Seatbelts are being treated like amulets
Re: “Passenger van safety scrutinised after five killed in accident”, The Nation, yesterday.
You can equip all vans and passenger vehicles with the most sophisticated and advanced safety features and gizmos, but if the humans that drive them are not up to standards, lacking skills, sleep or other deprivations deadly accidents will continue to occur.
ezzra
Well at least they are trying to do something. The point is, will it be carried through and for how long will it be enforced and maintained?
observer90210
They tinker around the edges without doing what needs to be done. I know it is a massive undertaking, but the whole road safety issue needs addressing, from education to enforcement. Cannot see it ever happening.
DoctorG
A never-ending story in Thailand – which is now ranked the MOST DANGEROUS country in the world for driving.
Gunnar Horpestad
The vans have all got signs warning of fines for not wearing a seat belt. Trouble is, I have never seen any of the belts working. Mostly, the drivers tie them up so they cannot be used anyway, and if you untie them they are useless and do not tighten up. Seat belts seem to be treated like amulets: just having them hanging about will save lives!
Orton Rd
This article seems to have been published (with a few changes in numbers and locations) every few months for the past 20 years.
Isn’t there an update yet?
No progress?
petedk
After a spate of incidents early in the year, enforcement of laws regarding van drivers, was quite good – Bt5000 fines, licence suspension, etc.
However, as with all campaigns in Thailand, they usually get forgotten and the bad habits return.
This “safety campaign” will likely go the same way. And of course, the Land Transport Dept is just focusing on the vans. It’s so very obvious that they have little idea!
ChrisY1
The three biggest problems with these vans are:
1. Lack of maintenance – often suffer brake failures.
2. Lack of driver skills – they drive like crazy with no respect for others.
3. Lack of rest for the drivers – many fall asleep at the wheel, or struggle to stay awake. I have seen that many, many times.
Petedk
I always watch out for the vans when we are driving in Bangkok, since they are the ones that do the most aggressive driving, unexpected moves, crazy overtaking, etc.
chopin2
ThaiVisa
