BANGKOK, Jan 2 — Day six of the seven-day New Year holiday period saw 68 deaths and 539 injuries in 536 road accidents on January 1, bringing the death toll to 334 with 3,041 injured overall in 2,891 road accidents, according to Thailand’s Road Safety Centre.
Deputy Interior Minister Visarn Techateerawat told a press briefing that driving under the influence of alcohol was the main cause of deaths at 51.49 per cent followed by speeding over the legal limit at 24.44 per cent.
Motorcycles are the vehicles with the highest number of accidents at 81.62 per cent, with high risk behaviour by not wearing helmets.
The government launched the seven-day campaign between December 27-January 2 to cut road accidents during the New Year celebration.
Overall, the most deaths were reported in Nakhon Ratchasima with 21 fatalities, while the highest number of injured was seen in Nakhon Sawan at 121.
There was no accident free province but eight provinces were recorded as having no fatalities – Mae Hong Son, Bueng Kan, Yasothon, Chai Nat, Trat, Samut Songkhram, Pattani and Phang-nga.
Nahhon Sawan and Chiang Mai were two provinces that have the highest number of accidents, each with 111 mishaps.
