Regional News
Day 7: Songkran’s Seven Deadly Days – 390 Dead and 3,808 Injuries
In a bid to curb the number of accidents and fatalities, officials had impounded 7,512 vehicles, including 5,677 motorcycles, from drunk-drivers
–
BANGKOK – Thailand’s Road Safety Directing Center has released a road accident report for April 17th, the seventh of seven days of Songkrans Seven Deadly Days from April 11-17 claimed a total of 390 dead and 3,808 injuries.
On the final day of the Songkran celebration yesterday alone 40 people were killed and 323 were injured in a total of 307 road accidents.
Main causes of the fatal road accidents are drunk driving (1,589 cases), speeding (1,028 cases), and reckless cutting in front of other car (547 cases).
Motorcycles are the vehicles that involved in most fatal accidents with 284 deaths, followed by pickup trucks, 49 deaths, and cars, 27 deaths.
Of all the road accidents occurred during April 11-17, a total of 3,230 motorcycles, 260 pickup trucks, 3,428 cars, 230 public transport buses and vans, and 21 heavy trucks were engaged.
A total of 5,380,482 vehicles were intercepted for checks, and 914,172 drivers were charged, mostly guilty for not wearing crash helmets, followed by having no driving licenses.
Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Prawit Wongsuwon said more than 200,000 officials had manned about 25,000 checkpoints nationwide during the seven-day road safety campaign.
Although the death toll was down on 2016, the number of traffic accidents did not fall because too many drivers still drank alcohol.
In a bid to curb the number of accidents and fatalities, officials had impounded 7,512 vehicles, including 5,677 motorcycles, from drunk-drivers, Gen Prawit said.
He said 447,198 people faced prosecution for traffic violations during Songkran period.
