The most common cause of traffic accidents in Thailand is...

“Our message is simple -- only a fool would drive and wai,” a spokesman for Thailand’s traffic police told a press conference in Bangkok. “According to our surveys, the most dangerous thing a motorist can possibly do while driving is to pay respect to a holy shrine by performing a wai as they pass by. It s become the biggest single cause of traffic accidents in Thailand, even greater than excessive alcohol consumption or using a mobile phone.
“The risk of accidents increases drastically when a driver puts his or her hands together to perform a wai , as a gesture of respect while driving past a holy shrine or spirit house. Taking the hands off the steering wheel at any speed can be disastrous, but many drivers do not slow down at all, and it can take up to thirty seconds to perform an elaborate wai , by which time they may have travelled more than half a kilometre. So we are asking all motorists to remember that, next time they drive past a holy shrine, they should try to convey their respect mentally, not physically, and avoid using any hand signals. The good spirits will surely appreciate this gesture, and other motorists and pedestrians will surely appreciate not being run over and becoming a spirit themselves. I am convinced this is a major contribution to road safety.”

(The Nation [Thailand], 17/6/02)