Seventy-three people died in 574 road accidents on Saturday, the fourth of the "seven dangerous days" around the New Year period, as authorities urged motorists to comply with traffic rules and take breaks when driving long distances.
A total of 574 people were injured, the Road Safety Directing Centre of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, reported on Sunday. It was not immediately clear whether the exact same number of both accidents and injured people was a coincidence or a mistake.
An accumulated total of 1,915 traffic accidents were reported during the first four days of the holiday (Dec 29 - Jan 1), with 1,894 people injured and 226 deaths. Thirty-five of Thailand's 77 provinces recorded no fatalities.
So far, accidents are down 18.9% and deaths are 20.4% lower than in the same period a year ago, according to the department.
Nirat Pongsitthithaworn, deputy permanent secretary at the Interior Ministry, said drink-driving was the most common cause of the accidents on Saturday -- 37.28% -- followed by speeding at 35.71%. Motorcycles were involved in 89.27% of the crashes.
Just over a quarter of the accidents -- 25.96% -- occurred between 3am and 6am, while 17% of the casualties were between 30 and 39 years old.
A total of 419,239 motorists were inspected at 1,890 traffic checkpoints, with 42,189 officers deployed nationwide. As a result, 85,196 people faced legal action for violating traffic rules, including 24,279 who were not wearing a crash helmet and 21,815 driving without a licence.
Kanchanaburi province had the most accidents at 24 and the most injuries with 31 people hurt, while Bangkok reported the most fatalities at six.
Boontham Lersukheekasem, director-general of the department, said many people are expected to return to Bangkok and other heavily-populated provinces today, which would lead to heavy traffic on main roads.
Officers and volunteers have been deployed to ensure road safety and reduce accidents across the country. Motorists are advised to comply with traffic rules and regulations, respect speed limits and get enough rest while making long journeys.