Road death toll falls during first two days of Songkran but accidents increase

[webfact]

Road death toll falls during first two days of Songkran but accidents increase
By The Nation

 

 

During the same twoday period last year there were 116 deaths and 981 people injured in 907 accidents

 

BANGKOK: -- The Road Safety Directing Centre said yesterday that Nakhon Ratchasima had the most fatalities with six deaths, while Chiang Mai had the most accidents and the most injuries at 51 cases and 48 people respectively.

 

Meanwhile, National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) deputy spokeswoman Colonel Sirichan Ngathong said a total of 32,782 drinkdriving violations were reported on Wednesday and 30,071 of the cases would be forwarded for further legal action. More than 430 motorcycles were also impounded.

 

As for public and private vehicles, authorities found 27,337 violations and impounded 102 vehicles, suspended 1,497 drivers’ licences and sent 25,549 people to face further legal action.

 

During a press conference at the Road Safety Directing Centre, Public Health Ministry deputy permanent secretary Suwanchai Wattanayingcharoenchai said there were 48 deaths and 630 injuries in 586 crashes nationwide on Wednesday alone, the second day of the campaign. 

 

Most accidents involved motorcycles (77 per cent) and the major causes were drunk driving (42.32 per cent) and speeding (30.38 per cent).

 

About 36 per cent of accidents took place on highways and 39 per cent on rural roads. The period between 4pm to 8pm was the most accidentprone, seeing 31 per cent of crashes, while over half of the incidents involved drivers aged between 15 and 49 years old.

 

About 63,000 officials who are manning 2,025 checkpoints nationwide arrested 110,609 motorists for violations, mostly for failure to present a driver’s licence (31,366 cases) or failure to wear a helmet while riding a motorcycle (32,077 cases), he added.

 

Highways and transport hubs remained crowded on Wednesday as many continued to travel back to their hometowns up country for Songkran.

 

A source at Transport Co Ltd said 10,000 travellers were stranded for hours at Bangkok’s Mo Chit Bus Terminal on Wednesday night, despite the company increasing bus trips to 2,687 for the holiday. The problem was caused by a strike by privatelyrun buses reportedly against NCPO-backed traffic regulations, especially a requirement for all passengers to wear seat belts. 

 

Transport Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith, who inspected the terminal that night, said the government would not compromise on passengers’ safety.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30312236

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-04-14

[webfact]

NCPO believes all sectors aware of road safety during Songkran festival this year

 

BANGKOK, 14 April 2016 (NNT) – The National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) believes that all sectors are aware of road safety during this year's Songkran festival, hoping that this will positively affect the statistics under the Drink Don’t Drive campaign. 

NCPO Deputy Spokesman Sirichan Ngathong has disclosed that the NCPO will still be strictly ensuring road safety for the public during this year's Songkran festival, in accordance with the Drink Don’t Drive campaign. 

Statistics of impounded vehicles and offenders will improve as all sectors have demonstrated that they are more aware of road safety in addition to the measures employed by the government to enhance land traffic law enforcement. 

Additionally in this year, the checkpoints and public service points have been set up at key areas where accidents occur often. Road users are asked to follow the instructions of the authorities, comply with the traffic rules and be generous to other motorists. Those who notice risk behavior that could lead to accidents are advised to inform officials at the service points along the route. 

As for the Drink Don’t Drive campaign against road accidents, the latest number for 12 April 2017 which is the first day of the campaign shows 32,782 cases of motorcycle riders, and 287,337 cases among bus and car drivers were driving under the influence of alcohol. 

So far, 433 motorcycles and 102 cars have been impounded, with 1,498 driver’s licenses confiscated, and 25,549 persons charged.

 

-- nnt 2017-04-14

[NormanW]

Still from figures however going in the right direction ???

[cardinalblue]

Just because the numbers are down from the previous year doesn't mean things are improving....last year could have been a record year....

