Thailand aims to cut its road deaths

Thailand aims to cut its high rate of road deaths.
By MJ Woof June 28, 2022 Read time: 2 mins
Thailand is aiming to reduce its horrific road death rate – image © courtesy of Mike Woof
The Thai Government is aiming to cut the country’s horrifically high rate of road deaths. The target is to cut road deaths to around a third of the current annual rate over a five year period. Addressing driving under the influence (DUI) of drink or drugs will be a key part of the plan.
 
The prioritisation of the road safety programme forms part of Thailand’s 20-year National Strategy. The aim is to cut road deaths from the current rate of 32.7/100,000 of population to 12/100,000 of population by 2027.

Data from the World Health Organisation (WHO) reveals Thailand to be amongst the worst countries in the world for road safety. Speeding and DUI are major causes of crashes in Thailand.

The young are at particular risk, with an average of 59 people aged 15-19 being injured/day in powered two wheeler crashes on Thailand’s roads. While there have been campaigns to encourage powered two wheeler riders to use helmets, many still do not use them. However, the country’s road safety problem is getting worse and road deaths caused by speeding have also seen an increase of 4%.
 
Changes will have to be made as Thailand is legalising the growth of cannabis for personal use. A law will be required to prevent drivers of public transport vehicles as well as private vehicles from smoking (or otherwise consuming) cannabis before they get behind the wheel. There are concerns that DUI from cannabis use could become more prevalent than now. Since cannabis use was legalised in certain US states, there has been an increase in crashes involving drivers under the influence of the drug. Drink driving is already a serious problem in Thailand and the prospect of a further increase in drugged driving would negate any attempts to reduce the country’s extremely high annual road death toll.
 
Highway & Network Management

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Bhutan road deaths could be reduced
    October 23, 2015
    Bhutan has had some success in controlling road safety but could further reduce its death tool, according to the Global Status Report on Road Safety 2015. The report, published by the World Health Organisation (WHO), says that the country has more than 15 road deaths/100,000 people. This is higher compared than Pakistan at 14.2 deaths/100,000 people and 13.6/100,000 people in Bangladesh. However, India has a higher fatal crash rate than Bhutan with 16.6 deaths/100,000. A total of 3% of the total deaths in B
    Read More
  • Research shows male drivers more likely to overtake rashly
    July 1, 2013
    A new survey carried out in the UK reveals that male drivers are more likely to risk lives by overtaking blind and speeding on rural roads. As a result male drivers are being urged to be more careful. The survey was carried out jointly by safety body Brake and insurance firm Direct Line. The data reveals that 24% of drivers risk catastrophic head-on crashes by overtaking blind, while 44% admit speeding at over the national speed limit of 96km/h (60mph) on rural roads. Men are much more likely to take these
    Read More
  • The risk of drugged driving on Europe’s roads
    May 1, 2018
    Drivers under the influence of drugs present a major hazard to road safety, according to a new report by the pan-European police agency TISPOL The risk from driving under the influence of psycho-active drugs results in road fatalities and injuries from crashes right across Europe, according to the report. The problem relates to both legal prescription medication as well as illegal drugs, notes TISPOL – European Traffic Police Network – which was established by the traffic police forces of Europe to impro
    Read More
  • US bridges need repair, ARTBA reports
    March 26, 2021
    ARTBA reports that 220,000 US bridges need repair.
    Read More

Highlighted Content