Shock horror tactics employed to stop under fifteens driving to school on motorcycles

[webfact]

Shock horror tactics employed to stop under fifteens driving to school on motorcycles

 

Picture: Thai Rath

 

UDON THAN: -- Authorities in Ubon came together in front of a school yesterday to try to stop one aspect of Thailand's appalling road carnage:

 

Death of students under 15 riding to school on motorcycles.

 

Even though it is illegal there has been a big rise in recent years of children aged 10-14 dying on motorcycles on the way to school or riding home.

 

Yesterday in front of Nareenukun School a campaign was launched to stop the carnage. It was attended by governor of the north eastern Thai province Somsak Jangtrakun, police, child protection groups and health and local authorities.

 

They set up a damaged motorcycle, some fake blood, an outline of a dead student, a book bag and scattered books to shock students and their parents into changing their behavior.

 

A survey of nine provinces has shown that while deaths in recent years of the under 10s has decreased in the age group of 10-14 year olds there has been a 28% rise in death on motorcycles.

 

In 2015 alone 943 deaths were reported among under 15s on the roads. Of these 575 or 61% were in the 10-14 age group and of those 378 died as a result of riding motorcycles.

 

Source: Thai Rath

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2017-06-23

[stereolab]

A 15 year old on a motorcycle in my village will already have accrued 5 years driving experience. Very little of it beneficial to his or her safety or the safety of others. Drive through any town or city when the schools are coming out, it is shocking. Most schools around here have a policeman on duty, but he simply lets the kids sans helmet go on their merry way.

[Samui Bodoh]

I am not a fan of Thai authorities, but I'll give them credit for this.

 

Do it again, do it often, and add more (fake!) blood!

[madmitch]

Not sure why they need a mock-up; most Thai school kids will probably encounter a real accident most weeks!

[darksidedog]

Schools should organise a trip to the morgue, so the kids can see what actually happens to a body in a fatal accident. I am still stunned at how young some of the kids I see riding around are, and they all seem to think the idea is to go as fast as possible. They are not immortal and the faster they understand that, the safer the roads will become.

[ezzra]

 

When the cops are doing nothing when a motorcycle whiz by with 3-5 teens perilously hanging on to dear life not wearing helmets, of a motorcycle taxi takes 3-4 kids to school again hanging on like monkeys on a tree, no shock and owe shows by the police will help....

[Briggsy]

20 minutes ago, Samui Bodoh said:

I am not a fan of Thai authorities, but I'll give them credit for this.

 

Do it again, do it often, and add more (fake!) blood!

I wouldn't give them any credit. I would have the Thai authorities actually make some attempt to enforce the law. Oooh no, can't do that, people might complain and it would be too much hard work.

[jak2002003]

What is the need for this?  The answer is easy... any children driving a motorbike to school should have their bike confiscated... school report the child parents to police... police fine parents and give warning more serious punishment if happens again. 

 

Why won't they do this?!!!

 

In my village I have seem really young kids about 10 years old.. driving motorbikes.. and of course NEVER any helmets! 

 

 

Edited June 23, 2017 by jak2002003

[Scott]

Part of the solution is for schools to not allow students to drive motorcycles to school.   I have long wondered why they not only allow it, but provide parking for the students and don't even make a remedial effort to see that anybody either driving or riding a motorcycle has a helmet.  

 

Last year we had two students at one of our schools get seriously injured, with one having brain damage as they rode out the school gate and were promptly smeared all over the pavement by a truck.   Still no effort to stop this insanity.  

 

.....But God help any student who shows up with their uniform not quite up to scratch, or their hair too long, or their fingernails dirty.  

 

It's all about priorities.  

[jvs]

All good and well but what is the alternative?This is a problem not easy to solve,these kids do not think about death at this age,did you?

If they do not allow them to enter the school yard on a bike without a license and a helmet they will just park on the street.

If they somehow could force them to all take a school bus they would get on the bike as soon as they get home.

The answer?Maybe the police should do their job a little better?

I see young kids everyday riding bikes with a death wish.

[VocalNeal]

Shock and awe are not what is needed.  What is needed is a neat motorbike policemen on a big RTP motorbikes to visit school and conduct motorbike training courses.

[meatboy]

shock tactics my arse.if they put 10dead bodies outside the gates,the reaction would be HAVE A GOOD LOOK and RIDE ON IN.

take the bikes off them for a start,and FINE THE PARENTS.

[PoorSucker]

The problem is that children under 15 can not be fined.
Give the parents the fine and the problem is gone.

[DLang]

Fine the parents. Seize the motorbike for 1 month.

 

Fine the schools.

 

Fine the teachers.

[seajae]

the only thing that will work is seizure of the motorbike and a big fine for the parents, thais dont worry about blood and guts but they do worry about money so that is where they need to be hit, Seizing the bikes will make them think twice and fining them will definitely make them stop it. Only problem is getting the police to actually do their job.

