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 were the 29 checkpoints the province set up, and the deployment of 1,133 police officers to crack down on vehicle offenses.
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.
