73 die, 574 injured in road accidents on New Year Day

January 1 marked the fourth of “seven dangerous days” of the New Year break.

Nirat Pongsitthaworn, Interior Ministry’s deputy permanent secretary, said drunk driving was to blame for 37.28 per cent of accidents, while speeding was responsible for 35.71 per cent of the crashes. Also, he said, 89.27 per cent of the accidents involved motorbikes and most crashes occurred between 3am and 6am on Saturday.

“On Saturday alone, 85,196 motorists were charged for violating traffic laws. Of them, 24,279 were charged for not wearing a helmet and 21,815 were caught for driving without a licence,” he said.

Nirat added that between December 29 and January 1, the toll from 1,906 road accidents has resulted in 226 deaths and 1,894 injuries.

“Chiang Mai has had the highest number of accidents at 74 and most injuries [70], while Bangkok has seen 14 deaths, which is the highest,” he said. “No road deaths during this period have been recorded in 35 provinces.”

Meanwhile, DDPM director-general Boontham Lertsukekasem said the centre on Sunday cooperated with provincial agencies to deploy police officers and volunteers to ensure safety on roads as people start returning from their hometowns.

“We call on motorists to strictly adhere to traffic laws and avoid speeding or driving when drowsy,” he said.

Accidents can be reported via the department’s 1784 hotline or through its @1784DDPM Line account.

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• Road accidents kill 153, injure 1,322 in first 3 of ‘7 dangerous days’
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• Lockdown does little to reduce road deaths in Greater Bangkok