Gov’t set to relaunch road safety education after Covid-19 eases

GOVERNMENT agencies plan to re-launch a road safet y education campaign in July af ter recent ef for ts hit a roadblock due to t he reemergence of Covid-19.

The Ministry of Public Works and Transport and the General Secretariat of the National Committee on Road Traffic Safety will lead the push in the capital and 24 provinces, ministry secretary of state Min Manvy told The Post on Monday.

She said the first road safety classes took place from June 23-26 when representatives from half a dozen state and local agencies launched the campaign in four provinces – Mondulkiri, Ratanakkiri, Steung Treng and Preah Vihear.

But Manvy said the recent cases of novel coronavirus infections caused concern, prompting authorities to take a temporary break.

“Because Covid-19 recently resurfaced, we will see if the situation quietens down before continuing,” she said.

The project is led by t he ministr y, t he General Secretariat of t he National Committee on Road Traffic Safet y, the prov incia l departments of public works and tra nsport, t he prov incia l deput y committees on road tra f fic safet y and the Cambodian

Union of Youth Federations (CUYF) in the public works and transport sectors.

The ministr y’s Road Traffic Safet y Department director Prom Vantha said on Monday a working group a lready met wit h citizens for question-and-answer sessions about road traf fic safet y.

He said the group provided the 500 attendees with helmets and explained Cambodian driving rules. He said the campaign will restart in Kandal, Takeo, Kampot and Kep when Covid-19 subsides.

“We launched this campaign to awaken all road users, especially motorcycle riders to heed road traffic laws. Hopefully, they take part in preventing and reducing road traffic accidents,” he said.

Asia Injury Prevention Foundation (AIP) country director Kim Pagna said on Monday AIP will work with the ministry and relevant bodies to carry out the work this year.

“We want to send a message to citizens that fines will be raised,” he said.

Pagna said AIP launched an education campaign on road traffic safet y on some major nationa l roads, including National Roads 4, 6 and 1 on June 27. He said AIP will carr y out the campaign in the main prov inces more t han 70 times t his year.