How can Thailand curb its appalling road fatality rate?

[Big Boy]

I really don't understand why you guys are so surprised when the same thing happens dozens of times each hour outside Bangkok Hospital.

Go to Bluport, and they employ staff encouraging drivers to jump the lights.

TIT at its best.

Just consider the money making opportunities being missed by not installing a camera at one or both sets of these lights. Money aside, it might even make things a little bit safer.

[Dannie Boy]

Who said we’re surprised? I was just commenting about it being dangerous


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[HHTel]

Not directly linked to deaths but I've been back in the UK for the first time in over 20 years and one thing I've noticed, in fact glaringly obvious, is that queues of traffic whether at a stop sign, traffic lights or just a traffic jam is that there is almost a car's length between each vehicle in the queue. At first I thought I'd seen a rarity but having paid attention over the last few days, it appears the norm. I can't imagine the 'bumper to bumper' crowd being able to follow that simple rule. Whether that saves accidents is debatable of course.
The other thing I've noticed is that if you even loiter close to a pedestrian crossing, the traffic stops expecting you to cross the road. If people did that here there would be no need for lights at BKK hospital and the like.

[2dandan]

Unfortunately there was another statistic on Hua Hins roads yesterday morning about 1030am. A motor bike rider apparently lost his life on the road directly opposite the new railway station. He was on the lanes heading towards the old station. His bike was lying nearby. The strange thing is there did not appear to be any obvious cause, no 3rd party involvement at the locus and no debris on the road. It had obviously been a recent event and a Police officer was present but he had obviously just came across it and was radioing for assistance.

Maybe it was caused by a sudden illness or his bike was clipped by a passing vehicle but I saw no clues as to what had happened.

[HHTel]

I have witnessed occasionally riders falling off their bikes for no apparent reason. Maybe losing control or more likely paying attention to their phone in their handle bar holder.

[Big Boy]

Usually drunk when I've seen them keel over, but I would guess illness at the time of day in 2dandan's post.

[VincentD]

Too many bike riders adopt the 'look ahead only' stance and won't look left or right with the mindset that others will see them and take appropriate evasive action. You only need to watch the Thai news channels on weekdays between 7:30 to just past 8 am to witness the utter absurdity..

[buksida]

You only need to watch the Thai news channels on weekdays between 7:30 to just past 8 am to witness the utter absurdity..

Oh yes, great morning viewing that segment. I'd say 80% of the carnage is caused by the scooters not looking where they're going, as you say, combined with the pickups/SUVs driving way too fast and losing control or plowing into said scooters. Its the same horror half hour on TV every single day. Vietnam has way more motorbikes on its roads, yet far fewer fatalities, I wonder why.

[Big Boy]

Vietnam has way more motorbikes on its roads, yet far fewer fatalities, I wonder why.

For one thing, they wear helmets.

[Ratsima]

Oh yes, great morning viewing that segment. I'd say 80% of the carnage is caused by the scooters not looking where they're going

I was cycling down Naratip in Cha Am yesterday when, at the intersection with Chao Lai, a motorcyclist, obviously not looking, sped out from Chao Lai missing my rear wheel by inches. Looks like I narrowly missed my moment of fame on Amarin TV.

[Liberty70]

Vietnam has way more motorbikes on its roads, yet far fewer fatalities, I wonder why.

For one thing, they wear helmets.

The percentage of bikes to cars is higher, and the speeds in Vietnam are much lower than in Thailand from my experience.

Fastest i have ever been in a car in Vientam has been 90km/h. Add a 1 in front of that and I'd reckon that's how fast Somchai got the Corolla up to on the freeway heading into Bangkok from Suvarnabhumi on my first ever trip