High speeds boost road deaths, says study

High speeds boost road deaths, says study

More than half of drivers in Bangkok have exceeded the speed limit, while 27% of road users have driven after drinking and 35% of motorcycle riders have incorrectly worn their helmets, according to a study by the Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety (BIGRS).

Bangkok has cooperated with BIGRS, which aims to reduce road injuries and deaths in low- and middle-income cities around the world, since 2015. As part of this initiative, key road user behaviours are assessed twice a year.

The study focused on four main risks: failure to properly wear a crash helmet, failure to properly wear safety belts, speeding and drunk driving.

The key findings of the latest study, conducted between February and June last year, were discussed at a press conference organised by BIGRS in Bangkok on Thursday.

It found that 58% of vehicles in Bangkok broke the speed limit (15 km/h) and large vehicles such as vans, trucks, SUVs and cargo trucks were most likely to speed, while motorcycles were the least likely.

According to BIGRS, every 1% increase in average speed leads to a 3% increase in the risk of injury when there is a crash, and a 5% increase in the risk of serious injury or death.

"The number of road traffic deaths in Bangkok was primarily from driving at excessive speeds, and motorcycles were the vehicle type with the highest report of road traffic deaths when any crashes happened," said Kelly Larson, directing BIGRS.

In Bangkok, to reduce traffic injuries and road accidents, multiple interventions are needed to reduce speeding, including enforcing speeding laws and conducting mass media campaigns, said Ms Larson.

The study also found the percentage of people who drove after drinking in Bangkok has increased from 20% to 27% from July 2017 to June 2018.

"Our long-term target is to reduce the number of road injuries and deaths in Bangkok by 50%. It's a very challenging target, but with the data we have and the political will of Thai governmental agencies, I believe we will reach it in the future," Ms Larson said.

Thai roads have risen in ranking from second deadliest in the world to ninth deadliest in the world since 2015, according to this year's WHO report on road safety.

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