
There were 514 traffic accidents on the first two days of the New Year holiday travel week and 77 people died in the incidents, according to the Transport Ministry. Speed limit violation was the most common cause.
The ministry reported that the accidents happened on Friday and Saturday when 525 people were injured in addition to the 77 fatalities.
Speed limit violation caused 67% of the accidents and 276 pickup trucks formed the biggest group of vehicles involved in the accidents.
The highest death toll, three, occurred in Ayutthaya, Chon Buri, Pathum Thani and Nakhon Si Thammarat provinces. The highest number of accidents, 25, occurred in Bangkok.
Highway police said that in the same period they arrested 11,743 motorists who breached speed limits and apprehended 249 others for drink-driving.
In addition, 3,982 motorists were caught jumping red lights and 44 others were stopped for driving in the wrong direction.