Lax law enforcement on the roads is being blamed for a steady stream of tragic deaths on Thailand’s roads, says The Nation.
Thais are apparently not cautious enough on the roads. Image Credit: Joan Campderrós-i-Canas (Flickr)
Thailand ranks third internationally in terms of road casualties, according to a World Health Organization report, which states there are 38 deaths for every 100,000 people.
A strong campaign by the Thai Health Promotion Foundation can be thanked for Thais learning about the dangers of drunk driving; however intoxication is not responsible for all road accidents, with many tragedies are caused by mere recklessness and driving above the legal limit.
Asst Prof of Engineering, Wichuda Sathiennam, of Khon Kaen University, argues that Thais are prone to believe that road accidents happen due to “bad luck” and not necessarily because the driver did anything wrong, or acted in a way that was preventable.
Accident lawyers in Thailand Chaninat and Leeds are experts in assisting accident victims in Thailand to enforce their rights and collect damages against the responsible party. This will usually involve a civil and/or criminal complaint filed with the Thai Court or the police.
As a contrast, Japan’s tough laws have been credited for the low road accident rate in the country. Passengers riding in the car with a drunk driver will also be breaking the law, not only the driver.
So, how should Thai authorities act?
As The Nation writes, although it may be a popular idea to have a lenient police traffic force, who will turn a blind eye to minor offences, “such leniency may lead to complacency and a habit of ignoring the need to strictly comply with traffic laws. These two features are really too bad to accept.”
Read the full article here.
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