The key to the campaign
were the 29 checkpoints the province set up, and the deployment of 1,133
police officers to crack down on vehicle offenses.
Boonlua Chatree
Chonburi’s efforts to reduce highway deaths and
accidents during the New Year holiday paid off with only four people
killed in 31 accidents across the province from Dec. 29-Jan. 4.
Deputy Gov. Phakhathorn Thienchai said 13 of those
accidents were reported in Pattaya on the final three days of 2011, with
13 injuries but no deaths.
Province-wide, 29 people were injured in road
accidents, almost all of them riding motorbikes.
The figures showed Chonburi’s efforts to reduce
carnage paid dividends. In 2011, eight people were killed and 98 injured
in 102 accidents during the “seven dangerous days” surrounding New
Year’s Eve.
The key to the campaign, Phakhathorn said, were the
29 checkpoints the province set up, as well as the deployment of 1,133
police officers to crack down on vehicle offenses.
In total, police wrote 15,724 tickets, mostly for
driving drunk or without helmets. Other offenses included speeding,
reckless driving and using mobile phones while driving.
As usual, the most incidents occurred in province’s
main population centers in Banglamung, Chonburi and Sattahip.
Chonburi officials made spot inspections of various
checkpoints during the holiday and on Jan. 5 handed out gifts and
rewards to police at six stops.
