How can Thailand curb its appalling road fatality rate?

[Nereus]

One big problem with ALL road users in Thailand is: situational awareness!

They all tend to tootle along in their own little world, totally regardless of anything or anybody around them. It is not all to do with "me first", but more a case of tunnel vision, and just looking at the road right in front of them.

In another lifetime I flew commercial helicopters and the odd fixed wing aircraft. One of the first things drilled into trainee pilots at all levels of training was; "situational awareness", or as one very good instructor that I had used to say: "look at the BIG picture"!

There is a very good article posted in the current issue of Flight Safety Australia, which can be applied to ALL lifetime situations concerning this subject, be it flying, driving or just walking down the street:

https://www.flightsafetyaustralia.com/2 ... ll-beware/

What is situational awareness?

In simple terms, situational awareness is being aware of what is happening around you in the context of where you are, where you are supposed to be and whether anyone or anything around you is a threat to your health and safety.

For a pilot, (or driver) situational awareness means having a mental picture of the existing inter-relationship of location, flight (road) conditions, configuration and energy state of your aircraft (car and brakes), as well as any other factors that could affect its safety, such as proximate terrain, obstructions, airspace reservations and weather systems (wet roads). (Skybrary online)

According to research conducted by Mica Endersley, a leading expert on situational awareness and former Chief Scientist of the United States Air Force, the 3 key elements are:

• perception
• understanding
• projection.

Perception

Perception is achieved as a result of data. This is the information absorbed about your surroundings, both inside the aircraft and out: the data from your flight deck/EFB – airspeed, engine monitoring, position, traffic; from your radio – whereabouts of other aircraft, changes in weather, clearances; from outside the aircraft – weather, conditions at the airport, other traffic sighted visually.

Understanding

Our observations are used to build a visual picture of our surroundings which is added to our experiences and knowledge stored in our memory. By this method, we build a mental model of our situation, which is constantly updated. For example, in receiving a weather update inbound for an airport and discovering the wind has a crosswind component of 20 knots, we may fly overhead and check the windsock.

Projection

Having built up a picture of what to expect, we combine information and experience to formulate a potential plan, in this case to land elsewhere, if what we see is confirmed by what we heard and knowing 20 knots is above the crosswind capability of our aircraft.

All of the above can, and should be, adapted to driving on the road.

I see a perfect example of not being aware where I live in Bangkok just about every time that I go out. To get to my Soi from Rama 4 road when driving east I have to do a dreaded U turn.

This U turn has a short slip road section off the right hand lane of 3 lanes, about 100 metres long before the U turn There are 5, yes 5, U turn signs, plus a graphic sign showing a U turn before and on the slip road. Yet I can almost guarantee that at least one idiot will pull over on to the slip road, having no intention of making a U turn, and then cannot get back into the main traffic stream, thereby blocking the U turn!

[handdrummer]

Tonight, driving on Petchkhasem, we suddenly came upon a man, dressed in black, on a scooter with no lights, wheeling in the middle of the road. The temptation to run him over was tempered by the penalty involved. Later, on Canal Rd., there was a motorbike with 3 people and no lights.
The last straw was a dog, lying in the middle of Smorprong, that refused to move until the horn was honked. Hard to tell who the stupidest, people or dogs.

[Suua]

Tonight, driving on Petchkhasem, we suddenly came upon a man, dressed in black, on a scooter with no lights, wheeling in the middle of the road. The temptation to run him over was tempered by the penalty involved. Later, on Canal Rd., there was a motorbike with 3 people and no lights.
The last straw was a dog, lying in the middle of Smorprong, that refused to move until the horn was honked. Hard to tell who the stupidest, people or dogs.

BRILLIANT!....Love it.

[bigston]

People
dogs cant drive, they want to but are not allowed
pity the same is not applied....

[hhinner]

At least the dogs don't have their eyes glued to mobile phones.

[HHTel]

Dogs lie/sleep in the middle of the road because it retains the heat from the day. I've found them to be quite street wise and will move with just a blip of the horn.

[buksida]

A few observations from a few days on the roads (none of this will ever change, but the problems are very obvious and are the same everywhere here).

