Sixty people were killed and 625 injured in road accidents nationwide on Jan 1, bringing the total number of casualties during the first three of seven “dangerous days” to 190 dead and 1,782 hurt, according to the centre for prevention and reduction of road accidents.
Speeding has accounted for about a quarter of the accidents during the "seven dangerous days" of the New Year holiday-travel season. (Bangkok Post photo)
Public Health Minister Rajata Rajatanavin, deputy chairman of the National Road Safety Policy Committee, said that on Jan 1, said 604 accidents occurred on New Year's Day with 49.2% of them caused by drunk-driving and 24.1% by speeding. There were 1,737 accidents since Dec 30.
Most, or 85.14%, of the accidents involved motorcycles. Most crashes occurred between midnight and 4am.
The largest number of accidents - 71 - occurred in Chiang Mai. Phetchabun and Buriram had the largest number of deaths (nine each). The most injuries - 75 - were recorded in Nakhon Sawan.
The provinces with no road casualties were Trang, Nakhon Phanom, Narathiwat, Phatthalung, Phichit, Mae Hong Son, Yasothon, Lamphun, Satun, Sing Buri, Suphan Buri and Uttaradit.
Chatchai Promlert, director-general of the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department, said as the people who visited their home provinces during the New Year have begun to return to Bangkok, he had instructed authorities in all provinces to adjust their operations in line with the traffic volume and circumstances in each locality.