Cambodia

Population: 14 443 679
Income group: Low
Gross national income per capita: $540
Poverty (% of population below national poverty line, 2007): 30.1%
Children under age 14: 4.8 million

Road Safety Issue(s): (All data: RCVIS, November 2009)

  • The number of registered vehicles in Cambodia now (as of 2009) exceeds 1,000,000, with motorcycles making up 79% of the motor vehicle population;
  • Over the past five years, the number of fatalities caused by crashes has almost doubled;
  • With 15.1 deaths per 10,000 vehicles, Cambodia has one of the highest fatality rates among the ASEAN countries;
  • RCVIS (Road Crash Victim Information System) reports 77% of road traffic casualties in Cambodia are motorcycle riders and 44% suffer traumatic head injuries

Like its eastern neighbour, Vietnam, Cambodia experiences one of the highest road crash fatality rates in the Southeast Asian region. Although a mandatory helmet law is in place, the helmet standards are not suitable for the nation’s climate, making helmet wearing one of the greatest challenges to improving national injury prevention systems. As reported by the Cambodia Road Crash Victim Information System (RCVIS) in 2009, nearly half of all motorbike fatalities are the result of traumatic head injury, a statistic that identifies helmet standards, enforcement and public awareness education as crucial interventions. With excellent data collection systems, such as RCVIS, the research behind national road safety is clear. Programming, however, has lacked the resources and capacity to match a proven need.

Through the Helmet Vaccine Coalition Cambodia, school and community programs are being implemented to address the gap between research and results. Working in conjunction with the national government, police force and corporate sponsors, the Asia Injury Prevention Foundation is working to advocate for climate-appropriate helmet standards, enforce national helmet wearing laws, increase public awareness and bring education programs to schools. The official launch of the Helmet Vaccine Coalition Cambodia is set for May 2010.

INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK
Lead agency
Funded in national budget		 National Road Safety Committee
Yes
National road safety strategy
Measurable targets
Funded		 Yes a
n/a
n/a

a Not formally endorsed by government

NATIONAL LEGISLATION
Speed limits set nationally
Local authorities can set lower limits
Maximum limit urban roads
Enforcement b		 Yes
No
40 km/h
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Drink-driving law
BAC limit - general population
BAC limit - young or novice drivers
Random breath testing and/or police checkponits
Road traffic deaths involving alcohol
Enforcement b		 Yes
0.05 g/dl
0.05 g/dl
n/a c
-
n/a c
Motorcycle helmet law
Applies to all riders
Helmet standards mandated
Helmet wearing rate
Enforcement b		 Yes
No
No
21% d
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Seat-belt law
Applies to all occupants
Seat-belt wearing rate
Enforcement b

Yes
No
0% e
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Child restraints law
Enforcement b		 Yes
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

b Enforcement score represents concensus based on professional opinion of respondents, on a scale of 0 to 10 where 0 is not effective and 10 is highly effective
c Regulations are in place, but not yet enforced
d 2006, Ministry of Health observational study in Phnom Penh
e Estimation by concensus group

VEHICLE STANDARDS
No car manufacturers  
ROAD SAFETY AUDITS
Formal audits for major new road construction projects
Regular audits of existing road infrastructure		 No
No
PROMOTING ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORT
National policies to promote walking or cycling
National policies to promote public transportation		 No
No
POST-CRASH CARE
Formal, publicly available pre-hospital care system
National universal access number		 Yes
Yes
DATA
Reported road traffic fatalities (2007)
1 545f(79% males, 20% females)
Reported non-fatal road traffic injuries (2007)
25 858g
Costing study available
Yes (deaths and injuries)

f Data from multiple sectors, defined as died within 7 days of the crash
g Data from multiple sectors

DEATHS BY ROAD USER CATEGORY

Source: 2007, Road Traffic Accident Victims Information Systems (RTAVIS)

TRENDS IN ROAD TRAFFIC DEATHS

Source: 1995-2005, Ministry of Interior/Traffic Police;
2006-2007, Road Traffic Accident Victims Information System (RTAVIS)

REGISTERED VEHICLES
154 389 total (2007)
Motorcars
Motorized 2- and 3-wheelers
Minibuses, vans, etc. (seating <20)
Buses
Trucks
9%
84%
4%
<1%
2%

Data cleared by the Ministry of Health

© World Health Organization

Target countries

Sitemap