Road Traffic Accident Increase on Chinese New Year 2009

Based on first statistic from Phnom Penh traffic police said that during Chinese new Year 2009 the road traffic accident increased 16 cases that cause to have 6 fatalities, 16 persons get serious injury , and other 12 persons get slight injury, this just in Phnom Penh and from 25 to 29 January 2009.

Most of traffic accident occurred in Khan Chamkamon, Daun Penh, Russey Keo, and Daun Penh. Cause of traffic accident were: drive over speeding, drunk driving, Overtaking, Driving opposite traffic flow, and not respect the traffic sign.
From Koh Santepheap Daily
Friday, 30th Jan 2009.

First statistics of road traffic accident during Chinese New Year

Written by kimvong
Thursday, 29 January 2009

Road traffic accident is a main public health issue for Cambodia which was a third world country in region countries. In Cambodia, the number of road traffic accident are rapidly increase during holidays or any others celebration.

Generally, Chinese New Year is celebrated on January or February every year it is a custom of Chinese who living in Cambodia or as others countries. on 25th to 28th this month in Phnom Penh the volume of traffic seem calm down while the number of vehicles are moving from Phnom Penh to provinces or most people are being prepare to offer food to the spirits.

On the first day in Phnom Penh, 25 January unofficial statistics of road traffic accident showed that there were five people died, six get seriously injured and seven get slight injuries. the number of road traffic accident this year may increase if compare to the year 2008.

related info
Road deaths rise on holiday

Chinese New Year and Road Safety - 5 Safety Tips

New helmet law hamstrung by lack of quality guidelines: NGOs

The lack of standards relating to the quality of motorbike helmets is endangering road users


DESPITE the much-touted introduction of the new helmet law - which makes protective headgear compulsory for motorbike drivers - over two weeks ago, drivers and passengers are still at risk due to a lack of regulations governing the quality of helmets sold in the Kingdom.

Safety officials have warned it could take up to a year before there is an approved safety standard for motorbike helmets, adding also that it will be several months before the helmet law applies to passengers.

The new law came into force on January 1, in a bid to reduce fatalities and serious head injuries on the roads.

Under the new law, motorbike drivers - but not passengers - must wear a helmet, or face a fine of 3,000 riels ($0.73).

But despite the government claiming to have achieved a 92 percent compliance rate in Phnom Penh, the National Culture and Social Morality Centre (NCSMC), a local NGO, warned that more than 30 percent of helmet- wearers are still putting themselves and other road users in danger by not wearing quality helmets.

Po Samnang, director of the centre, argued that there needs to be a public information campaign to raise awareness of the importance of high-quality helmets.

"Our people will suffer serious injuries in traffic accidents, as some helmets worn cannot protect their heads," he said. In some cases, motorbike riders have been seen wearing plastic construction hard hats or other inappropriate headgear as substitutes for a proper motorbike helmet, he added.

Cheap, poor-quality helmets are being sold on the streets of Phnom Penh for as little as $3.50.

Ach Heng has been selling helmets, which she sources from Thailand and Taiwan, on the streets of the capital since 1997. While she insists that her helmets are of the highest quality, she says there are no official guidelines, checks or controls on the quality of helmets on sale.

She said often the price of helmets can indicate their quality. "My helmets cost between $8 and $150, but those costing $3 or $4 are not good quality," she said.

Socheata SANN, road safety program manager at Handicap International Belgium, said it will likely take up to a year for the National Committee for Road Traffic Safety to approve a basic helmet standard for Cambodia.

"In November 2008, the government sent 10 different helmets to the United States to be tested. Of the ten helmets sent, only four were approved as being of a suitable quality," he said.

Concerns over the Kingdom's dearth of quality helmets have prompted various institutions to launch nationwide helmet campaigns that will run over the course of the coming year.

The NCSMC will hold a campaign about the new traffic law and the importance of wearing quality helmets in Phnom Penh this Sunday.

In three months time, Handicap International will launch a national television campaign accompanied by thousands of leaflets to be distributed around Phnom Penh, informing consumers of what to look for in a good helmet.

El Narin, deputy director of Phnom Penh's traffic police, said it is difficult for law enforcement officers to take action on drivers wearing poor-quality or inappropriate helmets.

