Poor enforcement of helmet, drunk driving and speeding laws has helped Thailand maintain its No. 3 spot on the world’s list of deadliest roads.
Despite being two years into a 10-year campaign to reduce road fatalities – recorded at 38.1 deaths per 100,000 people in a new World Health Organization report – 26,000 people died on Thai streets last year. That’s well above the 20.1 average for “middle-income” nations or Southeast Asian average of 18.5.
“None of the countries has comprehensive legislation on five key risk factors for road traffic injury – speeding, drink driving, non-use of motorcycle helmets, seatbelts and child restraints,” said the WHO in its 2013 road safety report. “Most countries with some of the legislations showed suboptimal enforcement. Countries need to work towards increasing the adoption of comprehensive legislation relating to the key risk factors and implement stringent enforcements on them.”
According to the WHO data, the deadliness of Thai roads is trumped only by those of Eritrea and Libya.
However authorities will enforce traffic laws more strictly during this New Year season, said M.L. Panada Disakul of the Interior Ministry, Thai PBS reported.
Mike Robinson says
The rules are in place. I think enforcement (or rather lack of it) is the key issue.