Songkran Road Safety Campaign Focuses on Speeding, Drunk Driving

BANGKOK, April 10 (TNA) - The Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth) has launched its road safety campaign for the Songkran festival at the Victory Monument and is targeting speeding and drunken motorists, especially motorcyclists. ThaiHealth manager Supreeda Adulyanont said the road safety campaign focused on motorcyclists because motorcycles caused 79.85% of traffic accidents and were involved in 67.4% of fatal traffic accidents during the Songkran festival last year. The motorcyclists in the accidents either sped or rode under the influence of alcohol and 14.3% or 60 of 418 people killed in nearly 4,000 road accidents in last year’s festival were people younger than 20 years of age. In two-thirds of motorcycle accidents, motorcyclists did not wear a crash helmet, Dr Supreeda said. He also said that traffic volumes on highways rose 16.31% during the Songkran holiday compared with normal traffic. Although many organizations were campaigning for road safety, the Songkran death toll was rising. Therefore, motorists had to place importance on safe travels and be responsible for themselves and other people, Dr Supreeda said. (TNA)