Background Banphai district is the major economic area in Khon Kaen province where traffic accidents often occur. The numbers of injuries visiting Banphai hospital varied between 1,800 and 2,040 cases/year, with about 30 deaths/year. To tackle this problem, the ‘Managing Information System’ (MIS) team was set up in 2009.

Description of problems and proposed solution Banphai hospital staff are the founding members. The nature of MIS is action research. Soon after its inception, the team gradually included police, the Department of Highways (DOH), the Department of Land Transport (DOLP), commerce groups, and other stakeholders. The 5E (Engineering, Enforcement, Education, Emergency, and Evaluation) and PDCA principles (Plan-Do-Check-Act) are applied. Each authority is responsible for different ‘E’, eg. the DOH for road engineering and the DOLP for educating drivers. The reporting systems between authorities were harmonised.

Effects/changes About 80% of traffic accidents related deaths are due to risky behaviours of the riders/drivers, while unsafe environments account for the rest 20%. Some concrete measures (both long run and short run policies) were proposed. Examples of the measures are (1) establishing clear traffic signs in risky junctions, (2) closing the U-turn points where clashes often occurred, and (3) an instigation of Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between authorities for campaigning helmet use. Since 2011, the incidence of traffic accidents related deaths has declined for about one third. It is estimated that had the MIS not been established, the injuries would have been risen by 81 cases/year. The MIS is also successful in reducing alcohol related traffic injuries by about 6% (28 cases/year).

Conclusions The MIS working system is a beneficial lesson for other countries to learn how to harness local resources and seek coordination from stakeholders for preventing traffic accidents. Open-mindedness, trust and endurance are key success factors.