NEWS THINK

WHEN COMPLACENCY ON THE ROAD KILLS

Commuters must demand public transport gets safer

Amornrat Mahitthirook

The fatal accident on Tuesday, when a city bus ploughed into 20 cars at a stop light, shocked the public and galvanised the authorities, as always when these tragedies occur, into promising stiff measures to prevent a recurrence.

The fear now is that the routine promise of post-tragedy action will prove to be just another case of undertaking to build fences after the cows have gone.

And the spotlight, once again, is on the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority, which operates the ill-maintained No. 72 air-conditioned bus that rammed into 20 other vehicles, mostly cars, at the traffic light near Wat Benchamabophit. The smash killed one man behind the wheel of a vehicle and injured 20 other people.

Only two weeks ago, an Ubon Ratchathani-Bangkok bus caught fire and killed 30 passengers on the Mittraphap highway in Saraburi province. Both accidents have hurt public confidence in public transport. Passengers are facing the grim reality that simple commuting entails a sometimes fatal risk.

These two tragedies are not isolated cases, and will not be the last. When accidents occur, there will alway be attempts to blame either drivers or the buses. After the blame is assigned, the accompanying chorus for safer roads fades to a whimper and the case is rarely heard of again.

The parties who should be concerned never look close enough at the real causes of such accidents in order to find effective ways of preventing them happening again.

In developed countries, a single incident of this nature would put the authorities instantly on guard. Their officials would work systematically to establish the real cause. If it is a bus, its manufacturer would be informed of the cause and prompted to fix the problem. If the driver is at fault, legislation would be passed to plug any loopholes and serious penalties would be in order, including a lifetime driving ban.

Things are different in Thailand, however. Law enforcement is weak against reckless driving or substandard vehicle maintenance when there is room for compromise and leniency. Offenders keep repeating their mistakes or crimes.

A bus driver sacked for causing a fatal accident may be reassigned to drive on other routes, or can apply for the same job with another employer. They are no different than identified robbers who are left to continue their life of crime.

Many have begun to wonder if there is any truth in the sarcastic remark that Thais easily forget. Lessons from mishaps are seldom learned and measures proposed to prevent a recurrence are not effectively implemented. Some people take untoward incidents for granted and quietly accept the perceived lack of choice for safe public transport.

No one can tell which buses are safe and which are not. It is a gamble, and the stakes are high.

Whenever a fatal accident occurs, the various state agencies rush to order the buses be checked. Some bus operators are told they could lose their concession if they do not comply.

But that works on paper. Operators who fail to bring their buses in for checking are not punished, and the post-accident measures drawn up fall by the wayside.

The cycle of "hype" is repeated when the next major accident happens.

While accidents are not seriously investigated, they are often attributed to reckless or drunk driving. Suspending a bus service run by a company blamed for causing an accident is not enough. It does not discipline the operators or prevent a recurrence.

Will those in charge of public transport safety finally wake up, find a meaningful solution and act on it?

The Land Transport Department, which issues and extends driving and bus licences, can help prevent accidents simply by doing its duty properly. Bus operators - whether the BMTA, the Transport Co or private firms - must not pay lip service to road-safety measures. They must check their buses and train or re-train their drivers.

The Land Transport Department appears to lack the motivation to strictly enforce laws and regulations. Bus drivers get low pay and many have no incentive to bother giving excellent service. Errant drivers should be brought to justice as a deterrent to other drivers.

As long as commuters mutely accept the risks of using public transport, the authorities will not be inclined to action to address the problem. Complacency can and will kill again.

Bangkok Post

Friday April 06, 2007