Students aim to cut road accidents

PHUKET TOWN: Students from Rajabhat Institute Phuket have launched a project aimed at reducing road accidents on the island, which for its size has one on the highest road death and injury tolls in Thailand. The students, studying for master’s degrees in development strategy, will campaign to publicize telephone numbers people should call if they see bad driving they believe is likely to cause accidents or other problems. Among the dangers listed were speeding, drunk-driving, overloading of trucks, and malfunctioning traffic lights. Rangsarit Maneesri, leader of the project, said the students surveyed 1,000 people and discovered that only half knew which telephone numbers to call if they saw such hazards. The students plan to distribute stickers, handbooks and leaflets as well as publicizing the telephone numbers through the media. People can report traffic problems by telephoning 191 or calling the Traffic Center at 076-220919.