Phnom Penh: The Ministry of Interior has released Cambodia’s latest traffic accident report and it makes for optimistic reading. It shows that in the first half of 2021, the total number of accidents was down 22% on the same period last year. The number of fatalities is also down 18%, with the number of traffic accident-related injuries down 27%.

Between January and June, there were a total of 1,261 traffic accidents reported across Cambodia. 54% of them occurred at night, resulting in 709 deaths and 1,792 injuries. 34% of accidents were caused by speeding, 23% by disrespecting the right of way, 8% by overtaking and just 3% by drunken driving. Of the fatalities, 78% were motorcyclists of which 69% were not wearing a helmet.

Minister of Interior and Chairman of the National Committee for Road Safety, Sar Kheng, has praised the reduction in the accident rate but has called for people to pay more attention at night, as well as to wear a helmet if they are riding a moto. He’s also called on traffic authorities to ensure adequate signage and traffic markings and increase legal penalties for failing to obey the rules of the road.

This is the second year running that traffic accidents in Cambodia have shown a downward trend. Traffic accidents in the first half of 2020 were down 25% when compared to the same period in 2019.