The death toll on the Thai roads is even worse than people think.
And that is bad enough with a big rise in fatalities in the first six months of this year compared to last year.
The Daily News is running a campaign with several other agencies to try and do something about the carnage. So far their efforts are floundering – things are just going from bad to worse.
Now they have quoted a representative from a drink driving foundation partner in the campaign who said that the official figures don’t add up to the real number killed.
The official figures are just those “killed at the scene” of accidents said Thaejing Siriphanit.
The reality is much, much worse.
He added there were also “reporting irregularities” as some offices producing figures don’t work at the weekend and only report the latest deaths on Tuesdays.
The figures released so far this year make grim reading.
In the first six months of this year 6,712 people died at the scene of accidents nationwide. This compared to 5,308 in the same period in 2016.
That is a 25% increase in the death toll.
Nationwide since the start of the year here are the stats for “dead at the scene”:
January 947 Averaging around 30/day
February 850 30/day
March 1,281 41/day
April 1,382 46/day
May 1,124 36/day
June 1,128 37/day.
So far in July the loss of life continues unabated: there were 710 deaths since July 1st with 36 yesterday.
Figures for April – when the authorities mounted their usual Songkran road safety campaigns – were the worst.
Thaivisa notes that Thailand has been named as the second worst country on earth for per capita road death. When deaths at hospitals are added to the figures the true state of the problem becomes more apparent.
Only war torn Libya trumps it.
Worrying statistics indeed. However, yet again drink-driving is being blamed. Of course it shouldn’t be condoned and alcohol has to impair judgement and reactions.
But why does everyone continue to avoid the real reason for the carnage on the roads ? The standard of driving is simply bloody appalling, no matter what the time, day or night.
As a car driver , I can categorically say that every time I get in the car I know I will experience a potential accident before I reach my destination.
Motorcyclists are the biggest problem as they appear to think they are protected by some invisible shield as they break countless rules and regulations.
Undoubtedly speed is the biggest killer and until the police start patrolling roads in force and install more speed cameras, nothing will change, no matter how many campaigns are launched.
(Source:-Daily News)