BANGKOK, Jan 3 – Forty-one persons were killed in Thailand’s road accidents on Jan 2, raising the cumulative number of death toll during the first five days of the “seven high risk travel days,” the campaign to cut road accidents nationwide during the celebration to 282, according to the national Road Safety Centre.
From Dec 29 through Jan 2, a total of 2,544 road accidents across the country were reported, claiming 282 lives and injuring 2,783 people, Silpachai Charukasemrattana, deputy permanent secretary for the transport ministry, told the daily news briefing on Tuesday.
According to the report, driving while influenced by alcohol remained the major cause of accidents at 32.89 per cent, followed by speeding at 20.69 per cent, Mr Sipachai said. Most accidents involved motorcycles with the vast majority–82.99 per cent–taking place between 4pm and 8pm.
Compared to the corresponding period last year, the cumulative fatalities during the five days rose by 0.36 per cent while the total of casualties dropped by nearly one-tenth–9.96 per cent.
Similarly, the number of the road accidents also fell by 11.70 per cent.
During the five days, Chiang Rai recorded the most accidents at 95 while the northeastern province of Buri Ram recorded the most deaths at 16, while the most injuries were reported in Nakhon Sawan with 100 persons.
Meanwhile, Chaiyaphum remains the sole province where no accident has as yet occurred.
