Drive Safe, Respect The Law

By Tep Punloeu, Associate Dean of College of Law

 

As we are all aware, road traffic accidents are one of the chronic issues in Cambodia. It increases every year. These accidents can be considered a new humanitarian tragedy. In actuality, road traffic accidents repeatedly exist because the number of vehicles gradually increases.    “A traffic accident is not an incurable disease, but we can try to find ways to ensure that traffic accidents can be reduced and full safety be reached,” stated a national police general.    During a press conference organized by Smart Mobile on July 22, 2009, a road traffic police officer stated that “One person in Phnom Penh is killed every two days due to road traffic accidents.”    It is important to note that this problem is not the responsibility of our government or competent authorities alone. Everyone must also be actively involved. It is even more important that our current society needs students to be active for overcoming this issue.

I personally believe that authorities adopt good laws, regulations and policies. However, we would not be safe without the help of our every day citizens. We not only need citizens’ moral support but we need them to obey the law. 

 

Therefore all of us need to closely work together. We have two hands. One hand can be used to benefit our society and the hand can be used to assist the government in obeying the law.  
 

Being a law professor at the University of Cambodia, I would like to encourage all university students to take part in being responsible for making the law work in our society. This will in turn make people respect the law. 

 

If authorities are not willing to respect the law, then who else in our country will respect it? We cannot expect ordinary people to respect the law when authorities do not obey and reinforce it themselves.  

 

How are students going to make people respect and follow the law? First of all, you must respect the law and present yourself as being trustworthy. Secondly, explain the law to people who don’t understand it. Finally, you should make sure that they can get access to the law.

 

The University of Cambodia supports the campaign of reducing traffic accidents. We endorse  Smart Mobile’s campaign, “Drive Smart, Drive Safe.” Smart Mobile’s campaign is designed to promote a greater interest in practicing road traffic law among university students in Cambodia.

 

Last but not least, I do believe that, with the combined efforts of various institutions in the private sector or civil society, particular students, traffic accidents can be dramatically reduced.