The aftermath of a serious accident on the Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway in November 2024. Kampong Speu provincial police
In a year-long traffic law enforcement campaign in 2024, authorities fined a total of 11,6308 drivers across the Kingdom. Fines equalling 26.230 billion riel (over $6.5 million) were issued.
Of them, 21.914 billion riel (over $5.4 million) has been paid, according to the 2024 annual road safety report by the National Road Safety Committee (NRSC).
Demerit points and license suspensions were issued to 124,734 drivers, just 22,857 of them women.
Of them, 88,982 motorcycles were involved in 90,704 violations, leading to the deduction of 3,142 points.
Private cars amounted to 33,956, with 34,706 violations, resulting in the deduction of 60,737 points.
Heavy vehicles accounted for 1,796, with 1,897 violations, and a deduction of 1,556 points.
In addition, a total of 57,608 vehicles were inspected, with 15,499 of them failing to meet technical standards.
The 2024 road toll fell by five per cent over 2023, with 1,509 people losing their lives on the Kingdom’s roads, 81 less than the previous year, while recorded injuries fell by 18 per cent, from 4,515 to 3,720, many of them serious.
The total number of accidents reported also dropped, by 14 per cent, from 3,317 in 2023 to 2,844 in 2024.
The report confirmed that the highest number of accidents occurred in Phnom Penh, at 896, followed by Preah Sihanouk with 246 and Kampong Speu with 236.
The NRSC reported that excessive speed was the leading cause of accidents, at 41 per cent, followed by a failure to give way, at 23 per cent.
It claimed that “racing” and unsafe U-turns were each responsible for eight per cent of accidents, while according to the report, drink driving and unsafe vehicles each caused just four per cent of crashes.
Of the fatalities, 80 per cent were motorcyclists, 67 per cent of them not wearing helmets.
The NRSC highlighted positive overall trends in the statistics, but noted several ongoing issues, particularly a lack of helmet use among motorcyclists.
It also noted that violations are still being committed, with 319 fines a day still issued on average, mostly for not wearing a helmet, speeding or failing to obey traffic signs.
The report explained that the use of modern technology and social media outreach continue to be critical factors in improving road safety, while acknowledging that more attention is needed to reduce inactivity among traffic police and strengthen quick response mechanisms.
It also expressed concern over the 236 accidents on the Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway that killed 16 people in 2024.
Traffic on the expressway jumped seven per cent in 2024, from 4,910,479 vehicles in 2023 to 5,290,483 last year.
The Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway Company has called on all citizens to comply with traffic rules and drive responsibly by adhering to speed limits and respecting road signs.
