Third Day Road Toll for Songkran’s “7 Dangerous Days” – 1,665 Accidents, 174 Dead and 1,728 Injured

BANGKOK – Thailand’s Road Safety Directing Center has reported that the third day road toll for Songkran’s seven dangerous days sits at 1,665 traffic accidents, with 174 deaths and 1,728 people injured.

The Figures released on Sunday from the government’s Road Safety Directing Center, cover the period from April 11 to 13. Compared to 2018, the number of traffic accidents dropped 9.71%, the death toll fell 17.14% and the number of injuries was down 9.48%.

Impaired driving remained the most common cause of accidents in the three-day period — 38.08% — followed by speeding (27.51%) and cutting in front of other vehicles (17.24%). Motorcycles were involved in 79.65% of the accidents.

Officials have charged a total of 71,307 people for drink-driving and impounded 2,294 vehicles between April 11-13, National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) deputy spokesperson Col Sirichan Ngathong said on Sunday.

Of the total number charged with violating the drink-driving law, 44,024 were motorcyclists and 27,283 were drivers of private cars or public transportation vehicles.

Col Sirichan said altogether 2,294 vehicles have been impounded, but did not give details.

She said that on April 13 alone there were 32,772 offenses involving motorcycles; 973 motorcycles were impounded and 24,866 motorcyclists charged with drink-driving.

According to the World Health Organization, on average 66 people die on Thailand’s roads each day — meaning that if the statistics can be directly compared, the first three days of Songkran were actually safer than on an average day.