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National New Year road fatalities up 8% from a year ago

National New Year road fatalities up 8% from a year ago

BANGKOK: The seven-day road safety campaign over the New Year holiday in Thailand ended with 272 fatalities, an increase of 8.3% from 251 in the same period a year ago.

deathaccidentsSafetytransport
By Bangkok Post

Wednesday 7 January 2026 09:58 AM


Heavy traffic on the motorway as holidaymakers return to Bangkok on the final day of the New Year break on Sunday (Jan 4). Photo: Pattanapong Hirunard

Heavy traffic on the motorway as holidaymakers return to Bangkok on the final day of the New Year break on Sunday (Jan 4). Photo: Pattanapong Hirunard

The Road Safety Centre said the number of accidents from Dec 30 to Jan 5 totalled 1,511, a decline from 1,572 a year ago, while injuries totalled 1,464, down from 1,546, reports the Bangkok Post.

Cumulative figures for the busy seven-day travel period showed Bangkok recording the highest death toll with 22 fatalities. Phuket had the most accidents and injuries, with 55 crashes, 58 people hurt and four dead according to figures released by the centre yesterday (Jan 6).

Five provinces - Samut Songkhram, Nong Bua Lam Phu, Uthai Thani, Phrae and Satun - reported zero deaths.

On Jan 5 alone, the final day of the campaign, 142 accidents were reported, leaving 155 people injured and 19 dead

Speeding remained the leading cause, accounting for 39.4% of crashes, followed by sudden lane changes at 20.4%. Motorcycles were involved in 68.5% of all accidents, mostly on straight roads (87.3%), with highways and local roads being the most common locations.

Phatthalung and Yala recorded the most accidents on the Jan 5 with seven each, while Nakhon Sawan had the most fatalities at four.

Chaiwat Chuenkosum, deputy permanent secretary for the Interior Ministry, said the decline in accidents and injuries compared to last year was a positive trend.

However, speeding, drink-driving, abrupt lane changes, driving against traffic and failure to wear helmets or seat belts remained major risk factors, he said at a media briefing.

On Monday, a pickup truck driving against traffic collided with several other vehicles on inbound Vibhavadi Rangit Road in Bangkok.

The crash occurred at 4:35pm on the bridge over the Sutthisarn intersection. There were no reports of injuries.