The government should invest in better systems for monitoring and controlling road safety which make use of technology to help reduce traffic accidents, according to a new opinion poll.
According to the survey by Super Poll, participants urged the government to invest in a comprehensive nationwide effort to keep motorists and the public safe. They also stressed the need for authorities to make use of technology such as speed cameras to help them effectively enforce the law and called for an accident investigation unit to help manage road safety.
The survey, carried out over the past fortnight, gathered the opinions of 1,196 people who were about measures that might improve safety on Thai roads.
The poll was part of an attempt to raise awareness of road safety ahead of the New Year holiday when people return home or travel to celebrate.
Crowded public buses were named as the top traffic risk, followed by not wearing a helmet while riding a motorcycle, speeding and using a mobile phone while driving.
About 91% of the respondents agreed that an institute on road safety should be established to address road safety issues in a comprehensive manner.
Road accidents have been a big issue in Thailand in recent years. According to the Royal Thai Police, there were 22,300 deaths recorded on the roads last year.
Recent rankings have placed Thailand top for road fatalities and second for road accidents relative to population when compared to other nations.
Meanwhile, one man was killed and 13 others hurt yesterday morning after a car rammed into a pickup truck carrying workers on an elevated expressway in Bangkok's Sai Mai district. The crash occurred on the Chalongrat expressway at around 5am, said Pol Lt Col Lapat Thapthim, deputy superintendent at Expressway 1 police station.
Police and rescue workers rushing to the scene found the damaged Mazda car with Pathum Thani licence plates on the left lane of the expressway.
The driver, identified later as Wathee Changplaipet, 32, had chest pain and was trapped inside the vehicle.
About 100 metres from the car, a Toyota pickup truck was found with its rear damaged. Driver Nimit Thamun, 51, sustained minor injuries but a male worker sitting next to him was pronounced dead despite efforts to resuscitate him, Thai media reported yesterday. Several workers sustained injuries and were rushed to nearby hospitals.
