Delivery drivers listen to the advice of National Police Chief General Sar Thet, during a September 18 meeting on road safety in Phnom Penh. National police
The first eight months of the year saw a total of 173 fatalities in Phnom Penh, according to the National Police, who recorded a total of 591 traffic accidents in the capital during this period.
Deputy National Police chief Chev Hak shared the figures on September 18, during a meeting with delivery drivers and their company representatives.
He noted that 60 per cent of the accidents were caused by excessive speed, while the remaining crashes were adjudicated to have been due to reckless driving and a failure to obey traffic laws.
National Police Chief General Sar Thet also addressed the meeting, warning that some delivery drivers often violate speed limits or disregard other drivers’ right of way.
“These factors negatively affect order on public roads and have drawn criticism from the public, both from those witnessing the incidents directly and through social media,” he said.
He urged delivery drivers to adhere to traffic laws and prioritise their own safety instead of solely focusing on meeting customer demands, noting that this behaviour may lead to harmful consequences.
A National Police report stated that from September 1 to 18, a total of 7,703 vehicles nationwide underwent inspections. This included 141 heavy vehicles, 2,818 light vehicles, and 4,744 motorcycles.
Of these vehicles, 5,352 were found to be in violation of the law and were fined accordingly. Among them were 71 heavy vehicles, 1,743 light vehicles, and 3,538 motorcycles.
Thet noted that if people only obey the law out of fear of the police, without a genuine respect for traffic rules, enforcement efforts will not be effective.
He gave one example, suggesting that if motorcyclists not wearing helmets were fined up to one million riel, the regulation will not be successfully enforced. Instead, “it hurts the people instead”.
“This is not the best way to get everyone to comply with the law. What’s important is to educate people about understanding and respect for the law. We need to provide continuous education in various forms and settings. Eventually, people will follow the rules – even when there is no police presence at traffic lights,” he said.
He also called on all delivery drivers to respect other laws, especially by refusing to transport illegal items such as drugs and explosives, to avoid becoming entangled in criminal activities.
He encouraged companies and delivery drivers to report any suspected illegal goods to the authorities, who will investigate and prosecute offenders according to the law.
The manager of one delivery company mentioned that he regularly advises all delivery drivers to comply with traffic laws and maintain ethical standards when driving on public roads, as any misconduct by delivery drivers could harm both the company and its customers.
He added that his company has not encountered any issues related to the transport of illegal goods, because all of the company’s customers provide clear identification.
