PHNOM PENH: Road traffic accidents killed approximately 1,160 people in Cambodia during the January-September period of 2026, Deputy National Police Chief Lieutenant General Chev Hak said on Monday (Oct 26).
On average, four to five people die each day, with motorcyclists making up the majority of the victims, he said during a traffic law dissemination seminar.
Hak noted that motorcycles accounted for up to 83 per cent of all traffic accidents. Among the fatalities, roughly 70 per cent of the victims were not wearing safety helmets.
The primary causes of these accidents include speeding, failing to adhere to traffic rules, ignoring the right of way, careless turning, reckless overtaking, driving under the influence of alcohol and drowsy driving, he said, urging road users to strictly and consistently obey traffic laws to curb these figures.
Road traffic accidents remain the leading cause of death and injury in Cambodia. They cost the South-East Asian nation an estimated US$466 million annually, according to a joint report by the United Nations Development Programme in Cambodia and the National Road Safety Committee. - Xinhua
