Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Road death toll among highest in the world

Road death toll in Thailand among highest in the world

The Nation / Phuket Gazette
PHUKET: Up to 26,000 people are killed in road accidents every year in Thailand, which puts the country sixth in the world in terms of road casualties. Of those killed, nearly 80% were motorcyclists or their passengers.

Vice Interior Minister Silapachai Jarukasemratana told a press conference yesterday the key causes for the deaths were speeding, drunk driving or the failure to wear safety belts or crash helmets – all of which are offenses under traffic laws.

Last year, just 43 per cent of motorcyclists and their passengers nationwide wore helmets, down from 46 per cent the previous year.

Dr Witaya Chadbanchachai, who is collaborating with the World Health Organisation (WHO) in an accident-prevention campaign, said yesterday that relevant agencies needed to work harder on getting people to wear helmets.

Silapachai said that since 1996, all motorcyclists and motorcycle passengers have been required by law to wear a helmet.

“Without helmets, both motorcyclists and passengers face the risk of sustaining serious head injuries in road accidents,” he said.

According to the 2011 World Road Statistics, Thailand was one of the top five countries with the highest number of motorcycle-related deaths.

Danai Ruangsorn, president of the Thai Roads Foundation, said the percentage of children wearing helmets on motorcycles was also very low.

“Just 7% wear a helmet,” he said.

Last year’s survey showed that only about 28% of teenage motorcyclists and about 49% of adults wore helmets.

Bangkok had the highest number (80%) of helmet wearers, while only 20% of motorcyclists in Beung Kan, Lamphun, Chaiyaphum, Narathiwat and Nakhon Phanom were found wearing helmets.