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)
