Him Yan, deputy National Police chief, chaired an August 3 meeting to review traffic accident data for the first half of the year. He also used the occasion to advise police officers to obey the rules and behave ethically.
In the first six months of this year, 1,548 traffic accidents left 756 people dead and 2,072 injured.
The meeting was held at the National police headquarters, with deputy police chiefs from the capital and province in attendance, according to the National Police.
Him Yan advised the assembled police chiefs to continue to strengthen mechanisms to enhance the capacities and skills of their officers, and to respond promptly to public comments and enquiries.
He recommended that they educate the public and disseminate the details of laws and sub-decrees. They should also utilise social media to enhance the public perception of traffic police, with a focus on quick responses and dangerous times and locations.
Brigadier General They Visal, deputy director of the Traffic and Public Order Department presented a report at the meeting which detailed accident statistics.
The first half of this year saw 1,548 traffic road accidents, which resulted in 756 deaths and 2,072 injuries, 1,332 of them serious.
When compared to the 2022 figures, the number of accidents fell by 61, or about four per cent. Deaths were reduced by 186, around 20 per cent.
The number of recorded injuries fell by about seven per cent.
The report attributed 39 per cent of the accidents to excessive speed, which a failure to give way causing 25 per cent.
Poorly judged turns were responsible for 10 per cent, with a failure to keep right accounting for nine per cent and poor overtaking seven.
Mechanical malfunctions were adjudged to have caused four per cent with driving under the influence the main factor in three per cent of crashes.
Fatigue, poor weather and running red lights were each recorded as the primary reason behind one per cent of accidents.
