ON THE second of seven dangerous days yesterday (Dec. 30) there were 366 accidents that killed 48 people and injured 363 others with speeding being the biggest cause of these road crashes, TV Channel 7 said today (Dec. 31).
The Road Safety Centre said this took the total for the first two of seven dangerous days to 715 accidents, 714 injuries and 85 deaths.
Statistics showed that speeding was to blame for 35.52% of the road accidents on the second day while drink-driving led to 25.68% others.
Motorcycles were involved in the largest number of accidents, totalling 78.98%. Most of the crashes occurred on straight roads, totalling 83.88%, while 42.35% occurred on highways and 34.15 % on subdistrict or housing estate roads.
The highest number of accidents occurred from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. and it is the 20- to 39-year-old age group that suffered the most injuries and fatalities.
The authorities have set up 1,881 checkpoints with 55,926 officers in charge of road safety. As many as 404,179 vehicles were stopped and 67,381 road users prosecuted with 19,831 charged with driving without a licence, 19,054 for not wearing a crash helmet, 7,544 for speeding and 4,303 for drink-driving.
The province with the highest number of crashes was Sakon Nakhon, totalling 18, while Nakhon Si Thammarat had the highest number of injuries, reaching 18, and Pathum Thani had the most fatalities with four having died there.
Altogether 31 provinces did not have any road fatalities on the first two dangerous days but Sakon Nakhon topped the list for having the largest number of crashes, totalling 26, as well as the most injuries, altogether 29. Pathum Thani had the most road fatalities with six having died there.
As the majority of the people are travelling today, provincial authorities were told to stringently control traffic on highways and secondary routes as well as tourist attractions, religious places and entertainment venues where there will be New Year countdown celebration.
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A traffic policeman stops a pickup truck at a checkpoint. Photos: Thai Rath
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