COVID-19 Lockdown and Decline in Road Accidents in Bangkok, Thailand
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
This study presents the distribution of road accidents in Bangkok, Thailand, during the COVID-19 outbreak (162 days) using spatial statistics. The findings show that the number of road accidents fell by 28.53% during the lockdown period (March 26 to June 14, 2020) compared to before the lockdown period (January 5 to March 25, 2020). There was also a considerable decrease in road accidents by approximately 4.96% compared to the same period in 2019 (January 4 to June 14, 2019). High accident incidence areas were located in central and southwestern Bangkok, and this pattern was also observed before and during the lockdown as well as in 2019. The findings revealed the numbers and patterns of road accidents that occurred during the COVID-19 outbreak. This information can be useful in minimizing and limiting the impact and damage caused by road accidents in Bangkok.
Keywords: COVID-19; lockdown; road accident; Moran’s I; spatial autocorrelation
*Corresponding author: Tel.: (+66) 822313386 Fax: (+66) 38102379
E-mail: [email protected]
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Copyright Transfer Statement
The copyright of this article is transferred to Current Applied Science and Technology journal with effect if and when the article is accepted for publication. The copyright transfer covers the exclusive right to reproduce and distribute the article, including reprints, translations, photographic reproductions, electronic form (offline, online) or any other reproductions of similar nature.
The author warrants that this contribution is original and that he/she has full power to make this grant. The author signs for and accepts responsibility for releasing this material on behalf of any and all co-authors.
Here is the link for download: Copyright transfer form.pdf
References
Wu, J.T., Leung, K. and Leung, G.M., 2020. Nowcasting and forecasting the potential domestic and international spread of the 2019-nCoV outbreak originating in Wuhan, China: a modelling study. Lancet, 395, 689-697.
Worldmeter, 2021. COVID-19 Coronavirus Pandemic. [online] Available at: https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/.
Department of Disease Control, 2021. Corona Virus Disease: Thailand Situation. [online] Available at: https://ddc.moph.go.th/viralpneumonia/eng/index.php.
World Health Organization, 2020. Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) WHO Thailand Situation Report: 6 February 2020. [online] Available at: https://reliefweb.int/report/thailand/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov-who-thailand-situation-report-6-february-2020.
Béland, L.P., Brodeur, A. and Wright, T., 2020. The Short-Term Economic Consequences of COVID-19: Exposure to Disease, Remote Work and Government Response. [online] Available at: https://docs.iza.org/dp13159.pdf.
Hamermesh, D.S., 2020. Lockdowns, Loneliness and Life Satisfaction. Report. [online] Available at: https://docs.iza.org/dp13140.pdf.
De Vos, J., 2020. The effect of COVID-19 and subsequent social distancing on travel behavior. Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives, 5, DOI: 10.1016/j.trip.2020.100121.
Kasikorn Research Centre, 2021. Thai Economy Shrinks for the Fifth Consecutive Quarter; Relief Measures Remain Instrumental Amid Economic Contraction and Rising Cost of Living (Business Brief No. 3930). [online] Available at: https://kasikornresearch.com/TH/analysis/kecon/economy/PagesThai-Econ-y3930.aspx.
Ratchakitcha, 2021. Regulation Issued under Section 9 of the Emergency Decree on Public Administration in Emergency Situations B.E. 2548 (2005) (No. 1). [online] Available at: http://www.ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/DATA/PDF/2563/E/069/T_0010.PDF. (in Thai)
Ratchakitcha, 2021. Regulation Issued under Section 9 of the Emergency Decree on Public Administration in Emergency Situations B.E. 2548 (No. 2). [online] Available at: http://www.ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/DATA/PDF/2563/E/076/T_0001.PDF. (in Thai)
Ratchakitcha, 2021. Regulation Issued under Section 9 of the Emergency Decree on Public Administration in Emergency Situations B.E. 2548 (No. 6). [online] Available at: http://www.ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/DATA/PDF/2563/E/102/T_0004.PDF. (in Thai)
Ratchakitcha, 2021. Regulation issued under section 9 of the emergency decree on public administration in emergency situations B.E. 2548 (2005) (No. 10). [Online] Available at: http://www.ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/DATA/PDF/2563/E/138/T0050.PDF. (in Thai)
Anderson, T.K., 2009. Kernel density estimation and K-means clustering to profile road accident hotspots. Accident Analysis and Prevention, 41, 359-364.
