Songkran 2013 road-death-o-meter

[buksida]

Songkran road toll rises to 101
A total of 62 people were killed and 496 injured in 465 road accidents nationwide on Friday, the second of Songkran's "seven dangerous days" (April 11-17), the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department reported on Saturday.

The department on Friday reported the road death toll at 39.

Combined accidents over the first two days reached 791, with 101 deaths and 838 injuries, according to the department.

Chiang Mai had the most road accidents at 18. Provinces with the most fatalities were Chiang Mai, Kanchanaburi, Khon Kaen, Roi Et and Prachuap Khiri Khan, with three each.

Prachuap Khiri Khan had the most injuries at 21.

Accident-free provinces were Si Sa Ket and Trat.

The main causes of the accidents were drunk driving and speeding. Motorcycles and pickup trucks were involved in the largest number of accidents.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews ... ses-to-101

[buksida]

Songkran road death toll - 173
Seventy-two people were killed and 688 injured in 656 accidents which occurred yesterday, the third of the "seven dangerous days" (April 11-17) during the Songkran festival, according to the road safety centre of the Interior Ministry.

It can be concluded that during April 11-13 there were 1,447 road accumulated accidents which caused 173 deaths and 1,526 injuries.

Nakhon Si Thammarat was the province with the highest number of accidents, 25.

Prachuap Khiri Khan was the province with the highest death toll of five. The highest number of injuries, 27, was recorded in Nakhon Si Thammarat.

The only province without road accidents was Trat.

Most or 46.65% of the accidents were caused by drunk driving, followed by 24.09% of speed driving, and15.55% of dangerous driving of motorcycles.

Most or 82.10% of the accidents involved motorcycles, followed by 10.36% pick-up trucks, and 4.14% private cars or taxis.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews ... h-toll-173

Thought: A likely reason why Prachuab is high up there is because it has the longest stretch of atrociously f'ked up road between Bangkok and the south. And the reason for that is because this great government has been busy spending millions on brand new roads in the rice fields of issan.

[Lung Per]

Same procedure as last year. Same procedure as every year. Another confirmation of the fact that some people are unable to learn from experience.

[heartofmidlothian]

It is always the same and will never change. Best idea is to leave your motorbike at home. Thai men don't seem to be scared on the roads. Probably the reason why women outnumber men in Thailand, although more men are born!

[MrPlum]

Saw an accident on the road home last night. An SUV decided to do a quick U-turn without realizing a motorbike was coming up behind, fast, to overtake him. I couldn't see if the rider was dead but an emergency crew were attending and it looked very serious.

[Bristolian]

Tougher Law Enforcement Ordered
By The Nation

Over the first three of the seven dangerous days, 173 people died and 1,526 were injured in road accidents caused mainly by drunk driving.

Charupong told a meeting of the Road Safety Centre that the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation had recorded 655 accidents on Saturday, which was down 10 per cent from last year, but deaths had soared 28 per cent to 72.

Drunk driving was the major cause of accidents at 46 per cent followed by speeding at 24 per cent. Motorcycles were involved in 82 per cent of accidents and pickup trucks in 10 per cent.

Not wearing a helmet was the top risk behaviour. About 22 per cent of accidents were on straight roads, 66 per cent on village roads and 38 per cent on highways. The most dangerous time of the day was 4-8pm. Some 54 per cent of the casualties were workers. About 68,970 police manned 2,339 checkpoints, stopped 719,010 vehicles and charged 123,770 people with traffic offences, of whom 37,420 did not wear safety helmets and 34,936 could not produce a driver's licence.

Nakhon Si Thammarat had the most accidents at 25 and the most injured at 27 people, followed by Suphan Buri with five accidents.

Before chairing a videoconference of 76 governors, Charupong said he would have local officials stage public awareness campaigns to make people drive more carefully during the last two days of Songkran.

Officials would not be taken to task for the rise in casualties as they were already doing their best but they must strictly enforce the ban against alcohol sales, especially by street vendors, he said.