"Police don't have a plan to deal with drivers who wear unsuitable helmets. We are trying to introduce helmets step by step but haven't yet defined the quality of the helmet they have to wear," he said.

So while there may now be a swarm of helmets on the roads, whether there will be a decrease in head injuries from traffic accidents remains to be seen.

Photo by: Tracey Shelton
Moto-taxi driver Bun Ly tries on a new helmet from a street-side stall in Phnom Penh last week.

Written by MOM KUNTHEAR and SARAH WHYTE
Thursday, 22 January 2009

Riverfront pavement cleared

Municipal officials remove furniture, clothing racks in attempt to beautify capital.
EARLY Sunday morning, as tourists dined at the Tonle Sap riverfront cafes and street-sellers pedalled their goods, a team of police began clearing the footpath of all chairs, tables, dining tourists, signs, motorbikes and ornaments.
The move came three days after a warning notice was issued telling businesses to clear the street area in front of their properties.
A police officer who did not wish to be named said the area was being cleared because it was a place tourists liked to walk.
"We have told [business owners] several times via letter and loudspeaker, but they have never listened, so we are now acting on our warnings," he said.
The reaction from business owners and tourists was mixed, with some welcoming the clearing of the sidewalks and others grumbling over the loss of shopfront seating areas.
"It's more beautiful for the tourists but not so good for my shop," said Siv Kheng, who runs a clothing store on the corner of Street 130.
"I'm not sure there is even room for my staff to fit inside now," she said.
For Australian tourist Matthew Bolton, who witnessed the upheaval from the (former) outdoor seating of Garden Bar in the Shade, the move was not necessarily a good thing.
"We came to Cambodia with an idea of embracing Khmer culture and to us the bustling, active streets are part of its character," he said.
But Bolton's 10-year-old son Bleys disagreed, saying the new look not only provides more space to walk but there are "less people to hassle you".
Phsar Kandal commune Chief Kong Rith said no fines had yet been issued for noncompliance, but he warned that failure to obey the directive would result in items being confiscated.

GMS: Cambodia Northwest Provincial Road Improvement Project

Asian Development Fund US$33.00 million
Thematic Classification: Sustainable Economic Growth

Project Rationale:
Due to low access to markets and other social services, including along key natural and cultural tourism sites, there is an urgent need to improve connectivity within northwestern Cambodia. Through rehabilitation of the unpaved road sections of National Road (NR) 56 and upgrading of the cross border facilities with Thailand at O'Smach, the project will improve connectivity in northwestern Cambodia as well as its links with national road network as well as with regional transport corridors, thus increasing its producers and traders access to markets and its populations access to social services. It will also effectively support regional trade and cooperation between Thailand and Cambodia. Further, the project will assist the Government in its ongoing routine road maintenance and road safety programs.
The projects main benefits, therefore, are: (i) improved access to agricultural and tourist areas in the northwestern parts of Cambodia, with reduced travel time and transport costs, and (ii) improved regional cooperation between Cambodia and Thailand. Such regional cooperation will be actualized through: (i) improved cross-border facility at OSmach; (ii) more sustained routine road maintenance program of MPWT that will reduce road user costs and road agency costs; and (iii) improved road safety in Cambodia, thus, reducing losses due to traffic accidents.

Impact:
The impact of the project will be to initiate rehabilitation of the network of secondary national roads to reestablish dependable and economically efficient links between the rural roads networks and the primary national roads network.

Outcome:
The Project outcome will (i) provide reliable all-year road access from provincial towns and rural areas to markets, employment, and social services such as advanced health and education facilities; (ii) provide access to historical and natural sites that can form the basis for development of the tourism industry; and (iii) increase the efficiency of the transport sector by enabling more direct routes to international border crossings that facilitate bilateral trade. The roads will promote economic development in rural areas and provincial centers and facilitate social development by reducing remoteness. The project will achieve this by improving selected secondary national highways, specifically: (i) rehabilitating NR56 from Sisophon to Samraong (114 km); and (ii) upgrading the border post on the Cambodia-Thailand border at Osmach.

