Songkran 2013 road-death-o-meter

[buksida]

Songkran road toll continues to rise
Thirty-seven people were killed and 419 injured in 393 accidents on Monday, the fifth of the "seven dangerous days" of Songkran (April 11-17), the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department reported Tuesday.

In the first five days of the holiday period there were 2,290 road accidents which caused 255 deaths and 2,439 injuries.

The road accidents were down 11.27 per cent from 2,581 cases on the same five-day period last year, when there were 253 deaths and 2,751 injuries.

Chiang Mai had the highest number of accidents at 86 and injuries at 87.

Prachuap Khiri Khan and Kanchanaburi had the highest death tolls, with 11 each.

Drunk driving and speeding were still the prime causes of accidents. Motorcycles and pickup trucks being involved in the largest number of accidents.

The department on Monday reported the road death toll at 218 for the first four days.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews ... f-songkran

[buksida]

Songkran road toll reaches 285
A total of 30 people died and 344 were injured in 291 road accidents on Tuesday, the sixth day of the "seven dangerous days" of Songkran, the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department reported on Wednesday.

Between April 11 and April 16, there had been 2,581 road accidents which resulted in 285 road deaths and 2,783 injuries, the department statement said. It attributed 34% of the accidents to drunk driving.

About 20% of the deaths and injuries during the six days of the holiday were the result of motorcyclists not wearing crash helmets.

The department said a total of 34,066 individuals had been charged for not wearing a helmet.

The director-general of the department, Chatchai Promlert, said accidents were also often caused by people falling asleep as they drive home, especially during the last days of a holiday.

Drivers should get enough sleep and avoid driving for long stretches of time. They should take a break every 150km, or every two hours, at a rest area or at a service station, he said.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews ... f-songkran

[Frank Hovis]

Quite a drop since the Minister demanded more action. However is the drop due to more action to prevent accidents or more action to send in lower figures?

Big pile up this morning, from the Nation website

Five people were injured in the 17-vehicle pile-up on Phaolyothin Road in Pathum Thani's Khlong Luang district yesterday morning, according to police.

Pathum Thani pile-up blamed on rain The accident totally blocked the lanes, causing a severe traffic jam in the area.

Khlong Luang police investigator Pol Lt Col Thiwa Saiduang said the accident took place near the Navanakhon Industrial Estate in Tambon Khlong Neung.

The pile-up involved eight buses, four sedans, four pickup trucks and one 10-wheel truck. The driver of one of the buses was seriously injured.

The results of the initial investigation indicate that heavy rain had made the road slippery leading to the pile-up.

Slippery roads don't lead to eight buses colliding with each other and eight other smaller vehicles and a 10 wheeler, or do they?.

[StevePIraq]

Sure it was slippery however they do not mention any of the following likely contributing factors:
that there was most likely only two inches between each vehicle
Vehicles being overloaded
Inattentive drivers
drivers with no or false licenses
if any drivers where under the influence of alcohol or drugs

Just a typical day on Thai roads

[Frank Hovis]

Final death (dead at the scene) toll = 321.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews ... an-holiday

A total of 232,600 motorcyclists were charged with failing to wear a safety helmet and 222,601 motorists face charges of driving without a licence

Yet no mention of the number charged with drunk driving.
At a nominal 500 baht per offence that's 227 million baht worth of fines that could go into improving road safety (or not).