Logo of Phnom Penh Post newspaper Phnom Penh Post - Minister to UN: Cambodia set to step up road safety

Minister to UN: Cambodia set to step up road safety

Content image - Phnom Penh Post
Minister of Public Works and Transport Sun Chanthol. SUPPLIED

Minister to UN: Cambodia set to step up road safety

Traffic accidents remain a leading cause of injury and death in Cambodia, with collisions leaving five dead and 10 injured on an average day nationwide, Minister of Public Works and Transport Sun Chanthol told a major UN conference.

Chanthol, who is also National Road Safety Committee (NRSC) vice-president, attended the High-level Meeting of the UN General Assembly on Global Road Safety at the UN’s headquarters in New York on June 30 and July 1, held under the overall theme “The 2030 horizon for road safety: securing a decade of action and delivery”.

The minister underscored that annual crash costs may be equivalent to between 2.5 and three per cent of the national gross domestic product (GDP), citing a study by the UN Development Programme.

The NRSC was established to promote road safety, nationally and internationally, to prevent and reduce traffic accidents, he explained.

He said that a report using data covering the period from 2010-2020, compiled by Road Crash And Victim Information System (RCVIS), listed speeding, inappropriate overtaking, failure to yield right of way, and drunk driving as the main reasons for accidents.

But the report also highlighted other contributing factors such as technical road design flaws and sub-standard vehicle conditions.

“We have stepped up enforcement of the road traffic law as well as its provisions on road safety,” he assured world leaders at the meeting.

The NRSC, in collaboration with local and international partners, is preparing a National Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021-2030, an adaptation of a UN initiative, to cut road casualties in half by 2030.

Chanthol declared that Cambodia would ramp up efforts for the success of the national plan, reflecting on shortcomings regarding the inaugural 2011-2020 edition. “We saved the lives of 4,561 people during the period, compared to our target of 7,337,” he lamented.

He stressed that reducing traffic accidents is everyone’s responsibility, and cannot be achieved by government efforts alone, adding that state institutions, the private sector, NGOs and the media must join hands to educate road users and change attitudes and behaviour on the roads.

MOST VIEWED

  • Bareknuckle champion wants Kun Khmer fighter

    Dave Leduc, who is the current openweight Lethwei boxing champion in Myanmar, has announced that he will travel to Cambodia this year to challenge SEA Games gold medallist Prum Samnang any time that is convenient, after their planned match later this month in Slovakia was

  • Five-year-old Hanuman dances his way into hearts of Cambodia

    A young talent from a new-established settlement has emerged, captivating the online world with his mesmerising performances of the traditional Cambodian monkey dance. Roeun Kakada is a five-year-old prodigy who has taken the social media sphere by storm with his exceptional dance skills and dedication

  • Fresh Covid warnings as Thai hospital fills

    A senior health official reminds the public to remain vigilant, as neighbouring countries experience an increase in Covid-19 cases, with the latest surge appearing to be a result of the Omicron XBB.1.5 sub-variant. Or Vandine, secretary of state and spokeswoman for the Ministry of Health,

  • PM declares ASEAN Para Games open

    The 12th ASEAN Para Games officially kicked off on the evening of June 3 at Morodok Techo National Stadium in Phnom Penh, with a spectacular opening ceremony featuring fireworks and performances by some of the Kingdom’s most accomplished talents. Tens of thousands of sports fans

  • Honda shutters Siem Reap football club

    Japanese football legend Keisuke Honda, the owner of Siem Reap football club Soltilo Angkor FC, has been forced to shut the club down, after it failed to attract sponsorship for the upcoming season. Honda, the former manager of the Cambodia men's national football team, said

  • Waterway job still pending for Kampot tourism port’s opening

    The search is still on for a contractor to expand and deepen the Kampot International Tourism Port’s waterway and deliver additional enhancements allowing safe access for larger vessels, nearly a year after the main construction work on the 4.25ha site was completed on June 30, 2022.