Phuket remembers road accident victims and addresses safety concerns

Phuket residents and officials yesterday took part in a poignant event to honour the memory of those lost in road accidents on the island. This gathering was orchestrated by Phuket Governor Sophon Suwannarat and forms part of the local activities acknowledging the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, although the official global recognition is slated for this coming Sunday, November 19.

The ceremony unfolded at Phuket Wittayalai School and saw the participation of various stakeholders, including representatives from government agencies, businesses, and community organisations. They assembled as network partners to show their commitment to diminishing the incidence of road accident casualties in Phuket.

Among the attendees were members from the Phuket Provincial Administration Organisation, Phuket Provincial Police, and the Phuket Provincial Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office, along with delegates from all 10 Rotary clubs in Phuket.

Within just a month of his arrival on the island, Governor Sophon highlighted the grim reality of road safety in Phuket. He pointed out that, particularly during festive periods, Phuket tops the chart in the country for fatal motorcycle accidents, with drunk driving and not wearing helmets being the primary culprits.

Dr Chuchat Nijawattana, Director of Chlong Hospital and Chairman of the Rotary Club of Sino Phuket’s Road Safety Project Committee explained that the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims serves to acknowledge the bereaved families’ suffering and raise awareness about the grave repercussions of road accidents.

The venue selection – Phuket Wittayalai School, was significant as students form the highest risk group for road accidents in Phuket. As a part of the initiative, students from several main Phuket Schools were given motorbike safety helmets. Governor Sophon took the initiative to demonstrate the correct way to wear a motorbike helmet.

Mitigation of Road Accidents

Dr Chuchat also underscored the overwhelming statistics, stating that in the period from 2017 to 2022, Phuket averaged 135 deaths per year from road accidents. This year, the situation has worsened, with 141 deaths recorded as of November 13, representing an incidence rate of 33.41 per 100,000 population. Compared to the same period last year, this marks an increase of 26 deaths.

Post the event, Governor Sophon convened a meeting of the Phuket Provincial Road Safety Administration Committee at Phuket Provincial Hall to discuss the Phuket Provincial Road Safety Action Plan B.E. 2024. The plan aims to bring down the death toll from road accidents to less than 110 people by next year.

The meeting also addressed rental car and motorbike operators, urging them to adhere to guidelines designed to protect tourists from road accidents during their stay in Phuket. Some of these include renting vehicles only to individuals with valid driver’s licences, ensuring a 100% helmet usage rate, and barring the seizure of renters’ passports, reported Phuket News.

The meeting also reviewed major accident cases, such as the tragic incident during the Phuket Vegetarian Festival when a car ploughed into parked vehicles, killing a 49 year old father and injuring seven others.

The officials were instructed to develop the Phuket Provincial Road Safety Action Plan B.E. 2024 to reduce the number of deaths in road accidents in Phuket to less than 110 people, or 22.57 people per 100,000 population by next year.