB 5'000/bike) and keep it, against stiff handling and parking fees, for say, a month under lock. 
Pattaya has seen an increase in road checks which are dealt with the usual "envelope" treatment of THB 20'000 in case of alien culprits. 

The biggest enemy of Thailand is the Thai people - regretfully! 

In a few days the "dangerous" days are over, hundreds of unnecessary funerals are in the making and thousands of sick will affect families and work places - how sad! 

[LennyW]

4 minutes ago, smedly said:

nothing to do with it

 

Think about this

 

If the current driving Test was abolished in the UK and they adopted a similar system to Thailand do you think the death toll on the roads would suddenly become the same as Thailand ? well I can assure you it wouldn't

 

What primarily causes accidents/deaths on Thai roads is lack of law enforcement and blatant stupidity

And extreme selfishness!

[fruitman]

Wrong wrong wrong, the real problem is no police patrolling the roads...they are playing candycrush in their tents.

 

Also those checkpoints don't help at all, they need to drive on the road (undercover cars  with dashcams would be best) and also at night. Just fine everyone who's not obeying trafficrules and start with driving against traffic.

[djayz]

So, what's new? 

[Pinot]

4 minutes ago, fruitman said:

Wrong wrong wrong, the real problem is no police patrolling the roads...they are playing candycrush in their tents.

 

Also those checkpoints don't help at all, they need to drive on the road (undercover cars  with dashcams would be best) and also at night. Just fine everyone who's not obeying trafficrules and start with driving against traffic.

 

Yes, I agree. Once you're moving in traffic all bets are off. No police presence on the roads. Drive as fast and as crazily as you want...No problem. Throw in thousands of tourists on motorbikes that don't know how to drive (Phuket) and you've got the most dangerous place in the world to drive.

 

Good luck out there. You need it.  

[surinderek]

The death accident toll is higher. Today more people have cars so more accidents , sothis must be expected given the way Thais drive

[ChakaKhan]

Too Fast---too Furious------Gone in sixty seconds--life that it  

[Pib]

1 hour ago, arithai12 said:

The root problem is that driver licence tests are a joke.

Has close to zero to do with driver licence tests.

 

It's just the attitude of Thais towards safety and drinking, along with little fear of the police since they can be bought off many times and primarily apply driving laws only at checkpoints.   A person only needs to drive as an angel when approaching a police checkpoint; after passing through (or avoiding/bypassing) the checkpoint a person can revert to being a driving monster.

[Jimbo2014]

To the heading of the article... no kidding Sherlock.

[impulse]

I'd have put my money on failed brakes.  But that's just based on what the drivers claim in the media...

[CGW]

Be interesting to see the true statistics for a "normal" weekend, how many people die and are injured when it is not a holiday time and what is the increase in accidents during the NY period?

[kannot]

1 hour ago, does said:

Given the cause of most accident, alcohol is the root problem.

more like stupidity

[Ace of Pop]

Unmarked Cars certainly do have a bigger deterrent factor in the World,but here I'm not sure they would .


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[joespnet]

A big part of the problem is shown in the statistics given in the article:

 

From Dec. 29 - 31 ...

7,298 alcohol-related accidents involving motorcycles

3,769 alcohol-related accidents involving buses & cars

That's about 11,000 impaired drivers involved in accidents....

.... and only 2,813 persons charged. 

 

Unless people know they will be charged, behavior won't change. 

There just isn't enough fear of adverse consequences to change behavior.

[stereolab]

51 minutes ago, fruitman said:

Wrong wrong wrong, the real problem is no police patrolling the roads...they are playing candycrush in their tents.

 

Also those checkpoints don't help at all, they need to drive on the road (undercover cars  with dashcams would be best) and also at night. Just fine everyone who's not obeying trafficrules and start with driving against traffic.

Our large village has up to 10 Police and other officials sitting in a tent all day long. Meanwhile, drivers are careening through the village at 90kph, breaking at the last moment at the checkpoint, before racing on again. Only once have they got up and stopped the traffic, and they stopped all traffic, at a crossroads, at the same time, causing un-necessary congestion and confusion. 

[does]

1 hour ago, smedly said:

nothing to do with it

 

Think about this

 

If the current driving Test was abolished in the UK and they adopted a similar system to Thailand do you think the death toll on the roads would suddenly become the same as Thailand ? well I can assure you it wouldn't

 

What primarily causes accidents/deaths on Thai roads is lack of law enforcement and blatant stupidity

I think you misunderstand my point. I am talking about the main cause. If alcohol was banned, there still would be deadly accidents. But statistically, see below:

 

 

Drink driving was the major cause of road accident, accounting for 48.86%, followed by speeding (33.3%).

http://www.chiangraitimes.com/the-4th-day-thailands-new-year-holiday-reports-199-dead-2099-injuries.html

 

 

 

 

 

[jerojero]

... most motorists are cooperative with traffic regulations. Officials will continue to facilitate the needs of travelers and ensure public safety....What a bunch of claptrap b,s.

[roo860]

Last Thursday I rode from Chiang Mai to Utteradit, 275km, went through 2 checkpoints. I saw one police Highway patrol car, was parked up with no one in it.

Sent from my SM-G920F using Thaivisa Connect mobile app

[FredNL]

3 hours ago, does said:

Given the cause of most accident, alcohol is the root problem.

 

If Thailand would stop the sale of alcohol, petrol, diesel, NGV and LPG the roads would be much safer. The only thing then you have to watch out for are (water) buffalos racing...

[marko kok prong]

Impatience plays a role,why will Thai people risk their life to overtake a turning vehicle,just to save a split second.

[maewang99]

it's a lousy thing to tag crashes as caused by "speeding".....

even if we can never know what really happened... someone did... but ****everyone**** needs to always know and be reminded endlessly that it ain't ever just speed alone, or alcohol, or being sleepy...  we must always be ready and alert 100%.  always.  at any speed.

any speed.