241 killed on roads in just four days

Buri Ram had the most cumulative deaths at 16 cases, while Chiang Rai claimed the most cumulative injuries at 88 cases and the most cumulative accidents at 85 cases.

The cumulative 241 deaths was seven deaths higher than the same period last year, while the cumulative 2,382 injuries and 2,167 accidents were lowered than last year by 274 persons and 306 accidents, Public Health Minister Wittaya Buranasiri said yesterday. 

On January 1 alone, 562 accidents (compared to last January 1’s 777 accidents) took place, killing 76 people (83 on January 1, 2011) and injuring 600 others (845 on January 1, 2011), he said. Most accidents resulted from drunk driving (47.86 per cent) and speeding (19.93 per cent). About 82.59 per cent of the accidents involved motorcycles, he added. The 2,465 checkpoints stopped 704,164 vehicles and found 97,359 lawbreaking motorists, most of them failed to wear helmets (30,698 cases) or unable to show a valid driver’s license (27,121 cases).

Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department chief Wibul Sanguanpong said that this New Year festival had seen more severe accidents than the previous one and that speeding, dozing off behind wheel, failure to wear helmets, people riding on the back of trucks and failing to fasten seat belts were important factors.