27 killed in road accidents on the first day of Songkran break

A total of 278 road accidents were reported on Tuesday, leaving 287 people injured. The number of road accidents during Songkran festival is being recorded until Monday (April 17).

Phatthalung province had the highest number of accidents and injured at 14 and 18, respectively. Pathum Thani, Phetchabun and Loei saw the most number of deaths (2 each).

Here is what happened on Thai roads on Tuesday:

Top causes of accidents

• Speeding — 35.25%

• Close overtaking — 24.82%

Vehicle type in most accidents

• Motorcycles — 79.37%

Where most accidents took place

• Straight roads — 87.41%

Location of most accidents

• Highways — 48.20%

• Village roads — 28.78%

Time of most accidents

• 7.01pm-8pm — 7.91%

Age-range of most casualties

• 50-59 — 16.56%

On Tuesday, a total of 54,487 officials were deployed to man 1,871 road checkpoints nationwide. Some 306,166 vehicles were stopped, and legal action was taken against 48,176 motorists and motorcyclists.

Of those facing legal action, 15,152 will be charged for driving without a licence, 14,302 for riding motorbikes without a helmet, 4,759 for not fastening their seatbelts and 4,270 for violating the speed limit, among others.

"Officials have been instructed to strictly enforce the laws and monitor motorists' behaviour that could cause road accidents," the Road Safety Centre said.

During the Songkran festival’s "seven dangerous days” last year, a total of 1,917 road accidents were recorded, resulting in 1,869 people getting injured and 278 deaths.

Chiang Mai had the highest number of accidents at 63, while Bangkok had the highest number of deaths at 13. Six provinces – Nakhon Phanom, Pattani, Yala, Ranong, Samut Sakhon and Sing Buri — recorded no road deaths during the period