A total of 363 people have lost their lives, and 2,090 others sustained injuries in 2,149 road accidents nationwide over the past eight days, according to the Directorate to Prevent and Reduce Road Accidents During the New Year Festival.
On January 3 alone, 32 fatalities and 199 injuries were reported across 205 crashes. Dangerous driving behaviors were identified as the leading causes, with cutting in contributing to 32.2% of accidents, followed by speeding at 31.22% and poor visibility at 17.56%. Motorcycles were involved in 90.04% of all reported accidents.
Surat Thani province recorded the highest number of accidents (78) and injuries (88) during the holiday period, while Bangkok reported the highest number of fatalities, with 21 deaths. Remarkably, no road fatalities were reported in the provinces of Trang, Trat, Yala, and Samut Songkhram during this time.
Additionally, the Probation Department revealed that 7,237 individuals were placed on probation for traffic-related offenses during the eight days. Among them, 43 offenders were ordered to wear electronic monitoring bracelets. Drunk driving accounted for 6,927 cases, representing 95.72% of all probation cases, followed by 304 cases of drinking while driving (4.20%), four cases of reckless driving (0.05%), and two cases of speeding (0.03%).
Bangkok led in probation cases with 511 offenders, followed by Chiang Mai with 427 and Samut Prakan with 359.
The statistics underscore the need for heightened road safety measures during holiday seasons, a time when traffic accidents frequently spike. These findings were compiled and reported as part of the country’s annual campaign to curb road fatalities and injuries during peak travel periods.
