Monday, December 18, 2006

Hun Sen forgot to rank Political Killings when he states: "traffic accident death toll is number one. AIDS is number two and landmines are third"

Monday, December 18, 2006
Draft Traffic Law Targets Drivers, Police

By Yun Samean
THE CAMBODIA DAILY

The National Assembly on Friday began debating a draft law on road traffic that would provide prison sentences to both reckless motorists and corrupt traffic police officers.

The legislation states that drunk drivers would face between six days and six months in jail, and between $625 and $250 in fines.

Traffic police found guilty of extorting money from drivers would face fines of between $500 and $1,000, and could spend between one and three years behind bars.

Under the law, drivers without license plates could be jailed for six days to a month, and fined between $50 and $500.

Minister of Transport Sun Chanthol told the Assembly that 90 percent of accidents are caused by drunk drivers, people breaching the traffic law, and motorists without licenses.

Within the first nine months of this year, there were 2,811 accidents, in which 730 people were killed and 4,611 injured, he said. Every day an average of three people are killed and 20 injured, he added.

SRP lawmaker Son Chhay told Parliament that if the Transport Ministry really wants to improve road safety, it should prevent low-level ministry officials from selling drivers' licenses.

Sun Chanthol responded that the ministry has installed cameras at the area in Russei Keo district's Toek Thla commune where driving tests are conducted. These cameras ensure that instructors cannot pass students unless they can drive properly, he said.

Speaking at an inauguration ceremony in Kandal province Saturday, Prime Minister Hun Sen also said traffic accidents are a major problem.

"Now, the traffic accident death toll is number one. AIDS is number two and landmines are third," he said in a speech broadcast on Apsara radio.

Chev Hak, deputy chief of the much-criticized municipal traffic police, said he had no problem with his officers being exposed to possible prison sentences for extorting money from the public.

But he said similar rules should also apply to other police departments. And he denied that his officers extorted money.

The Assembly will resume debating the law today.

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