More than 20 Cambodians died this past week in traffic accidents that took place over the Chinese New Year holiday.

Sunan Channarong/Phnom Penh Post

Bystanders help a pair of men injured during a traffic accident in Phnom Penh.

The Ministry of Interior released statistics yesterday showing that 24 Cambodians were killed and another 176 suffered injuries due to traffic accidents from Sunday through to Wednesday.

Sok Nob, director of the Interior Ministry’s legal bureau, said this number was a decrease from last year’s Chinese New Year period, in which 29 were killed and 210 were injured.

He said that, thus far, they have determined that 25 of the traffic accidents were caused by drunk drivers, 33 caused by speeding drivers and 29 caused by failures to abide by traffic signs. He added that a majority of the accidents took place in Phnom Penh, Kandal and Battambang.

“Police officials ... strengthened enforcement before and during the New Year. Monitoring for drunk drivers at night was the main reason behind the reduction in traffic accidents,” Sok Nob said.

San Socheata, president of the road safety program for Handicap-International Belgium, said Cambodia is moving in the right direction concerning road safety, particularly by making all drivers wear helmets.

“We hope that strict implementation of traffic laws can change the behaviour of drivers, causing them to respect the law and help reduce traffic accidents on the street,” said San Socheata.