Road deaths slightly lower, but injuries rise

PHUKET: Thirty-four people died in road accidents in Phuket between January 1 and February 20, according to official statistics, a slight improvement on the same period last year when 39 died. According to statistics from the province’s three government hospitals, 2,050 people were injured in traffic accidents in the same period this year, an 11% rise on the 1,841 injured in 1999. Ampaipan Pawawattananusorn, the Professional Nurse at the Phuket Provincial Health Office, reports that half the deaths occurred between January 20 and February 20. Of these, 14 were on motorcycles; two were in cars; and one was on a bicycle. A total of 1,032 people were injured on the roads during the same one-month period. Of these, 924 were on motorbikes and 78 were in cars. The remaining 30 were either pedestrians or riding bicycles.