PHNOM PENH: Starting next month, Cambodia will increase its traffic fines by three to five times from current rates.
Officials said the money collected would be used for traffic awareness programmes.
Interior Minister and National Road Safety Committee chairman Sar Kheng confirmed the increase in fines.
The committee said people should drive with high awareness to promote “honour, dignity and social order” in Cambodia.
According to the Phnom Penh Post, under the new traffic fines structure, those driving without a helmet or wearing one inappropriately will be fined up to 60,000 riel.
Driving under the influence of alcohol will cost motorists one million riel.
Light lorry drivers will be fined two million riel for the same offence, while heavy lorry drivers will be fined four million riel.
If a car driver is caught driving under the influence of alcohol twice within six months, the traffic police will charge him in court.
Traffic fatalities rose by 220 last year, an increase of 12 per cent compared with 2018.
Traffic-related injuries jumped 29 per cent over the same timeframe — an increase of 1,371.
In the first three months of this year, traffic accidents across the country decreased by 150 compared with last year, a 14 per cent decrease.
The number of traffic fatalities fell by 20, or four per cent, over the same time frame, while traffic injuries decreased by 277, or 17 per cent, Kheng said.
“The drop rate in the number of deaths and injuries from traffic accidents is the result of the National Road Safety Committee pushing for more enforcement of laws to reduce the number of road accidents.
“There was a big increase last year,” he said.
Institute for Road Safety director Kong Ratanak expressed support for raising the fines but said he did not know whether the implementation would be effective as it was announced quickly without widespread publicity.