Road rules to be strictly enforced

[webfact]

Road rules to be strictly enforced
By Pratch Rujivanarom,
Chakkawan Salethu
The Nation

 

 

State agencies and security forces to go all out in bid to cut Songkran fatalities, accidents

 

BANGKOK: -- STRICTER TRAFFIC enforcement will be implemented over the Songkran break in an effort to cut the number of road deaths and injuries, authorities said yesterday.

 

With the ultimate goal of reducing the death toll to zero, police and military agencies, plus public and private sector groups have joined forces to campaign for safer roads for the “7 dangerous days” from this Tuesday until midnight on April 17 – to set up more traffic checkpoints and tighter traffic law enforcement, especially against drunk and speeding drivers.

 

After a deadly New Year festival, which saw a national death toll of 478 and some 3,919 accidents, the government aims to slash the number of deaths and accidents for the upcoming Songkran holiday.

 

Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department deputy director-general Kobchai Boonyaorana said the reason for ramping up traffic law enforcement was because statistics showed that the main cause of road accidents in Thailand was lack of traffic discipline.

 

“We have learned from previous traffic accident monitoring periods that we have a problem in our traffic law and law enforcement. So, this Songkran Festival, we had to come up with many tighter measures, such as requiring all passengers in the car to wear their seatbelts all the time and forbidding passengers to sit in the back of the [pickup] truck,” Kobchai said.

 

He cited an example of the horrendous accident on January 2 when a passenger van collided with a pickup truck loaded with passengers, killing 25 people in two vehicles and injuring two others. “Therefore, we aim to cut the death toll and accident count for this year as much as possible,” he said.

 

The Road Safety Directing Centre also reported that drunk drivers, speeding, and improper driving manners were the top three reasons behind most accidents during the last New Year and Songkran Festival.

 

Pol Col Weerawit Wachanapukka, deputy head of the Traffic Police Division, said that to efficiently enhance traffic law enforcement, police would set up regular traffic checkpoints across the country during Songkran.

 

“Police will set up more than 120 checkpoints in Bangkok and even more in other provinces to boost traffic discipline among road users, to check for drunk drivers, and facilitate transport vehicles during the rush period, when a large amount of people will return home and come back to Bangkok,” Weerawit said.

 

“The police will also work with the local authorities and let them set up local traffic checkpoints on local roads to increase road safety in local areas.”

 

Interior Minister General Anupong Paochinda said the government was concerned about the safety of people who will travel during Songkran, so there would be stricter road-safety measures to enhance law enforcement and let officers from relevant agencies work together to ensure convenience and security for drivers transporting people this festive season.

 

“We are encouraging people to follow the traffic rules and drive safely from this Songkran Festival onward. I am sure that these measures will make the roads safer,” Anupong said.

 

He said he had ordered local officials to set their own goals and measures to prevent road accidents in their areas. There would also be inspections in all areas to make sure there is an adaptation of the Pracha Rath – public/private partnership – scheme.

 

Kobchai said private vehicles used to transport people would be closely monitored, and drivers of public buses and passenger vans would also be strictly examined before and during their duty.

 

“There will be an inspection of every driver of a public transport vehicle before they start their journey to check that they are in good condition – well-rested and not drunk – before driving,” he said. 

 

While there had been many complaints about stricter enforcement of traffic rules, Weerawit said the measures were meant to ensure the safety of road users, so that drivers and other people on the roads can get to their destinations safely.

 

“We understand that it was quite sudden when we announced stricter law enforcement during this period. But if we consider the truth – that we have the second highest death toll from road accidents in the world – I think this can be our fresh start to solve our chronic road accident problems,” he said.

 

Common causes

In 2016, 3,373 road accidents happened during the seven dangerous days associated with the Songkran Festival. 

 

What are the common causes of accidents? 

-Drunk driving    34%

-Speeding    33%

-Sudden overtaking    18.5%

-Poor visibility    13.7%

-Falling asleep behind wheel    3%

-Ignoring traffic lights    0.5%

-Ignoring traffic signs    0.5%

-Driving against designated traffic direction     1%

-Overtaking via left lane    1%

-Using cellphone while driving     0.3 %

Source: Road Safety Directing Centre

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30311834

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-04-10

[PatOngo]

How very innovative, it will be interesting to see the body count at the end of carnage week.

[Nigeone]

Oh my word a copy and paste message from last year , and the year before and the year before .........etc .. They need to have all the police and Army in for a refresher course then as clearly they've forgotten the laws as they sure don't carry them out in the other 50 plus weeks when even more get killed weekly ! And aim for zero ! That's more than wishful thinking And I thing they will do well to keep them at last years levels ! Good luck anyway with the efforts . I sincerely want them to succeed but feel they really don't know how too !! 

