If you live in Thailand or are going on holiday there and thinking of driving a car, you may want to research the number of traffic fatalities in the country each year first. Thailand has the second most dangerous roads globally, and on average, about 56 people die a day, most of these on motorbikes or scooters. If you still plan to drive while in Thailand, if you are unfortunate enough to have an accident, below is some advice for you to follow.
Do Not Move The Vehicle
In many countries, if you have an accident, it is expected that you move the vehicles to the side of the road, so you do not block traffic. However, in Thailand, you are best to leave the vehicles where they are until the police and representatives from the insurance companies arrive. Moving the car can complicate the insurance claim, so leave it where it is until you are told you can move it.
Seek Medical Help When Needed
If someone gets hurt when you have an accident, you will want to seek medical attention as quickly as possible. If someone has injured their head and requires a neurological hospital, Bangkok has various hospitals specialising in this area, so they are well taken care of where ever they go. You may find that more than one ambulance arrives at the accident, as each hospital has its own ambulance service and if you have experience you may need to render medical assistance until they arrive. You can call the Thai emergency number if you need medical help, which is 191, or you can also call the tourist police on 1155.
Keep Calm
Ensure that you stay calm after the accident and do not get angry or wound up, even if it was not your fault. The last thing you want to do is make the situation worse by starting a confrontation with someone, which may get ugly.
Get Everyone’s Details
You will also need to ensure that you get the details of all parties involved in the accident, including the registration numbers of the vehicles. You will want to make copies of the IDs of everyone, copies of vehicle registration documents, and their insurance documents. If you have a mobile phone, you can use this to take pictures.
File A Report With The Police
The police will most likely turn up at the accident to get things moving again and sort out any problems, but you will also need to go to the local station and file a report. Make sure you do not sign anything that you do not understand, or you may be accepting liability for the accident even if it was not your fault. You may think twice after having an accident while driving in Thailand, and next time you want to get somewhere, end up using public transport or a taxi.