Xie, Z. and Yan, J., 2013. Detecting traffic accident clusters with network kernel density estimation and local spatial statistics: an integrated approach. Journal of Transport Geography, 31, 64-71.
World Health Organization, 2018. Global Status Report on Road Safety 2018. [online] Available at: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241565684.
Satria, R. and Castrob, M., 2016. GIS tools for analyzing accidents and road design: A review. Transportation Research Procedia, 18, 242-247.
Saladié, Ò., Bustamante, E. and Gutiérrez, A., 2020. COVID-19 lockdown and reduction of traffic accidents in Tarragona province, Spain. Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives, 8, DOI: 10.1016/j.trip.2020.100218.
Katewongsa, P., Widyastari, D.A., Saonuam, P., Haemathulin, N. and Wongsingha, N., 2021. The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the physical activity of the Thai population: evidence from Thailand’s surveillance on physical activity 2020. Journal of Sport and Health Science, 10, 342-348.
Aloi, A., Alonso, B., Benavente, J., Cordera, R., Echániz, E., González, F., Ladisa, C., Lezama-Romanelli, R., López-Parra, A., Mazzei, V., Perrucci, L., Prieto-Quintana, D., Rodríguez, A. and Sañudo, R., 2020. Effect of the COVID-19 lockdown on urban mobility: Empirical evidence from the city of Santander (Spain). Sustainability, 12, DOI: 10.3390/su12093870.
Shilling, F. and Waetjen, D., 2020. Special Report: Impact of COVID19 on California Traffic Accidents. [online] Available at: https://merritt.cdlib.org/api/presign-file/ark%253A%252F13030%252Fm5tr1820/1/producer%252FCOVID_CHIPs_Impacts.pdf.
Oguzoglu, U., 2020. COVID-19 Lockdowns and Decline in Traffic Related Deaths and Injuries. Report. [online] Available at: https://docs.iza.org/dp13278.pdf.
Sarla, G.S., 2020. COVID Diaries: An Indian Perspective. Journal of Medical Research and Surgery, 1, 1-3.
World Population Review, 2023. Bangkok Population 2023. [online] Available at: https://worldpopulationreview.com/world-cities/bangkok-population.
Department of Deputy BMA, 2021. Division of Administrative Areas of Bangkok. [online] Available at: http://office2.bangkok.go.th/ard/?page_id=4048. (in Thai)
Road Accident Data Center, 2020. Statistic of Injuries and Fatalities. All Provinces. [online] Available at: www.thairsc.com. (in Thai)
Department of Disease Control, 2020. Covid-19 Situation Reports. [online] Available at: https://COVID19.ddc.moph.go.th/en.
Mohamed, M.G., Saunier, N., Miranda-Moreno, L.F. and Ukkusuri, S.V., 2013. A clustering regression approach: a comprehensive injury severity analysis of pedestrian-vehicle crashes in New York, US and Montreal, Canada. Safety Science, 54, 27-37.
Fischer, M.M. and Getis, A., 2010. Handbook of Applied Spatial Analysis. Berlin: Springer Berlin Heidelberg.
Anselin, L., Syabri, I. and Kho, Y., 2006. An introduction to spatial data analysis. Geographical Analysis, 38, 5-22.
Truong, L. and Somenahalli, S., 2011. Using GIS to identify pedestrian-vehicle crash hot spots and unsafe bus stops. Journal of Public Transportation, 14, 99-114.
Blazquez, C.A. and Celis, M.S., 2013. A spatial and temporal analysis of child pedestrian crashes in Santiago, Chile. Accident Analysis and Prevention, 50, 304-311.
Soltani, A. and Askari, S., 2017. Exploring spatial autocorrelation of traffic crashes based on severity. Injury, 48, 637-647.
Brodeur, A., Cook, N. and Wright, T., 2020. On the effects of COVID-19 safer-at-home policies on social distancing, car crashes and pollution. Journal of Environmental Economics Management, 106, DOI: 10.1016/j.jeem.2021.102427.
Traffic and Transport Department of Bangkok, 2018. Road Accident Reduction in Bangkok's High-Risk Areas. [online] Available at: http://203.155.220.99/dotat/project/project30082561.pdf.