Outputs:
Rehabilitated road links that provide access to agricultural and tourist areas in the northwestern region of Cambodia, and an important secondary border crossings between Cambodia and Thailand that supports improved regional cooperation. Improved ongoing routine road maintenance program of MPWT. Continued improvements in implementing the road safety action plan.


For more information

Regarding to this information i am very delight to hear and Cambodia will be expend the road that can help in transportation system that easy for traveling prom provinces to provinces and in the text it will connect to Thai ( Siem) country that is a neighbor country.

For this a part of my delight i also feel sad if the ministry of Public Work and Transport do not regard the traffic flow, traffic sign and some accessories but it very important to road user like sidewalk especially for disable person.

Another one without road safety education the number of road traffic accident will dramatically increase a long this new road (NR 56)

Road Safety is No Accident

Slow down, you are not a gentle if you drive over speeding or inappropriate speed,

In Cambodia speeding is a main cause of traffic accident.

How to buy a quality helmet that can protect your life

How To Buy the Right Helmet

You drive a motorcycle because you appreciate the thrill of connecting intimately with your driving experience. Still, you need to balance the adventure with good safety habits. Whether you are buying a new helmet or evaluating your existing head protection, there is a lot to consider when deciding which helmet is right for you.
Helmet Safety Ratings
Common sense and statistics argue for the benefits of wearing a helmet. To make sure your helmet does what you need it to, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has issued a standard that certifies helmet models that pass rigorous laboratory testing.
When you shop for a helmet, the first thing you'll want to see is the DOT sticker proving the helmet design meets the DOT safety standards and provides these three primary functions:
• Impact protection
• Penetration protection
• Retention
Your helmet protects you from impact by distributing the force across the outer shell and the impact-absorbing liner―expanded polystyrene, or EPS. You should know that once you have suffered an impact, the shell and EPS systems are compromised and you'll need to replace the helmet. Take comfort in knowing your helmet did its job.
Penetration protection comes from the outer shell, which is designed and tested against typical road hazards like flying objects. Some shells are also scratch resistant, which means they won't be marked by rogue bugs, rocks, or sticks.
Finally, the retention system must keep the helmet on your head during an impact. The DOT-certified models are tested for retention. How well your helmet fastens and stays on your head will depend on not only the retention system, but also the fit.
Fit and Comfort
Fit and comfort aren't always the same thing. Your helmet must fit snugly, tight enough so that you can't pull it off by grabbing the back and yanking forward. You should feel your skin moving with the helmet as you wiggle the shell around.
Many helmets come with adjustable padding to help shape the helmet to your head. You should feel the padding against the top and front of your head. If you have a full-face or open-face helmet, the padding will lock in your cheeks and chin, too.
Some riders try on dozens of helmets before they are satisfied with the fit. If your helmet doesn't fit snugly, you won't get the protection you expect. Testing the helmet on a 20-minute bike ride is a great way to measure the fit and the comfort.
Comfort features include air vents, padding, and noise control. Many helmets have vents on the top of the helmet to cool your crown and on the front (full-face only) to cool your face and chin. Air vents can change the flow of air over the helmet, with the disadvantage of extra drag. Still, the flow of fresh air often outweighs the decrease in aerodynamics in the minds of riders.
Padding can be adjustable to fit your face. Everyone has different features and your cheekbones, nose, forehead, and jaw will be the most comfortable if you can personalize the padding and comfort liner. You will want to feel pressure from the padding, but not enough to become painful or distracting.
Padding around the ears can also add to the comfort of your ride. Many motorcycle safety specialists believe that a tight seal around the ear helps to block out wind sounds and improve attunement to engine noises. If your hearing seems muffled at first, be patient and you may grow to like the effect―especially on long trips.
Cost
Many factors contribute to the cost of your helmet, and settling on a budget can be difficult because it's hard to put a price on safety. Fortunately, there are many good DOT-certified helmets available in a wide range of styles and prices.
Special graphics can increase the cost of your helmet. If you're willing to forgo some style, you can save money. Extras like air vents and adjustable padding can also drive up the helmet cost. Even face shields, which seem standard today, add to the cost.
Sometimes you can negotiate the helmet price if you are also buying a motorcycle. Many dealers recognize the advantage of keeping you as a satisfied customer for many years to come; perhaps they'll budge a little on the helmet price.
Helmet Styles
There are three major categories of helmet styles:
• Full coverage
• Open face
• Shorty
The full-coverage style has a chin bar as part of the outer shell. This style offers the most protection from impact and penetration hazards―add a face shield, and you're protected from the neck up.
You may opt for the open-face helmet; think of a more traditional look, with a chin strap and no face shield. This helmet has more coverage than a shorty, but without the face shield you give up protection from insects and wind.
Shorty helmets are popular with many bikers because they resemble old-fashioned helmets. Although there is less coverage, this style still passes the DOT standard for impact and penetration protection. A shorty helmet must fit snugly enough to stay on during a crash.
When deciding on your helmet style, consider color, too. A bright, conspicuous color will improve your chances of being seen by other drivers. Many bikers are hit by cars because the motorist didn't even see the motorcycle.
As you can see, selecting a helmet might take you just as long as choosing a bike. You want your riding experience to be fun and safe; selecting the helmet that is right for your head is a critical part of your safety gear. If you are ever in a crash, you will be glad you invested the time and money in a quality motorcycle helmet.

