Implementation Procedure of Road Safety with Powerful Network in Phuket Province

Abstract

This research aims to evaluate road safety campaign through the cooperation at provincial level. The operation is divided into 2 phases: 1) Safety assessment for road conditions in Phuket 2) Development of road safety campaign and cooperation in accident-prone areas using participatory action research approach with consultation conferences. The two groups of participants include: 1) Provincial committee of “Reducing road traffic deaths in Phuket to 50 or below by 2020” agenda and 2) Traffic Accident Prevention Working Group in Phuket (Sor Or Jor Ror Phuket). Three data analysis tools include: 1) public health database from Phuket Public Health Center 2) road traffic and accident database from Phuket Provincial Police Station and 3) statistical database from Road Accident Victims Protection Company Limited. Additional information from Asian Institute of Technology was employed for further statistical quantitative and qualitative analysis in order to link the project plans and organization activities. For development of road safety campaign via participatory action research approach, triangulation of the three databases facilitates the operations and activities of road safety campaign cooperation among stakeholders in Phuket. Results of the research display two types of change in mechanisms: 1) Changes in policy and plan in the level of vision, strategy and related procedures. Such cooperation of associates and various stakeholders from different sectors and integration of plan and policy leads to achievement in reducing road accidents. 2) Spatial changes in road safety standards and quality. A project has emerged to reduce risks in accident-prone areas by redesigning for standard roads. The aforementioned procedures lead to practical implementation of plans and policies which show empirical physical changes as well as reduction of traffic accidents in accident-prone areas.