Traffic Law and Economic Loss

Due to the lax enforcement of traffic law, Cambodia suffered an economic loss of approximately 116 million dollars annually. In 2004, it was more than three per cent of the total Gross Domestic Product. See this report in Xinhuanet article. According to a report of the Handicap International, every day 3 persons were killed and 100 were injured by traffic accidents which have been increasing every year. See this report at the Handicap International. Many people were killed by traffic accidents, as witnessed by September 14, 2005 report from ABC news, one drunker killed seven people with another two being in critical condition. See this report at this link.

The grass root of this accidents leading to the cost of million dollars annually is the abuse of traffic law and insufficient safety system. Cambodian traffict law was enacted in 1991 when most of Cambodian roads were insufficiently equipped with traffic lights and signs. There is no evidence to show that some parts of the traffic law are not applicable to Cambodian roads today, but it can be concluded that the lax enforcement of the law contributes to the occurence of many traffic accidents. Provisions relating to penalty and damages should be updated to make the law practicable. Insurance requirement under the insurance law should be strictly enforced to insure the loss. This requires a deep study into both existing traffic law and insurance law.

Since all people are travelling along the roads, public awareness plays a very important role and should be promoted, especially when new system of signs or traffic light have been installed. From my experience, I found a bit difficult to follow the new sign of traffic light when it was just installed on the main roads. Do not suppose that all people understand the meaning of the traffic signs and lights if they have never been familiar with or informed of them.

Camlaweco