Safe traffic campaigns urgently needed
In the past 10 years, 124.855 people have died in traffic and every year 11.386 become disabled for life.
Speakers at a road safety seminar organized by the Ministry of Health yesterday called on the government to launch more campaigns to reduce road casualties, especially motorcyclists.
Apart from the human suffering, these accidents also cost a lot of money: 230 billion baht per year or 2,8 percent of the gross domestic product. A study by the Road Safety Group shows that 4.384 people are involved in a traffic accident every day. Motorcyclists are in the majority, especially in the 15-24 age group. The severity of road accidents is increasing as a result of faster driving and wider roads.
Most motorcycle fatalities occur in the northern part of the Northeast during vacations and holidays. Most are due to speeding and drunkenness.
This year, the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department will campaign for helmets to be worn by both drivers and passengers.
(Author's note: The newspaper writes passengers (plural). Die s is not by chance because Thailand it is not unusual to carry three passengers: two behind the driver and a child between the driver and steering wheel. Four is also possible.)
Wearing a helmet will not reduce the number of accidents, perhaps even the number of fatal accidents. A motorcycle / moped is in itself one of the most unsafe modes of transport, especially if you look at what it rides and how it drives. Made a smack myself yesterday due to a misjudgment of the slope and the debris that was left from previous storm showers 🙁 and then even hitting the asphalt at 5 to 10 km / h with only a helmet and some summer clothing is no fun. Let alone if you drive 50 or more.
More traffic rules are not enough, especially in Thailand that will not work, I personally think. The roads are too busy there is not enough road for all the traffic. We've come to the point where things just have to be different. Think of the elevator or escalator. How many accidents happen there every year?
As long as those corrupt and lazy police don't do their job you can do as much as you want but nothing will work
First, let the passengers sit in the car.
Point out to those in the backseat that if they don't put on a seatbelt, the person in front of them could be seriously injured if their body is launched.
On the other hand, the disadvantage is that you need more means of transport.
Have already seen with 6 on a moped they would perform better in a circus
Like so many problems in Thailand, this too can largely be traced back to the lack of education.
and what about those great U-turns on the infamous entrance and exit ramps. where you merge into the fastest lane. as long as that doesn't change...
Thai traffic is a disaster the drivers don't know or don't want to know the highway code.
Fifty percent don't wear a helmet, dozens riding 3 or sometimes XNUMX on a motorcycle, dozens riding in the other lane and driving through the red light it's really disastrous
How about the tourist, chasing lazerus through Pattaya with his Thai conquest on the back.
Sometimes they almost sit backwards on their moped, because they are having a good conversation.
I am more annoyed by the driving behavior of the farang than that of the Thai.
Despite all that stumbling in traffic, it always strikes me that you see little or no aggression in traffic, Thais rarely honk out of frustration, sometimes 2 short signals if they want to pass you.
Wearing a helmet in Pattaya is mandatory, and every day I still see hordes of farang sitting on a moped without a helmet.
Fines nowadays run up to about 800 baht, except for no helmet on his head, the driver also has no driver's license in most cases.
And that the farang is held before the Thai, that has been over here in Pattaya for a while.
Driving against the traffic, or the party lights. Recently saw one with green, blue and red on the front.
What also strikes me is that the Thai neither blinks nor blushes in all traffic situations, just keeps looking straight ahead.