Chatchai Promlert, director-general of the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department, said that statistics showed accidents were more severe this year. The weather bureau also warned of tropical storms in the North and Northeast that would make roads more slippery.

Dr Chonlanan Srikaew, a deputy public health minister, said this year's accidents were more severe than last year. Of the 1,321 seriously injured, 67 per cent died at the scene and 43 per cent in hospital emergency rooms.

The ministry has instructed its officials across the country to coordinate with local police to enforce the prohibition against alcohol sales more thoroughly and initiate campaigns urging the public to call 1669 hotline when they come across accidents, as the ministry has 15,000 emergency medical teams standing by to offer assistance.

Pol Colonel Thongchai Bunsombat, superintendent of Samre Police Station, admitted that a team of his officers returned fire at a gang of 10 motorcycle racers during a chase. Massayabun Maneewong, 39, who was shot in the stomach by a stray bullet at her stall on King Taksin Road on the Thon Buri side, died later.

[PeteC]

..........and every year I ask how are these Songkran daily numbers any different than any other day or the year? I could never find daily statistics but I would bet they are not that much different. Pete

[Bristolian]

..........and every year I ask how are these Songkran daily numbers any different than any other day or the year? I could never find daily statistics but I would bet they are not that much different. Pete

Up to 26,000 people are killed in road accidents every year in Thailand, which puts the country in the 6th spot in terms of road casualties. Of those killed, up to 70 or 80 per cent are motorcyclists or their passengers.

These statistics were released at a press conference by Vice Interior Minister Silapachai Jarukasemratana on March 26 2013. This works out to be 71 killed each day, including Songkran.

Like you say, the numbers killed over the Songkran period do not, on the face of it, seem too far out of proportion to any normal day in the LOS.

[buksida]

Yes, it does seem like Songkran only adds 10-15% to the average daily road death toll anyway. The high percentage of motorbike deaths doesn't surprise me when you observe how they ride, I would imagine that minivan passengers form a significant percentage also.

I wonder if Prachuab is still one of the most dangerous road provinces - wouldn't surprise me ...

[buksida]

Songkran road toll rises to 218
Forty-five people were killed and 494 injured in 451 accidents on Sunday, the fourth of the "seven dangerous days" of Songkran (April 11-17), the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department reported Monday.

In the first four days of the holiday period there were 1,897 road accidents which caused 218 deaths and 2,020 injuries.

The fatalities were up by eight on the same period last year.

Nakhon Si Thammarat province had the highest number of accidents at 71.

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

The main causes of accidents were drunk driving and speeding. Motorcycles and pickup trucks were involved in the largest number of accidents.

The department on Sunday reported the road death toll at 173 for the first three days.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews ... ran-to-218

[STEVE G]

The high percentage of motorbike deaths doesn't surprise me when you observe how they ride,....

Yes, up in the partners village in Issan all the youngsters have those souped up racing moped things, most of them seemed to have been rebuilt from scrap and they're rarely licensed or insured. Late at night they're racing around poor unlit country roads, often drunk and at suicidal speeds.

[charlesh]

And to think that they can add to the gene pool Steve!

[Bristolian]

And to think that they can add to the gene pool Steve!

The thought that each is the brightest of 100 Million sperm is a little concerning and maybe, as it is said, the pool may need a little chlorination

[HHTel]

Of the 1,321 seriously injured, 67 per cent died at the scene and 43 per cent in hospital emergency rooms.

That's clever. An extra 10% died and were never reported!!!

So does that mean the real figure for deaths is 1,453 (1,321 + 10%)

[dtaai-maai]

These statistics were released at a press conference by Vice Interior Minister Silapachai Jarukasemratana on March 26 2013. This works out to be 71 killed each day, including Songkran.

Like you say, the numbers killed over the Songkran period do not, on the face of it, seem too far out of proportion to any normal day in the LOS.

In fact, with 218 deaths in 4 days, Song Kran seems to be well below average.

Unless, of course, HHTel's quote is accurate and all 1,321 seriously injured later died from their injuries...

It's impossible to rely on any stats here.