International Day to Commemorate Traffic Accident Victims

Preah Sihanouk Province: On the morning of Sunday 20th November 2011, the National Committee for Road Traffic Safety celebrated an International Day to Commemorate Traffic Accident Victims, at Preah Sihanouk Province, chaired by H.E Tram Iv Tek, Minister of Public Works and Transport and H.E Sboang Sarath, governor of Sihanouk Province, and participation of high ranking government officials, professors, students, group of youth (including Red Cross and Scouts), approximately 600 participants gathered at Independent Monument of Preah Sihanouk Province. After having heard the report of Traffic Accidents on public road, which was read by the Head of Public Works and Transport Department and also the Head of Road Traffic Safety Group of Sihanouk Province, Mr. Sboang Sarath, Governor of Sihanouk Province strongly committed to actively work hard in order to reduce Traffic Accidents down to the minimum level. On this special occasion, Minister Tram Iv Tek said: the government has been motivated the Governor and Provincial Department of Public Works and Transport in Sihanouk Province to celebrate the International Day to Commemorate Traffic Accident Victims since 2006, until the first one was started in Phnom Penh on Sunday 19th November 2006. This activity proves that the Royal Government of Cambodia is very concern about the pain of the traffic accident victims, and also contributes actively in the world movement to prevent and lessen traffic accident to its minimum level. Representing Heads of Ministry of Public Works and Transport and National Committee for Road Traffic Safety, I would like to express my gratitude to the Governor of Preah Sihanouk Province and Provincial Department of Public Works and Transport for the close cooperation to facilitate this event’s celebration. Also, I would like to sincerely thank to National and International Organization including: Red Cross Cambodia, Asia Injury Prevention Foundation, Private Sectors, and Development Partners for their supports morally, physically and financially to the National Committee for Road Traffic Safety, in order to plan to educate and publicize Road Traffic Safety, and the previous organizing of this event, especially today’s event. Loads of Terrible traffic accidents caused by Trucks and Tourist Cars along National Road #4, resulted in deaths and injuries. According to the 2010 Annual Report of Traffic Victims, there are 6,941 cases of traffic accidents, in which there are 1,816 deaths and 6,718 severe injuries. The average number of victims is 5deaths/day on road, in which those who died of traffic accidents are 72% motorcycle drivers. The root causes of accident are: human factor 96%, over-speed 49%, drunken driving 13%, disobedient of traffic law 12%, improper overtake 8%, and other factors 14%. Comparing to 2009, traffic accident victims decrease by 15%, yet the death increase by 6%. In 2010, traffic accident cost USD 279 million of Cambodian National Budget. If there was no traffic accidents, those budget could be used to develop our society such as build school, hospital, road, bridge and a lot more. Therefore, all the participants of this 6th International Day to Commemorate Traffic Accident Victims should turn this event into a realistic activity by giving advice to family, friends and relative to pay high attention; in short, wear helmet when driving motorcycle, and put on seatbelt when driving car. This is a pleasant humanitarian act because together we help saving people’s life from traffic accident. Before coming to an end, I would like to wish H.E Governor, Head of Council of Preah Sihanouk Province, Delegates, National and International Guests, Private Sector, and the whole event the four Buddhist blessings.

H.E Tram Iv Tek, Minister of Public Works and Transport and collaborators, at the National Day to Commemorate Traffic Accident Victims, at Preah Sihanouk Province, on 20th November 2011

H.E Tram Iv Tek, Minister of Public Works and Transport and collaborators taking photo with senior civil servants, civil servants, teachers, and students, at the National Day to Commemorate Traffic Accident Victims, at Preah Sihanouk Province, on 20th November 2011