[fforest1]

How about banning all motorbikes in Thailand..That would really reduce

road deaths...If banning all motorbikes saves lives they should be banned

tomorrow...

Edited April 9, 2017 by fforest1

[Nigeone]

Another thing..clearly as we all know maths isn't a strong point in Thailand but i make that 105.5% of people die in the way described out a possible total of 100% !! Interesting ! Oh and they've missed out another cause of accidents...just a simple inability to drive ! As no test really required or lessons felt necessary 

Edited April 9, 2017 by Nigeone

[dcnx]

15 minutes ago, PatOngo said:

How very innovative, it will be interesting to see the body count at the end of carnage week.

A junta controlled media can easily fudge the numbers, but considering the way things are here, it's going to be as bad as it always is. Maybe worse.

[wakeupplease]

Great news finger crossed lets hope those 7 deadly days turns into 7 accident free days

 

drive safe and leave the drink at home please.

[onemorechang]

40 minutes ago, fforest1 said:

How about banning all motorbikes in Thailand..That would really reduce

road deaths...If banning all motorbikes saves lives they should be banned

tomorrow...

I'm not so sure about that.,

The cars,  Pick up's , Trucks,  Mini van.

knock the riders off most of the time, i would say.

But hey

Stupid is as Stupid does.

I think operating a 4 wheeled vehicle

is a bit of a tall order for some !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Ps they missed stupidity and selfishness off the list.

Edited April 9, 2017 by onemorechang

[cooked]

Just remember: 28 000 road fatalities a year = 78 per day.

The first headlines will be something like: 53 fatalities on the first day, this must stop!

Just stay at home

[starky]

Strictly enforced! Yeah, yeah...na 

[Sphere]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

What are the common causes of accidents? 

 

Driving is the number one cause of road accidents in LOS. 

 

[scorecard]

"...more check points..."

 

It's obvious this achieves very little.

 

Time to go back to the drawing board and that doesn't mean rework the check points idea!

 

Last week there was another checkpoint on the CM-Lampang superhighway near Don Chan. Police put cones out to direct the traffic into just one lane, but the cones started just 20 metres from the point where the lanes actually converged into one; in other words very little notice of converging.

 

I was in the centre lane and suddenly very fast a vehicle came down my left side, quickly changed into my lane and dived in front of me. I hit the brakes hard to avoid hitting this vehicle, and I beeped my horn one time and a very short beep.

 

Cop ignored the car that had dived in and signaled me to move to the side. I then got a 5 minute lecture about polite driving and told it's mai suparb mark to beep other drivers.

 

The cop was speaking 50/50 Thai and English. I politely mentioned about the car that had dived in at speed and that I had to brake hard to avoid hitting this vehicle.  His response; I know that I saw it but why are so many farang so impolite when they are driving?

 

I didn't respond, no point, I just waited for his signal to move on. 

 

P.S. The check point was set up to check registration stickers and perhaps more. While I was getting my lecture I noticed one very old very beat up pick-up with passengers side door and tailgate both missing and  no number plate, went straight through the check point.

Edited April 10, 2017 by scorecard

[r136dg]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

“We have learned from previous traffic accident monitoring periods that we have a problem in our traffic law and law enforcement.

So why not have roving patrols out actually looking for moving violations. I can't travel 1 kilometer without seeing a dozen or more, some capable of making my wife into a widow.

[worgeordie]

If they keep repeating it over and over,do they expect it

to happen,?

regards Worgeordie

[hgma]

Laos NEVER DRIVE IN THE DARK (all times)

Thailand NEVER DRIVE @ SONGKRAN   3 day for and 3 days after!!

[steve187]

1 hour ago, fforest1 said:

How about banning all motorbikes in Thailand..That would really reduce

road deaths...If banning all motorbikes saves lives they should be banned

tomorrow...

how about banning al vehicles, why not go onto trains and aeroplanes, people were killed when it was horse and buggy.

what is needed is enforcement of the existing traffic laws, when was the last time you saw a police vehicle stop someone, instead of driving straight past, red lights, seat belts, people in the back of pick ups, no crash hat, driving against the flow of traffic, driving like a d*ck, the list goes on

[AGareth2]

strict enforcement!

but not during the lunch break or after hours

[darksidedog]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

statistics showed that the main cause of road accidents in Thailand was lack of traffic discipline.

 

Gee, really? And they needed statistics to work that out? They could have saved time and money by asking any random farang what the problem was.

[steve187]

17 minutes ago, scorecard said:

 

 

I was in the centre lane and suddenly very fast a vehicle came down my left side, quickly changed into my lane and dived in front of me. I hit the brakes hard to avoid hitting this vehicle, and I beeped my horn one time and a very short beep.

 

 

Surely the hard braking prevented any possible accident, not the beeping, was the beep to complain of being cut up, or to warn the other driver you were there. i think its dangerous to beep in Thailand, also in your case a bit of a waste.

