Thailand remains top for traffic casualties

BANGKOK, Dec 15 (TNA) -- Thailand continues to show the worst traffic accident figures in the world because of its poor public transport systems, according to the Road Safety Policy Foundation. Dr Tanapong Jinwong, manager of the foundation, said the www.worldatlas.com website described Thailand as the country of the highest fatality rate in traffic accidents because the organisation used information in 2015 and deaths in Lybia were reviewed as part of them resulted from political conflicts. In 2015 the traffic death rate in Thailand stood at 36.2 deaths per 100,000 people and 73 deaths per 100 traffic accident victims. According to Dr Tanapong, insufficient public transport networks force people to use private vehicles and motorcycles. Only 40-45% of motorcyclists wear helmets. Unless the use of crash helmets is popular, traffic fatalities will not decline. He said that road accidents killed 92-94% of the motorcyclists who did not wear a safety helmet. Dr Tanapong said that apart from the expansion of public transport services, authorities should strictly enforce traffic rules, especially speed limits and the use of crash helmets, to reduce traffic fatalities. The measures proved to effectively reduce traffic accident deaths in China and Vietnam, he said. (TNA)