Road safety in Cambodia
In 2009, there were 1,717 people who lost their lives due to road traffic crashes in Cambodia. The majority (88%) of these people are vulnerable road users – motorcyclists, pedestrians and cyclists. Road traffic deaths in Cambodia have increased sharply since the mid 1990s. According to the recently published WHO Global status report on road safety, the existing road safety laws in the country are either not comprehensive in their scope, or are poorly enforced. Cambodia is one of the ten countries included in the WHO Road Safety in 10 countries project which will be conducted over five years by a consortium of six international partners.
Fact sheet
Road safety project
In Cambodia the project will be led by a Working Group comprising representatives from the National Road Safety Committee, Ministries of Health, Public Works and Transport, Interior, Education, and Handicap International Belgium. WHO, the Global Road Safety Partnership, and the International Injury Research Unit at Johns Hopkins University are the international consortium partners who will provide technical guidance and funding.
For the year 2010, the project will focus on increasing awareness and enforcement of motorcycle helmet wearing in the evening and night time and reducing drink-driving.. The target locations start in high risk areas in Phnom Penh Municipality and neighbouring areas in Kandal and Kampong Speur Provinces. Over five years, this would be expanded to other parts of the country.
For more information, please contact:
Dr Ratnak Sao in the WHO Cambodia office on saos@wpro.who.int or
Dr Tami Toroyan at WHO headquarters on toroyant@who.int