CAMBODIA TO REDUCE ,TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS

V 3 Issue N°21
Date: 24-30 May 2009
By Buth REAKSMEY KONGKEA
Cambodia Weekly

Prime Minister Hun Sen has requested the Minister of Interior, Minister of Justice, and Minister fo Public works and transports to work together and examine the articles of Traffic Law to encourage all motorbike rider to wear helmets whenever using the road. Road traffic accidents are now a major concern for the government.
Speaking before the ministry of the interior, May 19 he said "road traffic accidents are a national scourge. To reduce the rate of deaths and injuries i suggest that all relevant officials and ministries work hard together and take immediate measures to reduce the rate of road fatalities." The Prime Minister said that early this year motorcyclists were informed that they must wear helmet. However, only 50% are currently doing so.Hun Sen suggested that relevant authorities examine the possibility of confiscating motorbikes from those riders who ignored the law.
"I think that the system of fines has not worked. Confiscating the machines until such time as the rider is willing to obey the traffic laws may be more effective"

El Narin, Deputy chief of the Municipal traffic police office in the Ministry of Interior, said that currently about 55% of Phnom Penh's motorcycle riders wear helmets. when the helmet campaign began in early January 2009, 90% of motorcyclists wore helmets. The reason for the decrease he suggested was a lack of manpower that prevented permanent staffing of checkpoints.
He continued that to reduce the rate of road traffic accidents his peronel have been educating road users about traffic law and how to ride defensively. He also said that the Municipal Traffic Police have installe ten speed cameras on main roads and checkpoints in Phnom Penh. The traffic police have also been provided with breathalyzer to detect drunk drivers.
Pea Kimvong, Road Safety Awareness officer with Handicap International Belgium (HIB) said since road traffic laws come into enforce in September 2007, enforcement had been patchy resulting in modest improvements.
Kimvong said that according to the Road Traffic Accident and Victim Information System (RTAVIS) report 2009, on average, 4 people die and more than 75 are injured daily on the roads of Cambodia.
He pointed out that over 90% of accident are caused by human error, speeding, particularly along the national roads, drinking and driving and dangerous overtaking maneuvers are the main causes of road traffic accidents.
He continued that motorcycle rider are particularly vulnerable: 72% of road traffic casualties are motorcycle riders and most of them were not wearing helmets. Pedestrians and children are also increasingly vulnerable on Cambodian roads.
He emphasized that road traffic accidents and casualties also hinder development by killing and disabling economically active members of the population.
He added road traffic accidents have an enormous impact on the social and economic welfare of Cambodia with an estimated annual cost of USD 116 million, representing around 3% of the country GDP.
According to Ministry of Public Works and Transport, there are over one million vehicles and motorcycles in Cambodia. However, only 50% of drivers have driving licenses(CW)