The New Year holiday death toll reached 380 from over 3,000 road accidents across the country at the conclusion of the so-called seven dangerous days of the New Year holiday season.
Interior permanent secretary Kritsada Boonrat, deputy chairman of the Road Safety Direction Centre, said on Tuesday there were a total of 3,379 traffic accidents reported during the period Dec 29 to Jan 4. A total of 380 people were killed and 3,505 others injured during the seven-day period.
This was a substantial increase on the road toll during the seven dangerous days during New Year 2015, when 341 traffic deaths were reported.
Drink-driving was the major cause of road accidents, accounting for 24%, followed by speeding, 17%. Most crashes involved motorcycles, 83.5%, followed by pickup trucks, 7.5%.
Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department chief Chatchai Promlert said the Road Safety Direction Centre would coordinate with provincial authorities in studying and analysing the statistics to establish the causes and risk factors of road accidents.
Monday evening update
New Year's road deaths jump to 340; 3,216 hurt
Online reporters
The death toll from road accidents jumped to 340 and the number of wrecks to more than 3,000 after the sixth of the “seven dangerous days” of the New Year’s holiday season, says PM’s Office Minister Panadda Disakul.
The accumulated road accidents from Dec 29-Jan 3 stood at 3,092 with 3,216 injuries, ML Panadda said on Monday, quoting statistics from the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department.
On Sunday, 48 people were killed and 361 injured in 339 accidents across the country, said ML Panadda.
Drink-driving remained the major cause of road wrecks at 19.8%, followed by speeding at 16.2%.
Just less than 80% of all crashes involved motorcycles and 68.7% occurring on major roads. The peak time for accidents was 4-8pm.