 

how does it stack up to a 10 or 20 year average?

 

one needs a baseline to define meaning and measurement....

 

just a PR move fooling non critical thinkers meaning the public and more importantly the ones who should be doing proper analytics....

Edited April 14, 2017 by cardinalblue

[darksidedog]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

As for the Drink Don’t Drive campaign against road accidents, the latest number for 12 April 2017 which is the first day of the campaign shows 32,782 cases of motorcycle riders, and 287,337 cases among bus and car drivers were driving under the influence of alcohol. 

287,337 Drink driving cases among car and bus drivers! And that is the number that didn't pay a few grand on the spot to leave unrecorded. It is almost as if people consider the roads so dangerous they need to have a few shots for dutch courage, before they feel brave enough to venture out there.

[ChrisY1]

NCPO beginning to applaud themselves already for "successful" RS campaigns......still a way to go yet...but:

• 31,000 drivers failed to produce a licence .. Assume unlicenced drivers....Unbelievable!
• 110,000 arrests....where do they put them all?

Maybe some good is happening.....I hope so.

[AGareth2]

25 minutes ago, ChrisY1 said:

110,000 arrests....where do they put them all?

award bail

nice little earner

[SABloke]

Am I blind or is there not a total deaths figure in the article? It seems a bit of an amateurish attempt if one makes a comparison, but doesn't compare numbers.

Or maybe the information was omitted on purpose, because last year had 115 deaths. >_>

[jimstar1]

Seems Strange they not really give a total of deaths so far

On my working out over all reports last 2 days 138 dead on the roads but I am not a Mathematician was Edumacated at Taihape  University   Oh New Zealand road toll for 12 Months 219  I think they will bet that over this holiday period

 

[bangkokheat]

I hope this is not propaganda

[brownknees]

Its the people folks!!They dont see anything wrong with their behavior.Only severe hardship punishments will make any change.That will never happen here,Thai means free.

[Toshiba66]

Why don't they publish the 2 day figures instead of suggesting things are improving?

[piewarmer]

Yesterday I heard a lot more ambulance sirens from my Chiang Mai condo (Nong Hoi) than ever before.

[kiwikeith]

2 hours ago, ChrisY1 said:

NCPO beginning to applaud themselves already for "successful" RS campaigns......still a way to go yet...but:

• 31,000 drivers failed to produce a licence .. Assume unlicenced drivers....Unbelievable!
• 110,000 arrests....where do they put them all?

Maybe some good is happening.....I hope so.

 

The very sad thing is that Thais treat driving with no respect, they don't care about license's, nor do they know the RD rules , let alone obey them.

The crack down should go on full time not just for Songkran, the government needs to toughen up and stay serious.

A nation wide TV education campaign is needed as well, forget about drivers loosing face .

 

As for drunk driving I see falangs do this all the time as well, I do not condone drunk driving but I know that is like playing Russian roulette in NZ as cops are everywhere and you loose your car as well as license, it has become a no -no to drink drive.

People are to scarred to dare to drive drunk now in NZ, the Rd toll has come down dramatically and even came down more with speed limit reductions during festive periods.

Yet some still drink drive, which is crazy in any country.

[Thailand]

More accidents but less deaths?

 

Those figures simply show that there has been no improvement at all,just fewer deaths resulted from more accidents.

 

And as always motorcycles and drunkeness are the main culprits.

[01322521959]

Most accidents 15-49 year olds. Anybody see a big problem with the lower figure?

Sent from my i-mobile_i-STYLE_219 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[Toshiba66]

7 minutes ago, 01322521959 said:

Most accidents 15-49 year olds. Anybody see a big problem with the lower figure?

Sent from my i-mobile_i-STYLE_219 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

Not really. I got my license about 2 weeks after turning 15. It was normal back then in my country. I am not sure much changes in a young persons brain between 15 and 18 or whatever the legal age is here.

