Police call on drivers to respect pedestrians

THE Phnom Penh Municipal Police have released a new awareness video to remind road users to respect traffic signs at pedestrian crossings. Several civil society organisations have called on the police to be stationed at major crossings to issue fines to those who do not respect the right of way of pedestrians.

The educational video was produced by the National Police, in collaboration with the Cambodia Scouts and Cambodian Red Cross (CRC) youth groups, and released on May 6.

According to the video, despite the urging of Scouts and CRC youths, a small number of road users are still violating the green pedestrian crossing signs that feature at many of the major intersections, often blocking the pedestrian crossing areas as they stop for the traffic lights.

“You may be obeying the traffic lights for vehicles, but you are violating the pedestrian lights instead. How do you feel when a small child has to raise his hand and tell you that you are parked on the sidewalk” asked a Scout, in the video.

Yang Kim Eng, president of the People’s Centre for Development and Peace, said that he had seen previous campaigns conducted by traffic police officers to educate drivers about the rights of pedestrians.

“But in general, I don’t think this guidance and education was terribly successful,” he added.

He believed that many drivers can only be reasoned with if there are consequences, so penalties may be the best way to make them adhere to the guidelines provided.

“There are still some motorcyclists and motorists who respect the traffic laws only in places where police officers are stationed. If the authorities are prepared to punish those who disobey pedestrians’ right of way, I think they will see good results,” he said.

“The presence of the police is important, as long as they are applying the law equally to all drivers. If a driver breaches the law, they should be fined,” he added.