[janclaes47]

56 minutes ago, webfact said:

They set up a damaged motorcycle, some fake blood, an outline of a dead student, a book bag and scattered books to shock students and their parents into changing their behavior.

 

How about that cop stationed at the school exit stop all the underage on a motorcycle from leaving the school grounds, instead of setting up a theatre.

[janclaes47]

2 minutes ago, seajae said:

the only thing that will work is seizure of the motorbike and a big fine for the parents, thais dont worry about blood and guts but they do worry about money so that is where they need to be hit, Seizing the bikes will make them think twice and fining them will definitely make them stop it. Only problem is getting the police to actually do their job.

 

But wasn't there a high ranked cop in Phuket who recently said that enforcing traffic laws is not a solution?

[colinneil]

Silly buggers think shock horror tactics will work.

Kids see a real accident blood/guts everywhere, they take out their phones make a video and post it on-line.

 

One thing that might help, is get the police up of their fat a..es, and stop the kids.

Many times you see 3/4 kids on a bike passing police who stand there and do nothing.            

[Ceruhe]

I wonder what could go wrong wanting to decrease fatal accidents for these teens by creating a huge distraction to divert their already limited attention.

 

I guess it's a better/more effective start than saying "having cops do their job" but I'd argue it's fundamentally still the wrong approach to the solution

[edwinchester]

Two ways to stop underage kids riding motorcycles to school is the parents obeying the law and the police enforcing the law.

[Psimbo]

The only shock-horror tactic would be for the police to DO THEIR JOB! That really would be a shock!

[overherebc]

38 minutes ago, DLang said:

Fine the parents. Seize the motorbike for 1 month.

 

Fine the schools.

 

Fine the teachers.

Not for a month. Crush the bikes with all looking on.

[NCC1701A]

I saw a Thai policeman do something once.

 

Weird.

[apex2000]

Nice try, but I don't think it's going to have the desired effect. The Thai mindset is, 'It won't happen to me.'

 

There need to be other deterrents like enforcing the law - underage riders' parents must accept the responsibility; if not, they should be fined heavily or jailed.

 

You could put on shows like this on every street corner in Ubon and no one would take any notice. No one cares. Least of all the people breaking the law and getting killed.

[halloween]

Enforcing this law will require a cultural change. The practice of allowing children to ride motorcycles under-age is almost universally accepted in this country, and there has to be a major change in attitude before any change in behaviour will occur.

I know many Thais who simply don't have a licence, never had a licence, or bother to register their motorcycle.

[Scott]

1 hour ago, jvs said:

All good and well but what is the alternative?This is a problem not easy to solve,these kids do not think about death at this age,did you?

If they do not allow them to enter the school yard on a bike without a license and a helmet they will just park on the street.

If they somehow could force them to all take a school bus they would get on the bike as soon as they get home.

The answer?Maybe the police should do their job a little better?

I see young kids everyday riding bikes with a death wish.

At the schools that I deal with, they cannot park on the road for a variety of reasons.   Any parking would require a rather lengthy jaunt to actually get into the school campuses.  

 

It would be nice if the police would not allow them to leave, but the police are directing a massive traffic situation and being on foot would not be able to stop anyone.   That doesn't mean additional police couldn't be employed to do so.

 

Enforcement, fining parents and all the things associated with traffic offenses need to be employed to stop the carnage.   It's not a one time deal, it's a consistent effort that is required.

 

 

[howard ashoul]

Every single school has security guy, who is directing traffic infront of school every morning and every evening.

 

So don't let them park motorcycle in school parking lot - problem instantly solved, as there isn't usually another place to park.

[ChrisY1]

1 hour ago, Briggsy said:

I wouldn't give them any credit. I would have the Thai authorities actually make some attempt to enforce the law. Oooh no, can't do that, people might complain and it would be too much hard work.

I guess that's why they are at least trying something.....even the authorities know the cops are useless......but then they've always been useless, it's the norm.

[Bluetongue]

I think someone at the very top decided years ago that it was better to have kids going to school on motorbikes rather than not going to school. Hence the complete inaction by Police, they have standing orders.

[darksidedog]

27 minutes ago, halloween said:

Enforcing this law will require a cultural change. The practice of allowing children to ride motorcycles under-age is almost universally accepted in this country, and there has to be a major change in attitude before any change in behaviour will occur.

I know many Thais who simply don't have a licence, never had a licence, or bother to register their motorcycle.

many years ago, when I was new here, I got pulled by the cops for a license check. I asked him how old you had to be to get a license, to which he replied 15. At that moment 3 schoolgirls came past, with not a helmet between them. I said they are not 15. He looked at me as though I was totally stupid and said, "How do you expect them to drive safely when they get a license if they haven't practiced first?"