Uphill road struggle

Re: “Tougher driving tests, medical check eyed in road safety push”, ( BP, Dec 13).

Deaths on the roads in Thailand are devastating for families and the Thai economy so I was glad to read that eyesight is going to be checked as part of ongoing improvements to the Thai driving test.

However, testing one’s eyesight will not improve the numerous idiotic driving skills employed by a great percentage of road users in this country. Thailand is probably the number one country in the world for showing respect, for giving away power in a confrontation, yet all of these traits seem to disappear the moment the average Thai gets behind the wheel.

Alongside ensuring people can actually see to drive their vehicle, a number of serious amendments need to be made in order to lower the total number of deaths on the roads; changes at driver/rider level plus legislative change must occur fast.

Highways allowing U-turns straight into the opposite fast lane are massive killers so proper junctions, appropriately signposted and surfaced are necessary. For roads which have a worn-out surface the speed limit should be reduced significantly until the problem is fixed.

The police need to be seen on our roads actually making a difference rather than randomly establishing large-scale stop operations like a police state where bribes are regularly taken for minor, non-life threatening crimes such as missing number plates. I would suggest motorcycles are impounded if found being driven on pavements.

It is an uphill struggle but together we can all do our part to increase safety on our roads and reduce deaths. DAVID JACKSON