TRAVEL during holidays need not go with deaths and injuries.

The Interior Ministry has reported that 373 people died and 4,332 others were injured in 3,977 road accidents recorded during the seven-day Songkran holiday.

The number of accidents was 266 fewer and that of injuries 471 fewer than last year, although fatalities were 5 more than the 368 registered in 2008.

The main causes of accidents were drunken driving and overspeeding. Motorcycles, as usual, figured in most of the accidents.

From the media reports, it would appear that these annual tragic occurrences on Thailand’s roads have become an accepted reality whenever the kingdom celebrates Songkran, or Thai New Year. Should it really stay this way?

Are there no measures at the government’s disposal to avoid all these senseless deaths and needless injuries, which can actually be prevented or minimized if given the proper attention by the authorities?
Whenever people are killed or maimed in these road accidents, it is easy to think of shattered dreams, of the future of many Thais who meet untimely deaths and who may have otherwise been useful to, or even become leaders of, this country.

The government, in fairness, may be trying its best to eliminate or minimize the annual tragic incidents, but the fact that the problem persists and high casualties continue to be recorded means that the effort is not enough.

More effective ways of warning people, especially motorists, to make them more aware of travel safety, particularly during this season when so many Thais trek back to their hometowns, must be immediately identified and strictly enforced.

It is obvious that it is not enough to put many traffic enforcers on the road during Songkran to watch for drunk drivers or speeding vehicles. Authorities giving proper warnings to those road travelers through various media available — billboards and radio, newspaper and television announcements — prior to the actual travel that life is precious and worth keeping may help in making these people observe travel safety and to be more careful and conscious of the risks.

Road accidents, even at this season, and for that matter throughout the year, should not be of such magnitude and, more importantly, should not be a reason to be hurt or to die. They should at best be isolated accidents. The government has the capability to reduce these deaths and injuries.

What may be lacking all this time is the strong will and determination to minimize and eventually put an end to these Songkran tragedies. — Patrick Roxas