Road accidents in the spotlight

The video clips of a six-wheel truck, whose driver was allegedly under the influence of crystal methamphetamine, crashing into dozens of vehicles in the busy areas of Rajaprarop and Ekkamai at midday on Wednesday went viral and became the talk of the town. 
Within three days, the video clip shared by Petch J Twezinn got over 1.3 million views. It was taken with his dashboard camera recorder seeing the truck coming from the opposite direction and crashing into vehicles on the way. Some drivers left their cars before being hit by the truck. Other Internet users later shared their videos. 
Angrisa Kanchotinon wrote: “The [truck’s] insurance covers only Bt600,000 maximum damage, so those who have first class insurance are taken care of; their insurance companies will deal with it. What about those who did not have any insurance and must bear the cost of repairs on their own? We don’t even know yet whether their cars will be the same... How unlucky that their cars were hit.”
Nattanon Thamkaeo: “What bad luck that so many people were affected by an evil person.” 
A video clip of Narong Art Rongmuang showed an incident in Ayutthaya when a pickup truck lost control and jumped across the road in the opposite direction before crashing into a building on the roadside as it tried to avoid crashing into a motorcycle that was changing lanes. 
With more than 806,000 views in just a few days, online users discussed what went wrong, who was to blame. Many agreed that both vehicles were coming at high speed.
Thaweesak wrote: “Wouldn’t it be reasonable to limit vehicle speed in the city or crowded areas to 50kph no matter how many traffic lanes are there? It is about the risks that might be caused to your vehicle, other vehicles, pedestrians crossing the road? ... And dashboard cameras are mandatory for all vehicles. Otherwise, you might be the only one who has to take the blame [in case of an accident.]
Earlier, Krua Khun Ying Restaurant posted video clips from its closed-circuit camera showing a speeding orange-coloured car losing control and ploughing out of the road into a row of cars in the restaurant’s parking area. A taxi driver who was standing in the area was hit and severely injured. 
Some netizens criticised the people in the clip as being mean for leaving the man lying on the ground without helping, while many others opined that the man must be assisted only by a knowledgeable and experienced medical team otherwise the helpers could unintentionally worsen the injuries.
Besides the incident, many commentators analysed the model of the car and its engine. 
Vari Nana reacted, “Many times some people modify their cars and try it out on public roads. They had fun, but what about the results? If this car had not hit the electricity pole, what would have happened to the customers in the restaurant? I was near the front door at the time. What if I got hurt, what about my job and my family? Car racers, if you have money to modify your cars, please use your brain, not just your feet.” 
Also, in less than a week, a five-minute video clip shared by a club of Rescue Team in Chiang Mai attracted over 745,000 views. 
It was a collection, and part of clips from closed-circuit cameras in Chiang Mai municipality shared to warn people about safety concerns.
Ola Kanyarat commented: “[The drivers] barely slowed down at the junctions. Big vehicles did not slow down, motorcycles speeded up at the junctions. They violated the red light. Another group of drivers drove carefully. They have a good conscience. What are police/ traffic laws for? They could not bring the bad commuters to serve punishment. When will Chiang Mai be civilised? It is getting worse because of those who violate the red light, overtake other cars around the bend and those who change lanes or make a turn without giving signals. Everything starts at home. Be good examples to your kids.”
JapanPerspective on Facebook shared the experience of how Japan designed infrastructure and regulations for the convenience and safety of all commuters. 
Meanwhile, Ohpa TV launched a video clip reminding people of traffic accidents calling on the people to remind all family and friends to be careful while travelling. Its tag line reads: “What would be a better gift than having our loved ones with us alive?”