There are 129 fatalities in September 2008

A provisional number of 1,970 casualties were reported by the participating hospitals, health centres, private clinics and traffic police departments in the 24 reporting provinces. Among them, 538 were severely injured and 129died.

- In Phnom Penh, 531 casualties were reported, corresponding to 10% increase compared to September 2007 and 24% increase compared to the previous month. Among them 18 died. 33% of those fatalities were workers, followed by students (17%), house keepers/servants (17%) and motor taxi drivers (17%).

- 44% of fatalities in Phnom Penh aged between 20 and 24 years old, compared to only 20 % in provinces.

- 73% of fatalities injured in accidents occurring on national roads.

- Highest daily numbers of casualties were reported during the Pchum Ben period (28th, 29th, and 30th of September), with a peak of 129 on the 29th, 2 times more than the daily average of casualties in the month. In total, 292 people were injured (24% decrease compared to 2007) and 20 died during this 3-day holiday.
- 69% of fatalities were motorbike riders, followed by pedestrians (10%).


Head injury among motorbike fatalities

- 86% of motorbike fatalities suffered head injury.

- 72% of those head injured fatalities got an accident along the national roads.

- 42% of them died at an accident scene.

- Kampong Cham province had highest fatalities (36%) compared to other provinces.

- 27% aged between 20-29 years old.

- A significant increase of fatalities was observed on the National Road 5 (25 fatalities) and National Road 7 (19 fatalities).
Kimvong,

សម្តេច​ហ៊ុន សែនៈ ពាក់​មួក​សុវត្ថិ​ភាព​គឺជា​កាតព្វកិច្ច​ប្រជាពលរដ្ឋ​គ្រប់​រូប

ដោយ រស់ ឌីណា
០៦-០១-២០០៩
សម្តេច ​នាយក​រដ្ឋ​មន្រ្តី​ហ៊ុន សែន​ បាន​អំពាវ​នាវ​ជាថ្មី​ នៅ​ថ្ងៃ​អង្គារ ទី​៦ ខែ​មករា​នេះ ចំពោះ​​អ្នក​​បើក​បរ​ទោ​​ចក្រ​យាន​យន្ត​​ទាំង​អស់​ សុំ​​អោយ​ពាក់​មួក​ការ​ពារ​សុវត្ថិភាព​​អោយ​បាន​គ្រប់​គ្នា។ កា​រ​តម្រូវ​អោយ​ពាក់​មួក​សុវត្ថិភាព​​បាន​ចូល​ជា​ធរមាន​ចាប់​តាំង​ពី​ ថ្ងៃទី​១ ខែមករា ឆ្នាំ​២០០៩​។ សម្តេច​មាន​ប្រសាសន៍​​ថា​ សម្តេច​​សង្កេត​ឃើញ​​​មាន​អ្នកបើក​បរ​ម៉ូតូ​ពាក់​មួក​សុវត្ថិភាព​ ត្រឹម​តែ​​៥០%​ប៉ុណ្ណោះ​​។ សម្តេច​ក៏​បាន​ស្នើសុំអ្នក​ផ្សេង​ទៀត ទិញ​មួក​ពាក់​​អោយ​បាន​ឆាប់​រហ័ស​​បំផុត។​​

