318 Injuries Reported on Day One of ’10 Dangerous Days’ Holiday Travel Period
PUBLISHED: 28 Dec 2024
A total of 52 fatalities and 318 injuries were reported across Thailand on December 27, marking the start of the “10 Dangerous Days” holiday travel period. Speeding emerged as the leading cause of these tragic incidents, which took place in 322 separate road accidents nationwide, according to the Road Safety Directing Centre of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation.
This year, the government has extended the New Year road safety campaign to 10 days, running from December 27 to January 5, an increase from the previous seven-day observance. The aim is to enhance public awareness and encourage safer driving practices.
Speeding was identified as the primary factor in 39.4% of Friday’s accidents, followed closely by the dangerous maneuver of cutting in front of other vehicles at 20.5%. Motorcycles were involved in the majority of accidents, accounting for 85.2% of the incidents recorded.
Most accidents occurred on Department of Highways roads, which accounted for 47.8% of the total, with another 28% on village roads. The most dangerous times for driving were found to be between 6 PM and 7 PM, while individuals aged 50 to 59 experienced the highest rates of injury and death.
Nakhon Si Thammarat reported the highest accident counts with 17 incidents and an equal number of injuries. Alongside Bangkok, it also recorded the most fatalities, with 4 deaths attributed to road accidents.
In stark contrast, last year saw 284 deaths and 2,307 injuries from 2,288 traffic accidents during the prior “seven dangerous days” of the New Year holiday.
Thailand continues to grapple with a perilous road safety record; according to data from the World Health Organization, the country ranked 16th globally in road fatalities per 100,000 population in 2021, with a staggering 25.4 deaths per 100,000. That year, the WHO documented 18,218 road traffic fatalities in Thailand, averaging 50 deaths each day.
