Bangkok – The Ministry of Transport has launched the “Thailand Smart Driver” activity, aiming to reduce road fatalities during new Year holiday period.
Transport Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith, who presided over the opening ceremony, said the campaign strives to develop a culture of road safety in Thailand by encouraging motorists to follow traffic regulations, be careful and respectful of others on the road, and refrain from driving under the influence of alcohol.
From December 28th to 30th, there were 477 cases of traffic accidents, according to the minister. The death toll was already 41 people at this time.
The minister said most road accidents were caused by speeding, driving under the influence of alcohol, and reckless driving.
The campaign’s objective is in line with the United Nations’ global road safety goal, which is to halve the number of deaths and injuries resulting from road traffic accidents by 2020.
Road traffic injuries remain a major public health problem and a leading cause of death, injury and disability. Nearly 1.3 million people around the world die annually and between 20 million and 50 million more are injured as a result of road crashes. More than 90 per cent of these deaths occur in low-income and middle-income countries, which have fewer than half of the world’s vehicles, according to a UN report.
