Drunk driving is blamed as the main cause of most road accidents in the past two days, resulting in 98 fatalities and 1,024 injured from 990 road accidents across the country, Transport Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisit told a press conference today.

In his capacity as head of the Centre for the Prevention and Reduction of Road Accidents during New Year’s Festival, he said 56 prople were killed and 592 others injured from 570 accidents on Friday, with drunk driving accounting for 38.95 percent of all the road accidents, followed by 28.6 percent of speeding.

Motorcycles accounted for 76.68 percent of the vehicles involved in the accidents, with pickup trucks coming second with 7.72 percent.  66.67 percent of the accidents took place on the main roads of the Highways Department, with 42.11 percent and 33.86 percent of accidents occurring on secondary roads in tambon and in villages respectively.  28.77 of the accidents occurred between 4 pm and 8 pm.

More than 66,000 officials and volunteers were mobilized to man 2,049 road blocks nationwide.  For the past two days, the stopped 749,821 vehicles for checks and legal actions were taken against 145,536 people, mostly on charges of not wearing crash helmets , 42,841 cases, and driving without licenses, 38,912 cases.

Chiang Mai topped the list with the highest number of accidents for two days, 33; while Chiang Mai and Khon Kaen topped the list for having the highest fatalities – five cases each.

With rain storm and isolated heavy rain predicted today until January 2 by the Weatherman, Minister Arkhom warned motorists and motorcyclists to exercise more caution, to refrain from speeding and to keep a safe distance from the cars running in front and to report about accidents to hotlines 1784 or 1669.