Highways
Slow-moving vehicles hogging the outside lane forcing dangerous undertaking
U-turns into fast-moving traffic
Slow-moving vehicles changing lanes without looking
Fast-moving vehicles tailgating
Driving the wrong way up the highway
Cutting up the inside lane to avoid the queue at traffic lights
Undertaking and cutting in at the last second

Rural roads and around town
Scooter riders playing with phones
Scooters pulling out without looking
Vehicles making turns without signaling or looking
Vehicles driving the wrong way
Speeding in built-up areas, through junctions or hazards
Parking/stopping in very dangerous positions

All of these are down to human error/stupidity/ignorance - none of which will change here until there is proper enforcement/deterrant. For that, Thailand needs a real traffic police division instead of a bunch of lackeys loitering around at roadblocks looking for drivers without masks on.

[Dannie Boy]

Regrettably, you’ll probably be able to post the same comment in 10 years time without having to change a single word!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[buksida]

Point-cut system aims to curb dangerous driving
The Royal Thai Police plan to early next year launch a so-called traffic point-cutting system, a form of electronic traffic ticketing aimed at improving driving discipline and curbing road accidents, after having already raised punishments for traffic violations.

From Jan 9, every driving licence holder will be given 12 points, which will be reduced if they are caught violating traffic rules, said Pol Maj Gen Ekkarat Limsangkat, chief of the Highway Police Division.

Breaking the speed limit, failing to stop for pedestrians at zebra crossings, eschewing a safety helmet, not fastening a seat belt, and speaking on the phone while driving are examples of misconduct that can lead to a one-point deduction, he said.

Running red lights or intentionally driving in the wrong direction -- for example on one-way streets -- will cause two points to be deducted, while illegal racing on a public street will lead to three points being cut, he said.

The maximum penalty of four points is tied to serious violations such as drink driving, he added.

A loss of all 12 points will result in the driver having their licence suspended for 90 days, he said, adding the deducted points will be restored 12 months from the time they are removed.

More details can be found at https://ptm.police.go.th/eTicket or via the government e-wallet application called Pao Tang, Pol Maj Gen Ekkarat said.

Prior to the launch of the new electronic ticketing system, a new regulation resulting in an automatic 90-day suspension of driving licence took effect on July 13.

Such suspensions will apply for violations that pose a serious risk of danger to the public, or when violators attempt to flee after causing damage to others or public property during a road accident, he said.

Driving without a licence, meanwhile, could lead to a three-month jail term and a maximum fine of 10,000 baht, he said.

The prison term for repeat offenders caught driving under the influence, for example, has been increased to two years, with the fine raised from 50,000 baht to 100,000 baht, he said.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... us-driving

Don't think there is any need for concern, most of this relies on the traffic police actually doing their jobs rather than loitering under trees waiting for scooter riders with no helmets on.

[Big Boy]

Don't think there is any need for concern, most of this relies on the traffic police actually doing their jobs rather than loitering under trees waiting for scooter riders with no helmets on.

Don't underestimate the BIB. They have a very good imagination, and are experts at talking fiction (read crap). Who knows what they will think up whilst musing under their shady tree/overpass.

[buksida]

Maybe there will be an (cr)app and QR code to collect and scan these points - if so, we really don't need to worry!

[HHTel]

New points system for traffic violations comes into force mid-year

Under the new system a driver will start with 12 points. Points will then be deducted based on the severity of the violation. Points will keep being deducted until you reach 0 points. At this point your license is automatically suspended and you’ll need undertake additional training to get it back.

This was published February 25th 2019 (over 3 years ago)!!

I'll not hold my breath.

https://thethaiger.com/news/national/ne ... e-mid-year

[handdrummer]

If Thais were taught how to drive, instead of just learning how to operate the controls, there would be fewer accidents.

Where did the habit originate, of backing down a soi, into another soi, instead of making a 3-point turn?

[Hahuahin]

Start over again

hahuahin

[HHTel]

reversing into a side street from a main road is part of the UK driving test.

But of course you wouldn't reverse for any distance in order to use the side street.

Appears to be the same in the US. This is from a US site but switch right with left and that's the same as the UK

On Your Driving Test, The Examiner Will Expect You To Reverse Round A Corner:

Safely, correctly and smoothly while keeping your vehicle under control.
While keeping reasonably close to the curb.
Without mounting or hitting the curb.
Without swinging out too wide.
Regularly check traffic and road conditions.
Look out for traffic and pedestrians.
Stop in a safe position.

https://driving-test-success.com/rev_co ... e%20corner.

Diagram at link.

A video of how to do it in the UK