A Lexus driver ran through a red light and struck two motorcycles, leaving one dead and two injured, before coming to a halt. Phnom Penh Police
An alleged drunk driver who caused a fatal accident in Phnom Penh has been placed in pre-trial detention.
Srey Udom, a 30-year-old goods seller, was at the wheel of a Lexus at 11.30pm on December 7, when he drove through a red light and struck two motorcycles, killing one man on the spot and injuring two others.
He was identified in a December 10 press release from the Phnom Penh Municipal Court, which also detailed the charges he is facing.
“He was charged with reckless driving and causing a traffic accident which resulted in death and injuries to others in Tuol Kork district, Phnom Penh on December 7, a criminal offense under Article 83 and Article 85 of the Law on Road Traffic,” it explained, adding that after questioning the accused and examining the evidence in criminal case number 7893, the investigating judge ordered that he be detained while further legal proceedings are conducted.
According to the Phnom Penh Municipal Police, the Lexus was travelling east on Street 182 when the driver ran a red light at the intersection with Street 261 and hit the motorcyclists. After the crash, the Lexus then smashed into a tree. The driver was detained by an angry crowd of onlookers, who beat the man before the police arrived.
Officers sent the two injured victims to the Cambodia-China Friendship Hospital, arrested the driver and made him submit to a breath test for alcohol.
Srey Udom, 30, was breath-tested by police officers and returned a 0.62 mg/l blood alcohol result. Phnom Penh Police
“The accident was caused by the driver failing to stop at a red light. He was under the influence of alcohol, with 0.62 mg/l,” added the police statement.
Article 85 of the Road Traffic Law stipulates that anyone who drives recklessly causing the death of another person may be punished by imprisonment for one to three years and a fine of 4 million to 15 million riel ($1,000 to $3,750).
If a driver is under the influence of alcohol or has no license, the penalties increase to two to five years in prison and a fine of 10 million to 25 million (($2,500 to $6,250).
Despite the increase in the use of vehicles and the increase of traffic congestion in the first nine months of 2024, the number of recorded traffic accidents fell by eight per cent in the first nine months of the year, noted the National Police,
Although the total number decreased when compared to the same period in 2023 – from 2,427 to 2,230 – the number of fatalities remained the same, with 1,158 lives lost on the Kingdom’s roads. The police statement added that human error remained the leading cause of traffic accidents.
Addressing the meeting to review the results of the work of the National Road Safety Committee (NRCC), Minister of Interior Sar Sokha urged authorities across the Kingdom to increase public education and vehicle inspections, while ensuring that traffic laws are strictly enforced, with no exceptions.
