Fewer fatalities this new year's eve, but 77 people still lose lives on kingdom's roads

Seventy-seven people were killed and 763 others injured in 709 road accidents nationwide on New Year's Eve, raising the cumulative casualties for the first three days of the New Year's seven dangerous days to 168 deaths and 1,988 injuries.

Disaster Prevention and Mitigation chief Anucha Mokaves said yesterday that December 31 had seen a 16.69-per-cent drop from 851 to 709 accidents, as well as six fewer deaths and 146 fewer injured persons, when compared to last New Year's Eve.

Chiang Mai and Ayutthaya recorded the highest number of deaths at five cases each, while Phetchabun had the highest number of injuries at 31, Anucha said.

Chiang Mai, Trang and Ratchaburi had the most accidents at 25 incidents each, whilst Samut Songkhram, Sing Buri and Yasothon reported no accidents.

The 69,185 officials manning 2,700 checkpoints across the country stopped 729,200 vehicles and arrested 71,641 traffic law violators, mostly those falling to show driver's licences and bikers who did not wear helmets, he added.

Anucha said the main causes of the 1,824 road accidents in the three days were drunken driving, followed by speeding. Most road accidents involved motorcycles and occurred between 4pm and 8pm.

In Chon Buri, one Taiwanese man was killed and two compatriots were injured in a road accident on inbound motorway lanes in Muang district.

Chang Yuen Lin died instantly after a passenger car he was travelling in hit three power poles while Chang To Jen and Chang Han Lai were injured in the accident.

The government launched its seven-dangerous-days campaign - from Tuesday to this coming Monday - in an effort to reduce road accidents over the long holiday by 5 per cent from the same period last year.

Anucha said the department directed provincial authorities to pay special attention to young drivers, as statistics from recent years show that 30 per cent of all casualties were young drivers, while 20 per cent of the motorists arrested for traffic law violations were youths under 20.

Anucha said that during the first three days of the holiday 180,952 persons were cited for violating traffic rules, mostly for failing to present driver's licences and failing to wear helmets.

Officials at checkpoints were therefore asked to monitor 10 law-violating behaviours, including drunken driving, speeding, riding without a helmet, telephoning while driving, cutting in front of other cars and not using seat belts, he said.

Meanwhile, Highway Police chief Smoked Phromnim yesterday advised people to return to Bangkok before today to avoid severe traffic congestion tomorrow.

Travellers were also urged to avoid using Mittraphrab Road northeast of the capital, Asia Road to the north and Vibhavadi-Rangsit Road.