At least two traffic related deaths were reported in Phuket during the period, in which police reported 17 automobile accidents on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, and dozens more accident victims on December 30
It is not clear whether all accidents and deaths that occurred on the roads were counted into the official talley. See all related stories: tour bus crashes (here); two teens gunned down on motorbikes (first incident and second incident); BMW driver kills motorcyclist (click here) and man falls asleep at wheel, crashes after party (click here).
Public Health Minister Dr Ratchata Ratchatanawin revealed at a press conference in the Thai capital that on New Year’s Day, 60 people were killed in 604 road accidents while another 625 others were injured.
Phuket’s only recorded automobile-related death on January 1, 2015 was that of a women who’d succumbed to injuries she sustained after smashing into a tour bus on December 30 (story here)
Despite a nationwide road safety campaign, which began on December 30, more than 1,700 people were injured during the holiday period.
The number one cause of accidents was drunk-driving, accounting for 49 per cent of all the reasons while motorized two-wheelers topped the list of vehicles experiencing the accidents, with 85% of the incidents involving a motorbike.
Of all the provinces, Chiang Mai claimed shame to the highest number of road accidents with 71 accidents during the 3-day period, while Nakhon Sawan had the highest number of injuries with 75.
However, the highest death tolls were reported to be in Phetchabun and Buriram, each of which is reported to have nine deaths.
The Public Health Minister said most of the accidents occurred between midnight and 4am, which indicates that most accidents took place after late-night celebrations.
Additional comments, statistics from National News Bureau of Thailand (see original story here).