PM orders improvement of information on traffic accidents during festivals

BANGKOK, April 15 (TNA) -- Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha orders a change to reports on traffic accidents during festivals to emphasize their causes in order to encourage motorists to opt safe behaviors. Government spokesman Lt Gen Sansern Kaewkamnerd said the order went to the Ministry of Interior, the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, the police and the military among other agencies. Under the order, officials must fill in forms that emphasize the causes of accidents compared with what traffic rules prohibit, instead of obviously presenting death tolls and injuries which did not do any good to road safety, Lt Gen Sansern said “The prime minister wants people to realize the causes of accidents, for example, as to whether people use safety belts and motorists follow load limits or not. Reports should also tell how many accidents result from drunk drivers and speed limit violation. He would like foundations, organizations educational institutions and research centers to present such reports so that people turn to safe traveling behaviors. Thailand posted the second highest road accidents in the world. Without collective efforts, it would be difficult to solve the problem,” the spokesman said. The prime minister also ordered officials at nationwide checkpoints to be proactive to prevent accidents as drunk drivers were the most common cause of traffic accidents, followed by speed driving, Lt Get Sansern said. (TNA)