Minister of Interior and chairman of the National Road Safety Committee (NRSC) Sar Kheng said late on December 31 that the number of road traffic accidents nationwide over the course of the year had decreased significantly compared to 2019. Sar Kheng cited a report indicating that there were a total of 3,179 traffic accidents last year, a 23 per cent decrease of 942 from the total 4,121 accidents which occurred in 2019. “The reduction in traffic accidents in 2020 has lowered the number of fatalities by 335, down 17 per cent from 2019 when accidents claimed the lives of 1,981 people. In 2020, the death toll has dropped to 1,646.” Sar Kheng noted. The number of accident-related injuries also decreased by 1,455, or 24 per cent, from 6,141 to 4,686. “Based on these results, on behalf of the NRSC, I would like to express my appreciation and praise to authorities at all levels who have been actively involved in the implementation of the traffic law and road users for their cooperation,” Sar Kheng said. He urged traffic police and citizens across the country to continue to respect traffic laws in order to protect lives and enable further reductions in traffic-related deaths and injuries. NRSC secretary-general Min Manavy also expressed concerns about the frequency of road accidents in Cambodia as the death toll was still high and most fatalities were motorcyclists, many of whom did not wear helmets. “This issue requires all road users to concentrate while driving and strictly comply with all traffic laws,” she said. On December 29, Prime Minister Hun Sen called on citizens to be careful and reduce traffic accidents. “Covid-19 is brutal and fast spreading, but so far no one in Cambodia has died from it. Traffic accidents, however, result in deaths every day. That’s why we all need to pay more attention.” According to a report by the National Police, over the first two days of this year, there were 28 road accidents nationwide, resulting in 13 deaths and 31 injuries.