More than 2,000 factory workers were injured and 20 were killed on their way to work during the first four months of 2015, according to new figures released by the Ministry of Labour.

The numbers represent a decrease in deaths compared to the 23 killed during the same period in 2014, though the number of accidents slightly increased.

The numbers cover people injured while travelling to work using group and individual transport.

According to the director at the Ministry of Public Works and Transport’s land transport department, Preap Chanvibol, significant efforts were being made to reduce road deaths. However, Chanvibol said, on average 6.3 people die on the roads every day.

“Speeding, drunk driving and human factors are still causes of traffic accidents,” he said.

Despite the efforts being made to curb road deaths, the slight decrease shown in the new figures belies the increase seen in recent years. Last year, 2,226 people died on Cambodia’s roads, compared to 1,950 in 2013.

In a study released in Febraury, The Dangerous Journey of Garment Workers in 2014, the Ministry of Labour reported that 73 factory workers died in crashes last year, a near 10 per cent rise on the 67 deaths in 2013.

Chanvibol said the government had this week finalised an official report on traffic accidents, but the document was not yet ready for release.