On the first day of this Songkran's "10-day crisis period", there were 286 road accidents nation-wide, killing 30 and injuring 314, the director-general of the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Depart-ment announced yesterday.

Anucha Mokawet, in his capacity as the National Road Safety Centre secretary-general, said the accidents on the first day were 16.49 per cent less than last year, with Trang having the most with 12, followed by Chantaburi and Nakhon Pathom.

The 314 injured was a drop from last year's 335, he said. Nakhon Ratchasima had the most injuries with 12, followed by Chantaburi, Trang, Sa Kaew and Ubon Ratcha-thani with 11 injured each.

Friday's death toll of 30 was two more than for the same day last year, Anucha said. Chachoengsao had four deaths, followed by Kanchana-buri, Trang and Pathum Thani each with two cases.

The three most common causes of accident were drunk driving (21.68 per cent), speeding (17.13 per cent) and reckless driving (12.94 per cent), he said.

For breaches of the traffic laws, 47.97 per cent were for failing to wear a helmet, 23.26 per cent were for drunk driving and 11.63 per cent for reckless motorcycle riding.

Motorcycles were involved in most accidents at 84.07 per cent, while the highways ranked first as the most frequent accident scene at 41.26 per cent, Anucha said. Most accidents took place between 4pm and 8pm.

With 2,907 checkpoints across the country and 80,000 officers dispatched to man them, the authority noted 24,586 motorists had breached the traffic laws, he said.

The National Road Safety Centre started its annual 10-day operation on Friday with related agencies working around the clock to try to reduce the road accident fatalities during the long Songkran holiday - notorious for its high road casualties each year as people travel all over the country to visit their hometowns. Its aim is to reduce the toll by at least 15 per cent.

Anucha also asked motorists to exercise extreme caution when driving accident-prone spots including the winding 136th to 138th kilometre on Mitraparb Highway in Saraburi's Muak Lek district.

He said motorists should avoid such areas if they can.

Another risky patch was along

a stretch from kilometres 76 to 77 on Phaholyothin Highway in Ayutthaya's Wang Noi district.

Also dangerous was a notorious fork intersection on kilometres 66 to 67 along the Asia Highway in Ayutthaya's Bang Pa-in district.

Other sites that were deemed risky were the narrow and busy lanes on kilometres 152 to 153 on Petchkasem Road in Petchaburi's Muang district; and a narrow downhill curve along kilometres 129 to 130 and kilometres 145 to 146 on Sukhumvit Highway in Chon Buri province.

Meanwhile, Acting permanent secretary for Public Health Dr

Prat Boonyawongwirot yesterday warned drivers not to be careless and avoid speeding and drunk driving.

He said every road death cost the country Bt5 million  and each maimed victim meant a loss of Bt3 million.

Prat yesterday visited Samut Sakhon Hospital and Samut Songkram Hospital to check their readiness on road accident cases during the holidays.

The ministry had ordered all hospitals to be ready around the clock to treated victims.

In a novel approach, the Khon Kaen probation office will make more than 1,000 people - found guilty of drunk driving and sentenced to one year suspended jail terms and 40 hours of community service - help road accident victims and assist motorists at roadside resting spots through-out the "ten-day crisis period", provincial disaster prevention and mitigation official Prakob Kaewchaiyaphum said.