Pattaya locals gather to promote road safety

A crowd of about 200 locals in east Pattaya gathered at a school on Monday to raise awareness about Thailand’s problems with road safety. Speakers discussed the kingdom’s poor driver training, and the even worse enforcement of motorcycle helmets, which riders often don’t wear. Among the crowd was Chon Buri Deputy Governor Naris Niramaiwong, along with teachers, students, and volunteers.

Officials set up a road checkpoint to stop motorists without helmets. The volunteers gave away helmets to riders without them, and the students repainted crosswalks.

Earlier this month, Thailand was ranked as the second most dangerous country to drive in, according to a driver’s educational platform. Only South Africa is deemed to be a more dangerous place to drive than the Kingdom of Thailand, with the US coming in third place. The Transport Ministry reported that there were 32,190 road accidents in 2020 and 2021 and that most of the casualties involved pickup trucks. There were 21,052 accidents in 2020, and 11,138 accidents in 2021.

The US-based website, Zutobi, revealed that Thailand scores badly in the five categories of estimated road death rates, maximum motorway speed limits, seat-belt wearing rates, alcohol-related deaths, and blood alcohol concentration limits.

Thailand’s PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has announced major goals this year in reducing the country’s infamous problem with road deaths. In May, Prayut said the government aims to cut the number of road deaths by almost two-thirds by 2027. The World Health Organisation had said Thailand’s road death rate was 32.7 deaths per 100,000 people. Thailand’s target for 2027 is to cut this number to 12 people per 100,000. The so-called “Vision Zero” goal for 2050 is to eliminate traffic fatalities and severe injuries.

SOURCE: Pattaya Mail