BANGKOK, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) - Thailand's casualties from road accidents during a six-day New Year season accounted for 426 deaths and 3,761 injuries.
The death and injury tolls which occurred from December 29 until January 3 across the country largely resulted from excessive speeds of motorists during the long holiday, National Council for Peace and Order spokesman Lt. Gen. Thirawat Boonyawat, said on Wednesday.
The tolls involved 3,579 road accidents throughout the country whereas the authorities seized 4,208 vehicles because the motorists allegedly drove under the influence. Those included 2,965 motorcycles and 1,243 pickup trucks, vans and sedans, he said.
More than 2,000 road checkpoints were set up nationwide in bid to keep some motorists from driving drunk or exhausted due to lack of sleep and encourage others to strictly follow the traffic rules during the festive season.
In what was seen as the country's worst road mishap during the New Year holiday, 25 people were killed when a speedy passenger van collided with a pickup truck on a road in Chonburi province on Monday.