Road Deaths Up 12.5% In 2019

PHNOM PENH, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) — The number of road fatalities in Cambodia rose to 1,981 people in 2019, an increase of 12.5 percent year-on-year, according to a National Police report on Thursday.

Besides death toll, the accidents injured 6,141 others las year, up 29 percent compared to the year before, the report said, adding that 4,121 cases of road accidents were recorded last year, up 26 percent year-on-year.

Excessive speeding, traffic law violation, overtaking driving, and alcohol driving remained the main causes of the accidents, it said, adding that other factors included vehicle problems, drowsy driving, and neglect.

Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sar Kheng has recently called on the drivers to respect traffic law and urged authorities to strictly enforce the law in order to help reduce road crashes.

Road accidents are a leading cause of death in the Southeast Asian country. The government estimated that road crashes cost the kingdom more than 300 million U.S. dollars a year. CHINA.ORG