Police planning to fit capital with new traffic cams

THE traffic police will install security cameras on traffic lights around the capital to make it easier to identify and impose fines on traffic violators. By next year, the authorities will visit the homes of traffic offenders to impose fines.

Ty Long, the deputy director of the Department of Traffic Police and Public Order at the General Commissariat of National Police, told The Post on Wednesday that traffic pol i c e a re s t re ngt heni ng enforcement of the law with the help of technology.

A two-day training course starting December 24 will be held to educate traffic enforcers on vehicle data management systems and the effective implementation of traffic regulations through the assistance of security cameras.

“Once we navigate through this technological system, we wil l begin implementing measures to impose fines on traffic offenders. So people must obey the law and be vigilant. Don’t wait until the police show up at your home and issues you a ticket.

“Hoem Yan [Deputy Chief of National Police and SecretaryGeneral of the National Road Safety Committee] asked the people to pay more attention when driving and follow traffic lights and traffic regulations.

“We are equipping traffic lights with cameras and installing a data management system by recording all activities on the road, including the plate numbers of vehicles. We will identify violators through their registration at the Ministry of Public Works and Transport,” said Long.

Yan said on Wednesday that to ensure enforcement of traffic laws, there must be a technical training course for traffic police officers ahead of the changes so work can proceed smoothly.

“We are committed to implementing this plan although it won’t produce many results now. Our officers need to be trained first to ensure its successful implementation.”

Senior Advisor to the Coalition for Road Safety Lim Sokchea supported the continued efforts of the authorities to strengthen traffic law enforcement, which he said was important to reduce the number of traffic accidents.

“This is a great initiative if the authorities can implement it. It encourages the effective enforcement of the law. Citizens will also be more mindful of their driving behaviour due to the presence of the security cameras,” she said.

Asia Injury Prevention (AIP) Foundation director Kim Panha also expressed support for the initiative. However, he said to reduce the number of traffic accident victims, more measures should be taken.

“What we are implementing can only be done in the city. But a large number of accidents happen along national roads. So if we install security cameras along national roads, it would be better,” he said.

Panha said that civil society organisations had called for transparency and fairness in the use of security cameras. Fines must be imposed equally regardless of the type of vehicle and identity of the offender involved.

“I would also like to encourage the authorities to implement the law against those using mobile phones while driving, drivers of heavy trucks entering or leaving the city and those breaking the speed limit, all of which contributed to traffic accidents,” said Panha.

A report by the General Commissariat of the National Police said that as of October this year, 3,453 traffic accidents were recorded – an increase of 761 cases from last year.

Of the figure, 1,665 people were killed and 5,212 injured – an increase of 151 and 1,006 victims from last year, respectively.