Reducing accident hopes for immediate success in 2009
By Thach Chitaro
Traffic accidents can be considered as the bigger catastrophe in the country which poisoning welfare society. There has been a long time that almost all of Cambodian people were very careless of wearing helmet to ensure their life safe from any horrible incidents. The helmet protection used to be a critical topic for discussing launched in many radio stations but it seemly the operation flap over its society.
Samdech Akkak Maha Sena-padei Dekchor, Prime Minister Hun Sen has called on motorcycle riders to wear helmets “100 percent” to avoid the hundreds of traffic fatalities that occur each year. “If you want to drive your motorcycle without a fine, you must wear your helmet from now on, to protect your life and to avoid road accidents as well as property damage. The traffic law will be fully implemented and fined from Jan 1, 2009, because the road accidents cause the loss of human life more and more.” he said during a graduate student ceremony in Phnom Penh (By Chun Sakada, 22 December 2008, VOA).
UNESCAP report revealed that the numbers of traffic accidents increases every year in the world and that these accidents kill around one million people and injures 23 million others. 85% of the fatalities occur in the developing countries. The Asia–Pacific region alone accounts for up to 44% of global road deaths, although. The traffic accidents in Cambodia lead to dramatic increase 15% every year, I do believe that, with the combined efforts of various institutions, NGOs, private companies as well as the people themselves, traffic accidents can be reduced in a near future (Noted from H.E. Sun Chann Thol, Minister of Public Works and Transport, 2004).
Road traffic accidents are a major issue in the Kingdom of Cambodia. Every day, 3 people are killed and 100 are injured on Cambodian roads and those figures are increasing rapidly. This has an enormous negative impact on the development of the country. The annual cost of road traffic accidents at 116 million US$, representing more than 3% of the country GDP (ADB report).
Road traffic accidents also have a strong impact on the health system of our country. In some hospitals, more than 50% of the patients are road traffic casualties. There is therefore an urgent need to tackle this issue seriously and to effectively implement the Road Safety Action Plan prepared by the Government of Cambodia. I would like also to emphasize again the commitment of the Ministry of Health to continue to collaborate to reduce the burden of road traffic accidents and to improve the quality of the emergency and rehabilitation services in hospitals (Noted from H.E. Dr. Nuth Sokhom, Minister of Health, 2004).
Police services have noticed that two main factors are responsible of traffic accidents: human error and vehicle defect. The series of actions are required to manage those issues are setting up the locomotive to lead the road safety actions with the creation of a National Road Safety Committee and related local committees (provinces and towns); improving and strengthening the quality of road safety education at all levels of the population, focusing especially on people learning to drive, the vulnerable road users such as motorbike or bike drivers and the pedestrians; having an effective and complete traffic law and strict enforcement mechanisms allowing to control the two factors that cause accidents: human error and vehicle defect; studying and organizing the engineering of the road to improve safety; studying and researching new modern technologies to control the traffic. If possible, we should absorb the good experiences from developed countries for the standard base to develop the traffic safety (National Police Directorate General, Ministry of Interior, 2004).
The Cambodian Red Cross is very happy to collaborate to the development of the Cambodia Road Traffic Accident and Victim Information System. We are indeed convinced this system is the basis for a better understanding of the growing issue of road traffic accidents (Noted from Mr. Hum Sophon, Director, Program Department Cambodian Red Cross).
The ANZ was organized to show support for the new law requiring motorcycle riders to wear helmets. ANZ provides its employees with helmets and distributes 500 helmets to students in Cambodia annually (The Phnom Penh Post, Tuesday, December 30, 2008).
While the more domestic demand the more opportunity for gaining profit. Helmet has become the priority product in the market and the price goes up that concern to the customers who are very difficult to earn money. The question is that how many helmets have to buy for motor taxi driver? One, Two or Three? They have to earn money by transportation. It is meant that, whether or not the people are taken by motor taxi need to wear helmet?
Likewise, the Minister of Public Works and Transport if possibility should be considered about the big trucks that ride in day time, otherwise, most of them has no good break access. Moreover, the traffic law enforcement is critical important need to implement because nowadays most of people disobey the rules within many cases, it can be seen in Kohsantepheap newspaper as references.
References:
- Asian Development Bank–Association of Southeast, Asian Nations, Regional Road Safety Program Road Safety Report CR 2: Cambodiahttp://www.adb.org/Documents/Reports/Arrive-Alive/Country-Reports/ctry-rep-02-cam.pdf
- Cambodia Road Traffic Accident and Victim Information System, Annual Report 2004 – Executive Summary http://www.who.int/violence_injury_prevention/road_traffic/5year_strategy/en/travis_annualreport_execsum.pdf
- Hun Sen Warns of Strict Helmet Policy http://www.voanews.com/khmer/2008-12-22-voa2.cfm
- Kohsantepheap Newspaper http://www.kohsantepheapdaily.com.kh/
- The Phnom Penh Post http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2008123023397/National-news/Keep-your-lid-on.html
January 4th, 2009 at 2:28 pm
Well, it is a main issues in Cambodia nowadays. I think the government has to do three things in order to reduce the traffic accidents in Phnom Penh. Firstly, government has to act fully on traffic law enforcement. This traffic law enforce implies to both human (i.e:heavy fine to drunk driver. and all driver has to pass the proper driving test) and vehicle (i.e: all cars are needed to pass inspection before allowing to put on the road). Secondly, the road condition has to improve. For example, building the new road and repairing the bobby road, Or putting the properly traffic sign on the road. Thirdly, they has to educate the traffic law and respectful driving behavior to all driver. Sometimes, we know other driver breaking the law by running over red light. We still let this guy going through the red light in order to avoid the accident.The Information above are based on my experience. We can see the traffic law existing in Cambodia,more traffic police on the road, and the road condition is kind of improving. Why does the traffic accident not reduce significantly? I thought the corruption and abusing power are the answer. We can see the only poor and no power people is fined when they break the traffic law. The police scare off the hell of powerful and rich people. We need to change this system and restore “Law and Order” to Cambodia society.