Road accidents, deaths on decline
DESPITE a recent d e c l i n e i n t h e number of deaths from traffic accidents, Minister of Interior and National Road Safety Committee (NRSC) chairman Sar Kheng has instructed traffic police nationwide to tighten the enforcement of traffic laws.
He also requested traffic police to arrest hit-and-run offenders and refer their cases to court, where they will receive punishment according to the law.
Kheng issued the instruction after observing that traffic accidents still poses a higher risk compared to other forms of accidents. Road accidents cause loss of life and injuries, damage or loss of properties, as well as impact to the livelihood victims’ family, he said.
In a directive on measures to prevent traffic accidents seen by The Post on December 7, Sar Kheng said the NRSC has set 2020 as the year to tighten the enforcement of the law.
As a result, the stronger enforcement had achieved positive results in the first 10 months of this year, with the number of traffic accidents, including the number of deaths and injuries, decreasing noticeably.
“Congratulations to the majority of road users who have been observing the road traffic law and adhering to the spirit of cautious driving in all
circumstances,” Kheng said.
Even though the traffic situation is better now, the NRSC still finds that road accidents are of higher risk when compared to other forms of accidents.
Sar Kheng urged Phnom Penh municipal and provincial Road Safety Sub-Committees to continue to strengthen traffic law enforcement and focus on the causes of accidents, as well as the time and locations where accidents occur. All
these data would help in the implementation of highly effective road safety measures.
“Meanwhile, it is necessary to locate and arrest traffic accident perpetrators who flee the scene and send them to court to be punished according to the law.
“We must also share the data on nationality and background of perpetrators who escaped to all relevant public and private enterprises, for
them to provide cooperation [in locating them],” he said.
The interior minister also urged all ministries, state institutions and public enterprises to focus on following the NRSC’s directive, which urges them to educate and promote road safety to all civil servants and employees at the national and subnational level. This will help them become role models in obeying road traffic law.
According to the NRSC’s report, during the first 10 months of this year there were 2,674 traffic accidents, a decline of 778 cases, or 23 per cent, compared to the same period last year, when 3,453 cases were recorded.
The number of deaths decreased by 288, or 17 per cent, compared to the same period last year. The number of the injured also decreased by 1,207, or 23 per cent.