Current Accident Situation and

Motorcycle Safety Measure in Thailand

byby

Mr. Chamroon TangpaisalkitMr. Chamroon Tangpaisalkit

Director of Safety Planning BureauDirector of Safety Planning Bureau

Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and PlanningPlanning

September 2004September 2004

Accident Frequencies in the past decade (1993-2003)

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

120,000

199

319

9

419

9

519

9

619

9

719

9

819

9

920

0

020

0

120

0

220

0

3

Frequencies

Year

84,892

102,610 94,36

2 88,556 82,33

6 73,725

67,800

73,737

77,616

91,623 84,17

7

Source: Royal Thai Police

Accident Fatalities in the past decade (1993-2003)

3,000

6,000

9,000

12,000

15,000

18,000

199

319

9

419

9

519

9

619

9

719

9

819

9

920

0

020

0

120

0

220

0

3

Fatalities

Year

9,496

15,176

16,727

14,405 13,83

6 12,234 12,04

011,98

811,65

2

13,116

11,960

Source: Royal Thai Police

Accident Injuries in the past decade (1993-2003)

10,000

199

319

9

419

9

519

9

619

9

719

9

819

9

920

0

020

0

120

0

220

0

3

Injuries

Year

25,330

43,541

50,718

50,044 48,76

1

52,538

47,770

53,111

53,960

69,313

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

60,000

70,000 65,701

Source: Royal Thai Police

Registered Vehicles in the past decade (1993 – 2003)

3

6

9

12

15

18

199

319

9

419

9

519

9

619

9

719

9

819

9

920

0

020

0

120

0

220

0

3

Registered Vehicles (million)

Year

11.6

55.2

60.7

3

12.4

65.6

20.7

4

13.2

46.0

90.7

5

13.8

26.2

10.7

7

15.2

46.5

20.8

0

16

.58

7.0

90.8

2

MotorcyclePassenger CarTruck and Bus

8.8

53.5

60.6

79.0

64.0

30.6

910.0

44.4

50.7

04.8

2

10.8

5

0.7

1

1.1

0

18.22

7.3

3

Source: Department of Land Transport

Countrywide Road Traffic Accident Statistics during 1995-2003

Ratio of the Registered Vehicles Nationwide

10

20

30

40

50

60

Ratio (%)

Vehicle Types

10.82

2.48

15.65

67.69

0.45 2.81 0.09

PC Van Pick up MC Bus Truck Others

70 MC : Motorcycle

PC : Passenger car

HighestHighest

Percentage of the Vehicles involved in accidents (year 2003)

3.08 1.41 0.53

37.65

1.13

24.72

2.08

17.20

2.44 2.08 3.16 2.96

05

10152025303540

Ratio (%)

HighestHighest

Type of vehicles involved with accidents

classified by injuries and deaths(passengers and drivers)24 hospitals Thailand, 2002

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

4500

Bicycle Motorcycle Small truck/Van

Sources : National Injury Surveillance,Ministry of Public Health

Number

19%

66%

8%

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

Bicycle Motorcycle Small truck/Van

Number

10%13%

72%

injuries deaths

Helmet used in motorcycle riders classified by

injuries and deaths24 hospitals Thailand,2002

Sources : National Injury Surveillance,Ministry of Public Health

3,906 injuries 166 deaths

Not wearing helmet 98.5%

Not wearinghelmet 99.1%

Wearing helmet 1.5 % Wearing helmet 0.9 %

Distribution of child driver,by age and vehicles21 hospitals Thailand,2001

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

No.

Age(year)

Motorcycle 1,421

Bicycle 750

Sources : National Injury Surveillance,Ministry of Public Health,Thailand

Contributing Factors in Road Accidents Contributing Factors in Road Accidents (Chain of Events)(Chain of Events)

• Human factors

• Road environment factors

• Vehicle factors

Human Road Vehicle

• Risk Factors: Not wearing helmets, drunk driving, dangerous driving behavior.

• If more than 90 % of motorcycle drivers wear helmets, the number of deaths and severe head injuries would be reduced 20-30 %

Motorcycle AccidentsMotorcycle AccidentsThe 1The 1stst murderer on streets murderer on streets

Experience Less than 5 years

Occupations High school students, University students

Accident Contributing FactorsAccident Contributing Factors

Vehicle types Motorcycles

• Fast driving• Drunk driving• Not wearing safety helmets• More than 1 carried passengers• Wild and careless driving• Lack of concentration

Risky behavior Risky behavior

Driver Behavior

Motorcycle in Thailand

Riding Style , Protective and Safety Devices

• Riding StyleRider’s Body is Exposed

• Protective DevicesRiding Suite, Glove and BootsHelmet

• Active Safety DevicesABSCombination Brake

• Passive Safety Devices(Airbag System)

• Riding StyleRider’s Body is Exposed

• Protective DevicesRiding Suite, Glove and BootsHelmet

• Active Safety DevicesABSCombination Brake

• Passive Safety Devices(Airbag System)

(From HONDA Co. HP)(From HONDA Co. HP)

Passive Safety has LimitationsPassive Safety

has Limitations

Motorcycle Safety CampaignsMotorcycle Safety Campaigns

1. Headlight on while driving

2. Safety helmets

3. Motorcycle lane

Design StandardDesign Standard

Design StandardDesign Standard

Signage StandardSignage Standard

Motorcycle and Bicycle Lane on Chiangmai- Mae Rim Highway

Motorcycle lane in PhuketMotorcycle lane in Phuket

Motorcycle lane in PhuketMotorcycle lane in Phuket

Motorcycle lane in LampangMotorcycle lane in Lampang

Separated Motorcycle lane in Separated Motorcycle lane in TakTak

(Approved by the cabinet on 29 July 2003)

Traffic Measures

3. Safety helmets

4. Alcohol detecting on drivers

5. Safety motorcycles (the number of modified motorcycles less than 10%)

6. Safety belts

7. Driver licenses

8. Speed control

Center of Directing on Road SafetyCenter of Directing on Road Safety

Thailand Road Safety Strategies and Action Plans

IMPORTANT STRATEGIES (5E)

Strategy 1: Engineering-Safe planning and design of roads-Improvement of hazardous locations-Vehicle safety standards

Strategy 3: Public Relations, Education and Public Participation-Driver training and testing-Road safety education of children-Road safety publicity and campaigns

Strategy 2: Law Enforcement-Traffic police and law enforcement-Traffic legislationStrategy 5: Evaluation and

Information-Coordination and management of road safety-Road accident data systems-Road safety funding and the role of the assurance industry-Road safety research-Road accident costing

Strategy 4: Emergency Medical Services

- Emergency assistance to roa d accident victims