[jhrozek]

According to a quick search, Thailand is #5 in road deaths per capita. So I don't think they fare very well.

But your anecdote reminded me of what the instructors in my driving school used to tell us (20 years ago..I'm old..) - whenever you sit into the driver's seat, your left buttcheek is actually sitting in jail and your right buttcheek is laying in a morgue. Drive accordingly. - everyone else on the road is a psychopath that's out there to kill you. Drive accordingly.

That was of course mostly meant to calm down a bunch of 18 year olds who were eager to drive, but I think the basic premise of "don't even forget that driving is really, really dangerous" is correct.