«ខ្ញុំ​នៅ​តែ​អំពាវនាវ​ ដល់​អ្នក​បើក​បរ​ម៉ូតូ​ទាំង​អស់ រួម​ទាំង​អ្នក​រួម​ដំណើរ​ជាមួយ​ សុំ​ពាក់​មួក​សុវត្ថិភាព ដើម្បី​ការ​ពារ​អាយុជីវិត។ នេះ​មិន​មែនជា​បញ្ហា​របស់​ខ្ញុំ​នោះទេ ខ្ញុំ​មិន​ងាយ​​​​ស្លាប់​នៅ​​ក្នុង​គ្រោះ​ថ្នាក់​ចរាចរណ៍ណាស់ ​ព្រោះ​​មុន​នឹង​បុក​អ្វី​មួយ វា​បុក​​ក្រុម​ការ​ពារ​ខាង​មុខ​មុន ហើយ​ភាគ​ច្រើន​ ផ្លូវ​ត្រូវ​បាន​បិទ​ទៀត​ផង​»។​ ម្យ៉ាង​ទៀត សម្តេច​ហ៊ុន សែន​ក៏​បាន​សំណូម​ពរ​ដល់​អ្នកលក់មួក មិន​ត្រូវ​ឆ្លៀត​​ឱកាស​នេះ តំឡើង​ថ្លៃ​មួក​នោះទេ។​

Buy a quality helmet better than buy 10 unquality helmet

After the helmet wearing was started enforce by 1st Jan 2009, Thousands people are hurry to buy the helmet so thousand helmets was import from neighbor countries or local production without quality check, all those was sold more than 100 locations in Phnom Penh and hundred places by the provinces. All those helmet are cheap that the people spend only 2.5$( 10 000 Riels) they can get a thing to put on the head just to show the traffic police that they respect the traffic law and escape from spending 3000 riels per time in finding. Throughout the country,in June 2008 there are only 24% wearing helmet when driving motorbikes,but when the helmet was enforce an unofficial research showed that the helmet wearing increase from 24% to 60% or 70% in Phnom Penh.By this statistics no one can estimate that how many percentage wearing correctly and quality helmet ( helmet with standard. The helmet cost from 10$ up are more safe for motor user).

In Cambodia,if buy the helmet please check standard like TIS or DOT at the back side or inside of the helmet.

Helmet can protect your life if you choice a quality helmet

Compulsory use of crash helmets: generating more vocations than conscience awakenings

With 2008 coming to an end, crash helmets seem to have set out to invade Cambodia's little stalls and shops in a most unusual manner... The precious helmets can be found here sitting next to brand new mobile phones or there awaiting customers on the shelves of the corner shop. But that is without even mentioning all those who decided overnight they would become helmet retailers and sell these goods right on their doorstep, on the city's major roads. But the mass appearance of helmets in the country is not the result of a sudden awakening about the dangers of the road – in 2007, road accidents claimed 4 lives and injured 70 people every day – but truly the reflection of a fear of police encounters... On January 1st 2009, wearing a helmet will be compulsory for drivers in charge of two and three-wheeled motorised vehicles and trailers, but for the time being, these hard hats are selling like hot cakes...



According to a study carried out in June 2008 in Phnom Penh by the Handicap International organisation (HI), 24% of motorbike drivers used a helmet. And at the beginning of December, according this time to municipal police sources, 47% of them used a helmet when only 8% wore one back in 2004... A recent HI poll revealed that 60% of people living in Phnom Penh were in favour of the mandatory decision.


Skyrocketing helmet sales
Chhay Kim, who repairs motorbikes in the Bati district, Takeo province, jumped on the opportunity of a visit to his relatives in Phnom Penh to buy a helmet “because they are no retailers near my home”. Just as it is the case for many other two-wheeled vehicle drivers interviewed on that occasion, the news about the implementation of the law came to him via the broadcasting media and posters pinned up in various places in town as a warning to the population.

