Clampdown on bad driving made roads safer: NCPO
The number of people cited for violating traffic laws spiked over this year’s holiday season, but the arrest if the law-breakers made the roads safer, said the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) on Thursday.
NCPO spokesperson Col Sirichan Ngathong said the road accident prevention measures for the New Year period resulted in officers nabbing dangerous drivers and traffic law violators for a total of 300,365 infractions – higher than last year’s apprehensions.
The higher arrest rate contributed to drivers adjusting their behaviours as it encouraged them to be more careful and respect traffic laws when behind the wheel.
She noted the operation resulted in 245,356 people prosecuted for driving dangerously, 141,327 of which were motorcycles riders with the remainder 104,209 car drivers.
The officers temporarily seized 6,326 vehicles – 4,823 motorcycles and 1,503 cars. A total 38,190 driving licences were also confiscated.
Sirichan said all seized vehicles have been properly stored and some drivers have already contacted officers to collect them. If the vehicle owners were involved in a lawsuit, they would have to wait until the case is concluded to get their vehicles back, he said.