67 killed in bike crashes in 20 weeks

PHUKET: The island’s motorcycle accident death rate continues high, according to the latest statistics issued by the Phuket Provincial Health Office. The figures show, on average, that there was one death every other day in the first 20 weeks of the year, and that 35 people a day were injured. Between January 1 and May 20, 67 people died on motorcycles and seven in cars, with 5,238 people injured, of whom 4,843 were on motorbikes. The injury figure equates to about 12 out of every 1,000 people estimated to be living in the province. The number of deaths was down on the same period last year, when 83 people died in traffic accidents, 72 of them while riding motorcycles. Injuries, however, were nearly 9% higher; in 2000, 4,811 people were injured, of whom 4,461 were on motorbikes. The statistics were compiled from figures supplied by the Wachira, Patong and Thalang government hospitals and do not include figures from private hospitals.