Program aims to raise traffic law awareness for youths

Written by Chhay Channyda

Phnom Penh schools launch campaign in a bid to reduce the number of young people driving motorbikes without licences


Photo by: HENG CHIVOAN
A traffic accident last week in Phnom Penh. Officials say licenses will help reduce accidents, especially among young people.

FOR the more than 800,000 motorbikes registered in Cambodia, only 14,000 driver's licences have been issued since the enforcement of traffic laws in 2007, according to transport officials, who are resorting to new tactics to increase knowledge of the Kingdom's road rules.

Keo Savin, director of land transport at the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, said to motivate young people to get their licence, the ministry, in cooperation with Japanese development group JICA, are giving lessons on traffic laws at Phnom Penh, Bak Touk, Sisowath and Tuol Tumpoung high schools in a "trial program" before it is introduced into other areas.
"We must enforce the law strictly and encourage people to get motor driving licenses," he said.

Sok Sovanna, director of Bak Touk High School, said that the program, in which 1,000 students are being given traffic law lessons and a road rule test at the school through the month of December, was an important step in road safety education.
"The program is helpful for students to learn that they must drive with licences," he said.

"The fee for having a driving licence is only US$10," he said, adding that only those aged over 16 years can register for a licence.

No fine, no worries
Sann Socheata, road safety program manager at Handicap International Belgium, said that as long as there was no penalty for driving without a licence in Cambodia, thousands would continue to do so.
"Until there is a fine, people will not care," she said.

She said she had noticed that young people from 15 to 24 were among the highest percentage of victims involved in traffic accidents.

"They are at risk of accidents because they drive without properly learning the traffic laws," she said, adding that since many Cambodians started driving at a young age, it was hard to enforce new habits.

"In Cambodia, even children under 16 drive motorbikes, which makes it very difficult for officials to encourage them to have licences," she said.

"According to the law, only those who are aged 16 and over are allowed to get licences."

Government Puts 2008 Traffic Death Toll as 1572

By CHHORN CHANSY and ADAM BECKER,
The Cambodia Daily
Wednesday, March 11 2009

Government Puts 2008 Traffic Death Toll as 1572

More than 1,500 people were killed and 11,000 injured in traffic accidents in Cambodia last year, according to government reports released last week, though figures from and independent organization monitoring traffic casualties in the country differed strongly in some categories.
An interior Ministry report released Wednesday stated that 1,572 died in accident in 2008, with an additional 11,066 people injured. A separate report released by the PNH Municipal police said 237 people were killed and 1,407 injured in the capital last year. Statistics provide by Handicap International Belgium (HIB), However, paint a different picture. The organization says, according to preliminary figures for the 11 months period ending in November, that 22,401 people were hurt in accidents nationwide- 5319 of them in PNH and 1,410 were killed, including 260 in the capital.

The discrepancies can largely be attributed to the fact that HIB gathers information from Police as well as hospitals and medical clinics, while the interior Ministry relies almost entirely on police reports,HIB road safety advisor Ryan Duly said.

Despite those discrepancies, both government and HIB statistics indicate the country 's road are growing safer, an least in terms of fatalities. Barring a surge in casualties when figures are available for December,it is unlikely HIB's 2008 figures will match 1545 deaths recorded nationwide by the group in 2007.

The number of traffic accidents on our roads is still high if compared with other regional countries, said Peou Maly, deputy director-general of the Ministry of Public Works and Transportation's transportation department.

Professional Development of Traffic Police Officers

Kimvong
04 March 2009

Professional traffic police training was organize by an INGOs by make a good collaboration with Ministry of Interior to develop traffic police skill in implement the road traffic to reduce road trauma by introducing a sustainable intervention program through the professional development of police officers for the effective enforcement of traffic laws.

The objective of the training course:
1. Designed to enhance ‘on road’ law enforcement
2. Assists in developing road safety strategies and tactics
3. Countries don’t appreciate the scale of reform needed for effective road safety
4. Small investment in law enforcement can have an immediate impact
5. Intended to build police capability

Course content:
1. The purpose of road policing
2. Introduction to evidence-based policing
3. Understanding risk factors
4. Ensuring safety in road policing
5. Legislation, policies, penalties
6. Overcoming barriers
7. Operational policing
8. Routine safe vehicle interceptions
9. Safe checkpoint operations
10. Observing, recording and gaining evidence
11. Collision Investigation
12. Speeding and speed management strategies
13. Alcohol – ensuring compliance through enforcement

Methodology:
1- Lectures, discussions, question and answer sessions, syndicate discussions, workbook exercises, practical exercises.
Power-point presentations,videos.
2- Presentations by participants

What is new for the traffic police:

In five days training the most popular topic are the speed gun and Alcohol test lesson that all participant interested and they are all full participant in field pilot. All this materials it will help the traffic police in implement law enforcement especially drunk driver and driver over speeding that in Cambodia this issue is the main problem that cause to have road traffic accident are also a main cause to have many fatality of road crash.

Be aware that road traffic accident killed more than 4 persons every day on the road in Cambodia.