The first half of the year saw 1,066 road traffic accidents recorded, with 694 fatalities and 1,476 injuries.
This represented a decrease of 468 accidents (31%), 99 fewer deaths (12%) and 640 fewer injuries (30%) than the same period last year, according to the “First Half 2025 Road Traffic Safety Report”.
The report was presented at an August 13 meeting, held to review the first-half results of road traffic safety work and set directions for the second half of the year.
The meeting participants aimed to review the lessons learned, improve measures, and set more in-depth and effective strategies to reduce traffic accidents to the maximum possible, in line with the goals of the National Road Safety Decade Plan 2021–2030.
Despite the decline, Minister of Interior Sar Sokha, chairman of the National Road Safety Committee (NRSC) still expressed concerns.
“The daily rate of traffic accidents, especially deaths and injuries, remains high, even though there is a downward trend compared to the same period last year. This trend will continue to have negative impacts due to the increasing use of transport and the business of traffic from year to year,” he said.
He also noted that during the recent confrontation with Thai forces, when he ordered the National Police to temporarily suspend enforcement of the road traffic law, accident cases rose sharply compared to normal periods.
This, he said, clearly indicates that strict law enforcement remains essential once the Cambodia–Thailand border situation eases.
From August 8 to 12, there were 40 traffic accidents nationwide, resulting in 31 deaths and 46 injuries. Including the period from August 1 to 6, over a span of 11 days, there were a total of 75 accidents, with 53 deaths and 90 injuries, according to Tuoch Sokhak, deputy spokesperson at the interior ministry.
Sokha also instructed the committee to review technical and legal aspects to regulate and set conditions for the use of electric bicycles and scooters, as their usage is increasing and they are appearing more often in accident records, both on national roads and in urban centres.
During the meeting, attended by around 170 members of the NRSC, Sokha also commended the positive results of the decline in both fatalities and injuries in the first half of the year, which he said clearly reflected the results of diligent law enforcement.
He also recommended that some provincial administrations examine the possibility of creating artificial traffic safety parks in select locations. These parks would not only serve students but also the general public, giving them the opportunity to learn more beyond what is taught in driving schools, thereby strengthening awareness of laws, right-of-way respect, technical skills and ethical driving conduct.
