Over the past several years, the annual road-safety campaign, like the one at Songkran, has significantly improved in terms of effectiveness and sophistication. Under the aegis of the RSC, relevant government agencies have been able to set ambitious targets to limit the number of deaths and injuries within specific time frames, and they have generally succeeded in meeting them. This year's road-safety campaign is no exception. From Thursday two days ago through this coming Wednesday - December 28 to January 3 - the RSC has promised to cap the number of road accidents at 4,001, the number of fatalities at 410 and the number of injured people at 4,555. These figures were set after comprehensive data analysis of the incidence of road mishaps. During the seven-day road-safety campaign, a total of 3,036 road blocks and checkpoints will be set up countrywide, to be manned round-the-clock by over 100,000 government officials, health workers and volunteers.

Driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs such as methamphetamines has been identified as one of the leading causes of road accidents and deaths. That's why motorists will be randomly stopped and given sobriety tests during this period. Special attention will be paid to motorcyclists as well. Motorcyclists make up the overwhelming majority of victims killed or maimed in traffic accidents. Health statistics show that motorcyclists are 20 times more likely to die in a traffic accident than are people travelling in other types of vehicles. Not only are motorcyclists more prone to losing their balance and falling, but the two-wheelers' small size makes them difficult for other motorists to see and avoid.

The lesson learned from similar campaigns in previous years is that the key determinants of success are consistent law enforcement, well-designed public education, proactive traffic engineering, good emergency medical services and thorough evaluation. The problem is that the government's success in reducing the carnage on the roads, and the number of deaths, during major holidays does not translate into a very significant reduction in the overall number of road accidents. The most recent figures show there are between 15,000 and 20,000 deaths on the roads per year and some 100,000 people injured or maimed. This causes great personal tragedy, as well as huge economic losses.

Let's hope that a successful road-safety campaign during the holiday season will serve as an example of how the authorities can successfully promote road safety during the rest of the year. The biggest challenge will be how to replicate such measures and sustain them for any length of time. Unfortunately, we cannot realistically expect the same level of prevention and enforcement, because after the celebrations come to an end on January 3, traffic law enforcement will be relaxed and reckless motorists will revert to their bad old habits.

Surely no one can fail to recognise that the underlying cause of road casualties is a general lack of respect for traffic laws. Unsurprisingly, a recent opinion poll revealed that over 60 per cent of motorists surveyed said they regarded traffic violations as minor offences and a common occurrence that should not be taken very seriously. Unless the government finds the political will to enforce traffic laws consistently and revise the relevant laws to provide harsher penalties for drunk or reckless motorists - especially mandatory jail terms - such a flip-flop approach to road safety will continue to be seen as a seasonal thing that will have little impact on overall road safety.