ผู้วิจัย/Authors: -

ชื่อเรื่อง/Title: Impact of Accidents towards Youth.

แหล่งที่มา/Source: The 3rd National Alcohol Conference "Alcohol : No Ordinary Commodity", 21st-22nd November 2007, Richmond Hotel, Nonthaburi, Page 77.

รายละเอียด / Details:

Road traffic accidents are global problem for societies that use care as one mode of transportation. The World Health Organization predicted that in the year 2000, there were 1,260,000 deaths resulted from road traffic accidents or 23 per cent of all cases of deaths in the world. It is estimated that in the next 10 years, there will be at least 6 millions deaths and 60 millions injuries in road traffic accidents in developing countries. It is also estimated that the economic losses incurred in developing will be 2-4 per cent of gross domestic product if the problem is not urgently solved. In Thailand, road traffic accidents are the most common cause of injury and death and the trend is likely to continuously increase. In 2003,more than 15,000 Thai people died and 1,200,000 injured from road traffic accidents. In average, every one hour there are 2 people die and 140 people injured. In economic term, these losses are accounted for zillions of Baht per year or 3-4 per cent of GDP. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) estimates that the number of death tolls from road traffic accidents will increase according to the proportion of the increase of vehicles if serious and continuous actions are not taken. This is especially true during New Year and Songkran Festivals, in which every hour there is an average of 3.6 deaths. This number is doubled that of an ordinary day. About 80% of the accident cases result from drinking alcohol prior to driving. In terms of age range, 15-25 years account for the most numbers and 70% of In 1997, there were 10.977 million of children aged 5-14 years, 11.57 million children and youth aged 15-24, respectively. An average household had about 1.8 persons. The death toll was 6,000 people per year and the major cause was due to road traffic accidents or approximately 1,5000-1,800 cases per year. These numbers can be disaggregated into gender, in which the number of boys was seven times higher than girls. The reasons for road traffic accidents were due to unsafe driving behaviours such as the absence of using helmets, safety belts and taking narcotics when driving. The report of ”The Situation of Children” in 2004-2005 indicates that there were 3,766 deaths motorcycle accidents or 32 per cent of 100,000 persons or 10.37 people per day. The year 2007 finds the situation of Thai youth being pregnant at its peak and the record is highest among Southeast Asian countries. Statistics show that children and youth aged 11-19 years drink alcohol, 1.2 million children and youth have expenses related to games, mobile phones and junk food about almost Baht 4,000 per month. Some children star drinking alcohol before reaching the age of 15 years old. There are 1 million children and youth aged 11-19 years who drink alcohol. Two hundred thousand girls and women aged 15-19 years drink alcohol. The number death toll for youth is still due to accidents. It is estimated that 4,000 children per year or 12 children per day of youth have accidents. 40% of accidents are due to drinking alcohol and more importantly, this results in unsafe sex. The statistics on road traffic accidents compiled by Narentorn Centre of the Ministry of Public Health shows that there are 20,000 students who died in road traffic accidents per year because they enjoyed driving fast late at night. This number accounts for 25% of all groups of people who had road traffic accidents. This number includes those who like to race their motorcycles on the roads or youth gangsters. In conclusion, the number of death toll from road traffic accidents in Thailand is ten times higher than that of the United States. One third of the accidents occur amongst children and youth between 15-24 years old and alcohol and fast driving are causes of the accidents. This group drives during odd hours and neglect the use of safety equipment. The most challenging issue for the Thai society is the number of children and youth who rides motorcycles has substantially increased. These people are victims or target groups of the media, PR and advertisement business disguised in various forms, in which some parents even support them. It is dangerous for the Thai society that some youth drink alcohol before or during driving. This phenomenon is destructive to the stability of human resources. According to the in-depth social research, motorcycles are vehicles that bring about injuries amongst children and youth and other forms of risk behaviours amongst youth such as fast driving, gambling, sex, and robbery, conflicts with parents, alcohol and drugs.

Keywords: alcohol, accident, youth, road traffic accident, death, drinker

ปีที่เผยแพร่/Year: 2007

Address: Office of Accident Reduction Network Under the Support of Thai Health Promotion Foundation

Code: 200800126

ISSN/ISBN: 978-974-09-4574-1

Country of publication: Thailand

Language: English

Category: Abstract

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