[williamgeorgeallen]

1 hour ago, cooked said:

Just remember: 28 000 road fatalities a year = 78 per day.

The first headlines will be something like: 53 fatalities on the first day, this must stop!

Just stay at home

yea i never got this. surely songkran has a higher number of fatalities per day than the national average.  cant trust any of the figures. they may not necessarily be making them up, i doubt they even know.

[chrisinth]

1 hour ago, cooked said:

Just remember: 28 000 road fatalities a year = 78 per day.

The first headlines will be something like: 53 fatalities on the first day, this must stop!

Just stay at home

Unfortunately with statistics like the above, that would say that it is safer to be on the roads during Songkran than during normal days, even though the death toll is through the roof..

[thailand49]

Glad the afford is made each year. Guess something is better than nothing. Since we are throwing out number from my experience there is like 1% chance of ever being inspected during the year. 

I read the article and this is they Key... locals set their own rules and goals?  I hope their goal is to get from under those nice shaded tents to actually do some good. Two of the top 3 listed accident can't be done at current setup checkpoints, ( speeding and overtaking).

Good luck again

 

[chrisinth]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

He cited an example of the horrendous accident on January 2 when a passenger van collided with a pickup truck loaded with passengers, killing 25 people in two vehicles and injuring two others. “Therefore, we aim to cut the death toll and accident count for this year as much as possible,” he said.

They really don't get it do they? They are quoting a horrendous accident that claimed the lives of 25 people. This did not happen during Songkran.

 

Until the authorities realize that enforcement must happen 24/7/365 and not just throughout holiday periods, his statement about their aim to cut the accident count and death toll for this year is just smoke & mirrors if citing accidents that happened outside the holiday period.

[TheFishman1]

Same same nothing will change TIT

[maoro2013]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

With the ultimate goal of reducing the death toll to zero

When, where, how?????

[djayz]

???

[TechnikaIII]

"...

What are the common causes of accidents? 

-Drunk driving    34%

-Speeding    33%

-Sudden overtaking    18.5%

-Poor visibility    13.7%

-Falling asleep behind wheel    3%

-Ignoring traffic lights    0.5%

-Ignoring traffic signs    0.5%

-Driving against designated traffic direction     1%

-Overtaking via left lane    1%

-Using cellphone while driving     0.3 %

Source: Road Safety Directing Centre

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30311834 

... "

A very rubbery list of causes, when several of the above are combined to result in many  accidents.

The climate for poor observation of traffic safety rules and common sense, will be changed when:

1. Thailand admits that it has failed miserably

2. Thailand admits that it needs to learn from other countries

3. Thailand goes all out on safety education in schools, universities and the media, with a consistent campaign of "Dos and don'ts"

4. The penalty regime is restructured and enforced, going all out on catching corrupt police.

5. The media campaigns make it clear that rich families are not excluded from the law, and police will be policing EVERYONE! .. regardless of who the offender is, or claims to know.

 

 

 

[starky]

1 hour ago, scorecard said:

"...more check points..."

 

It's obvious this achieves very little.

 

Time to go back to the drawing board and that doesn't mean rework the check points idea!

 

Last week there was another checkpoint on the CM-Lampang superhighway near Don Chan. Police put cones out to direct the traffic into just one lane, but the cones started just 20 metres from the point where the lanes actually converged into one; in other words very little notice of converging.

 

I was in the centre lane and suddenly very fast a vehicle came down my left side, quickly changed into my lane and dived in front of me. I hit the brakes hard to avoid hitting this vehicle, and I beeped my horn one time and a very short beep.

 

Cop ignored the car that had dived in and signaled me to move to the side. I then got a 5 minute lecture about polite driving and told it's mai suparb mark to beep other drivers.

 

The cop was speaking 50/50 Thai and English. I politely mentioned about the car that had dived in at speed and that I had to brake hard to avoid hitting this vehicle.  His response; I know that I saw it but why are so many farang so impolite when they are driving?

 

I didn't respond, no point, I just waited for his signal to move on. 

 

P.S. The check point was set up to check registration stickers and perhaps more. While I was getting my lecture I noticed one very old very beat up pick-up with passengers side door and tailgate both missing and  no number plate, went straight through the check point.

Happened to me coming back from Buriram at least you had cones. Crested a hill doin @120 and a cop literally jumps into the middle of the road 30 metres away... Thank someone for ABS to do this day still not sure how I didn't clean him up. Must have had great amulets 

[franklnooner]

LOL

Thats a good one. Will be enforced strictly. Will never happen. Let the killing begin.

HAPPY Songkran

 

Anyone interested in getting into the Mortuary business.

 

[jimstar1]

Here we go again Puff the Magic Dragon

There like the Barbers cat full of it 

I'm Stocking up and staying home