Distraction and poor experience main causes of motor accidents: survey

The survey aimed to find out driving behaviours and in-car activities following the police reports that as many as 54,341 accident were reported in Thailand in 2012 with 7,634 fatalities, 3,551 major injuries and 17,465 minor injuries. This indicates that 3 out of 10 motorists in Thailand have been involved in a motor accident and one solid cause of motor accident is the motorists themselves who are distracted away from the road ahead or the steering wheel in their hands. 

“It is interesting to know whether or not motorists continue to engage themselves in those activities that caused them accidents previously. According to the survey findings, they do. Most motorists still change the stations on their radio or switch CDs while driving, as well as to chat with their passengers, despite these being two prominent causes of road accidents. Additionally, the survey finds that 36 percent of motorists still talk on their mobile phone without the use of a hands-free device as well,” said Somwalee Limrachtamorn, Nielsen’s Director of Automotive Business. 

“Perhaps, this suggests that the activities mentioned are essential to the motorists and in a way inevitable. Makers of automobile may take advantage of this by developing new safety features or functions to help mitigate risks from such behaviors of the motorists and enhance the overall safety performance of their products. We must not evaluate the sufficiency of safety measures in place and determine what the next steps should be in the case where they are found to be lacking.” 

The survey revealed that talking on mobile phone without the use of a hands-free device is the greatest cause of motor accident (11 per cent). The level of risk is the same for drinking of beverages while driving. These are followed by chatting with passengers and manipulation of the radio (8 per cent). 

According to this survey, most motorists with record of accident or near-accident have three to five years of driving experience, followed by those with 11 to 15 years of driving experience.