The Ministry of Public Works and Transport is continuing to train police officers across the country on driving licence points deduction, traffic offences and road accident management systems. 

The most recent course, conducted last week in collaboration with the Ministry of Interior, engaged nearly 270 participants from inspectorates and police forces nationwide.

Min Meanvy, secretary of state at the transport ministry and secretary-general of the National Road Safety Committee (NRSC), noted the training’s importance for capacity building and offering enhanced knowledge to traffic police in line with the digital age.

Kim Pagna, country director of the Asia Injury Prevention (AIP) Foundation, also mentioned on December 10 the necessity of road safety training to efficiently utilise new technology.

He added that managing traffic accident data is essential. Clear and specific data illuminate challenges, aiding stakeholders in making informed decisions to address the right targets.

“This training is crucial for relevant ministries, including the interior and planning ministries, and the National Police. It enables faster and clearer data collection, facilitating improved traffic safety management and decision-making on targeted measures,” he said.

Pagna noted the need for clear road accident data to inform decisions, policies and plans, enabling effective responses to the issues causing road accidents.

He added that deploying measures on the right target, backed by human resources and clear data, contributes to reducing casualties.

In the first 10 months of this year, Cambodia recorded 2,716 road accidents, causing 1,286 deaths, 2,258 serious injuries, and 1,382 mild injuries, as per the NRSC report. Compared to the same period in 2022, there was a nine per cent rise in accident rates. However, fatalities decreased by 11 per cent, though serious and mild injuries increased by 10 and three per cent respectively.