The shop assistant at the imposing “Hêt Heang” helmet shop on Mao-Tse-Toung Boulevard does not know where to look and give advice, overwhelmed by the flow of customers. A short break taken a couple of hours later eventually allowed the busy salesman to talk to us. “Sales have been skyrocketing since the beginning of December. We doubled our sales!”


Every day, the shop sees some twenty helmets going back home with a new owner. The salesman did not mention the exact quantity of helmets ordered by smaller retailers from all places in the country who find it hard to meet demand. His helmets are made in Thailand or Taiwan - “the best ones, they bear the 'ISO' safety label” - but also in Vietnam and Cambodia - “the worst ones since they do not meet safety standards”, he said, determined. Depending on its type, a helmet will generally cost between US$8 and US$20, but this price goes up to US$100 when it comes to integral motocross helmets.


Opportunities for trade
Chhit Chan Sithear usually sells mobile phones, but the product does not seem to be very popular at the moment. Watching his stock getting dusty, he decided to store a few crash helmets in his boutique. “My shop is located on an important junction of Phnom Penh and a few yards away from the spot where the police are usually stationed! It is such a great opportunity for me! Think about it: when the cops arrest those who drive without a helmet, they will send them straight to my shop!”, the young man foresaw, all excited about the coming situation.

People come from every corner of the country to buy helmets. The Ly family organised an outing: parents, children and aunties made the trip from Kampot... The mother wants to go back home with 200 helmets, “all types and all qualities”, to sell them on her doorstep, “right in the middle of town”. “I have never sold helmets before, I run an electrical accessories shop, but I am ready to adapt to demand!” Her husband added that “only 30% of motorbike drivers wore a helmet in Kampot”. There is definitely a market there...


Clarity needed as to the advantage of wearing a helmet?
Kheng Sokhom already used a pollution mask. Now, he has happily topped up his garb with a crash helmet. A moto-taxi of ten years, he says he is the sad witness of a growing number of “increasingly serious” road accidents. “Yes, this is a safety reflex...”, he argued with conviction, before acknowledging that without a helmet, the police would give him a hard time and prevent him from exercising his profession in peace. He has been preparing himself to the event for five months now, and managed to raise 60,000 riels (US$15) in savings, a small fortune for him, which explains why he did not buy another helmet after having his first and only one stolen.


“Helmets are useful, they protect your eyes from the dust! We have now gone into the dry season, it's just the right time to buy one!”, Roeun Ren explained. He works part-time on building sites and works as a moto-taxi the rest of the time. After teasing him with a few questions, he finally admitted: “Alright, if I buy one, it's also because of that new law...” Being caught without a helmet on the head will result in a 3,000 riel fine and a moralising speech...


Protest
“In Cambodia, people only wear a helmet because they fear being fined, road safety is the least of our worries! We simply imitated our neighbouring countries where wearing a helmet is already compulsory. That's fine, but then we should think about making helmets in this country, it would at least create a few jobs for Cambodians, rather than importing them!”, says for his part Sobol, a civil servant in his thirties who swears he will not buy a helmet. But we still bumped into him in a helmet shop... “I came to buy one, but that's for my wife and my kid!”


The civil servant reckoned the new law would complicate the lives of those who cannot really afford it. Buying a helmet has serious consequences on his own budget and he suggested that helmets should be given away to people for free. “They want people to respect traffic regulation rules, but what happens to wealthy and powerful people who violate them as they like without ever fearing to be arrested?”

Not at all convinced by the initiative, he told us the story of a young motorbike driver who died although he was wearing a helmet at the time of the accident. “His head was protected, sure, but his body got run over... The helmet is not a miracle solution!”

The helmet: useful... if well-chosen and used
Meas Chandy, in charge of the road safety scheme at Handicap International, expressed his delight to see the government take such a measure and gave his recommendations: “An NGO working together with us recently sent to the United States 12 different helmets bought on Cambodian markets to have them assessed. The study showed that only one met the 10 points chosen to represent the international standards! Too many of the helmets sold in Cambodia are poor quality products. When you cut them into two, you either realise that the manufacture of the polystyrene is poor, or that it has been replaced with very thin foam... I advise drivers to buy other helmets with the 'ISO' safety label on them. It ensures their quality. Also, they should buy a helmet that suits the size of their head, otherwise they move around and do not offer good protection”.

