Police crackdown on Chiang Mai road violators paying off, say public

Pol Colonel Piyapan Pattarapongsin, superintendent of the Chiang Mai Traffic Police, said that though the policy covered the entire province, it would be particularly focused on Chiang Mai city.

He explained the policy – which set 10 municipality roads to carry a 40km/hour limit – was aimed to cut road accident fatalities by significantly lowering 10 main traffic offences. They were – riding motorcycles without a helmet; drunk driving; illegally modified vehicles; driving cars or motorcycles without a driver’s licence; failing to wear a seatbelt while driving; speeding; running a red light or violating traffic signs; suddenly cutting in front of other vehicles; driving/riding against the traffic; and using a cellphone while driving.

So far, a total of 125,906 traffic violators were arrested for 10 main traffic offences. 

The most common charges were failure to wear a helmet – at 66,303 – and failing to show a driver’s licence, at 29,794. 

Last year, a total of 130,993 traffic violators for all traffic offences were arrested.

This fiscal year’s road accidents total 4,611 cases so far, compared to the previous year’s 4,331. The death rate stands at 383 victims (compared to the previous year’s 287) and the injury rate, 4,029 persons (compared to the previous year’s 3,688). 

Nakornping Hospital director |Dr Thamrong Harnwong said the hospital’s report on road accident death rate remained almost unchanged for now but he was confident future results would be better. 

Thamrong said the policy raised public awareness about traffic accidents and encouraged drivers to be more disciplined while using the roads. He said the policy would help the hospital save money and personnel if police could enforce it for the long term.

Local Patlada Pattanodom said she was becoming more aware of speed limits while driving in the city and hoped the law is enforced on a long-term basis so roads can be made safer. 

Piyapan said that most accidents in Chiang Mai involved motorcycles because there were more than 2 million registered motorbikes. They often occurred on ring roads leading to other districts. 

Besides the speed limit, police also set up checkpoints at almost every intersection to maintain motorists’ law-abiding traffic behaviour and to look out for street racers and bag-snatching criminals, Piyapan said. Public feedback to the “slow city” policy and cooperation is good and has been a factor in helping to lower the accident rate, he said.