[metisdead]

A post containing a link to Bangkok Post has been removed as well as a reply:

 

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[Ramen087]

28 minutes ago, eiszele2005 said:

(5 milligrams) / 100 =rsion, ao thansk you.

0.05 milligrams

 

irrelevant

Edited April 14, 2017 by Ramen087
not relevant

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

1 hour ago, Toshiba66 said:

Why don't they publish the 2 day figures instead of suggesting things are improving?

I was going to say, doesn't anyone else find it strange that neither of the two OP news articles actually report what the cumulative death and injury toll was nationwide after the second day of the holidays?

 

The first article gives a death and injury total for the second day alone (but no mention of the first day or the two-day total), And the second article doesn't make any mention of death/injury statistics at all.

 

The headline of the first article by The Nation says the road deaths toll fell during the first two days, while accident numbers rose --  but there's nothing in the actual text of the article to document that.

 

Kind of makes you wonder if someones aren't pulling the strings behind the scenes to alter what gets reported in the news.

 

[Chris Lawrence]

These are good figures. Mortality rate very low.

[kowpot]

When you drive to your destination that may or may not be in another province. Do you ever feel relieved that you even made it there and back home again. Every time I go on a road trip, I feel it is a gamble whether or not I will make it...........   

[Artisi]

1 hour ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

I was going to say, doesn't anyone else find it strange that neither of the two OP news articles actually report what the cumulative death and injury toll was nationwide after the second day of the holidays?

 

The first article gives a death and injury total for the second day alone (but no mention of the first day or the two-day total), And the second article doesn't make any mention of death/injury statistics at all.

 

The headline of the first article by The Nation says the road deaths toll fell during the first two days, while accident numbers rose --  but there's nothing in the actual text of the article to document that.

 

Kind of makes you wonder if someones aren't pulling the strings behind the scenes to alter what gets reported in the news.

 

How could you possibly think the news is being manipulated, never ever could this happen in thailand. 

[marko kok prong]

i don't beleive this arrested bit,maybe they hold them for an hour or two and let them go,as for the impounded vehicles,well i beleive they pay some money and get them back.

[Golden Triangle]

Latest figures show 82 dead (116 at the same point in time last year) Let's see how it pans out shall we.

[marko kok prong]

5 minutes ago, Golden Triangle said:

Latest figures show 82 dead (116 at the same point in time last year) Let's see how it pans out shall we.

They have a bit of catching up to do,i am confident they will.

[elgordo38]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

Transport Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith, who inspected the terminal that night, said the government would not compromise on passengers’ safety.

A great and noble effort for 7 days. Simple math tells me that 365 minus 7 leaves 358. Even if they could muster this style of crackdown once a week even once a month a big change would be seen. The really disturbing part is the number of cowboys with no drivers license. When cars are sold new or used the buyer should have to produce a valid drivers license to get the transfer or even to make the purchase. Draconian measures are needed. The after sale price is just to high.  

Edited April 14, 2017 by elgordo38

[elgordo38]

39 minutes ago, marko kok prong said:

They have a bit of catching up to do,i am confident they will.

From the figures being bandied about I think they may cut down on the number of deaths. Its amazing what good solid police work can accomplish. 

[wvavin]

So the government is still feeling great over the "ACHIEVEMENT"?

[marko kok prong]

37 minutes ago, elgordo38 said:

From the figures being bandied about I think they may cut down on the number of deaths. Its amazing what good solid police work can accomplish. 

I do hope you are right,and i agree with your comments before,i just cannot see it being implimented,the first step i agree no one can purchase a car ,bike without a licence ,but i had a young 14 year old boy overtake me at about 80km down a small soi,on a bend,no way could he see if anything was coming,so the parents must be held accountable,the bike seized and a large fine for them,as some one suggested before,all this guff about oh they are to poor,forget that,ignorance of the law,or poverty have no bearing on the deliverance of the law in my opinion.