Buying a helmet is one thing, but using it safely and properly is another. “Too often, motorbike drivers use their helmets in the wrong way. They customise it, for instance, by decorating it with stickers or painting it, when their surface should remain smooth. The light colours should be kept on them, or at least a stripe, so that car drivers can see them in the night. Others do not even fasten their chin strap, which makes the helmet absolutely useless...”, Meas Chandy pointed out.

Alarming figures
Facing the unconvinced ones, Meas Chandy admitted that a helmet could not protect a person 100% “but could reduce risks”. Statistics prove him right, since 80% of road accidents see victims involved in violent impacts to the head. The representative suggested his fellow-citizens reduce and control their speed.. “Buying a helmet represents a cost, but it is much less than the costs of a medical intervention after a road accident!”

The Prime Minister stressed on December 22nd that the first cause of unnatural death in the country was road accidents, followed by HIV/AIDS and accidents related to landmines. According to the National Secretariat for Road Security, the number of dead on the roads has tripled since 2004. Cambodia stands out among the ASEAN countries with its highest number of road accidents. 46% of the injuries and deaths in Cambodia are caused by road accidents, when 63% of those who died in a road accident are motorbike drivers.

On January 1st, the road police forces will be stationed everywhere in the capital city to hunt disobedient drivers, as pointed out by Him Yan, deputy municipal police commissioner. But... will policemen wear a helmet themselves? “Yes, we will; we received a few from Handicap International and the NGO JRP! As for the other police units, I don't know whether they are as lucky as we are...”
©John Vink / Magnum

Traffic Crashes More Serious in 2008: Police

By Sok Khemara, VOA Khmer
Washington
26 August 2008

Traffic officials and police said Monday excessive speeds on the roads were leading to more deadly accidents this year.

In the first five months of 2008, 10,555 people were injured in traffic accidents while 645 were killed, said Meas Chandy, road safety coordinator for Handicap Cambodia.

In the previous year, more than 2,000 people were injured in the same period, but only 616 died, Meas Chandy said, as a guest on "Hello VOA."

The increase of deaths was the result of "over-speed and drunken driving," said Phnom Penh Deputy Traffic Police Chief Chev Hak, also as a guest on the show.

Cambodia has the highest rate of traffic accidents in Southeast Asia, Chev Hak said.

Meas Chandy urged drivers to wear a helmet, which can greatly reduce the chances of dying in a traffic accident.

Responding to complaints that traffic police shake down Phnom Penh drivers for bribes, Chev Hak said the policy of the traffic policy was to fine officers up to 6 million riel, or $1,500, for illegally demanding money.

Police Begin Enforcement of Helmet Law in Cambodia

Even though I'm not living in Cambodia, but loosing a life is tragic no matter where you at, I'm happy to hear Cambodian's Prime Minister Hun Sen enforcing the Helmet Law to prevent further loosing more life due to congested bad traffics in Cambodia. This is the start to bring an orderly in the congested traffics and roads in crowded places.

Phnom Penh police fined 236 motorists for failure to wear helmets Thursday, the first day of new enforcement measures, a top official said.

"This morning, we just fined those who were not wearing helmets, and later on we will fine any motorist without a rear-view mirror and without a license plate," said Col. Chev Hak, deputy chief of Phnom Penh traffic police, as a guest on "Hello VOA" Thursday.

Chev Hak estimated that about 85 percent of Phnom Penh motorists were now wearing helmets, following threats of stricter enforcement by Prime Minister Hun Sen last month.

An estimated 179 people had died in 700 traffic accidents, about one person every other day, Chev Hak said, making it the leading killer of Cambodians.Hun Sen called traffic deaths a worse scourge than landmines or AIDS.

Chev Hak appealed to motorists to wear their helmets and not try to outrun police blockades, as this too was dangerous.

"If the police fine you, its only 3,000 riel," about $0.80, he said, "but if you turn away, causing an accident, there will be a lot of money spent."