Developing and implementing a traffic safety program in Cambodia
Background and Objectives
In many Asian countries, motorization has spiked in tandem with economic growth. One example is Cambodia, which is a developing country. Such motorization creates many traffic problems. In Cambodia, the construction and upgrade of National Highway 5 has led to an increase in road accidents. Therefore, the Cambodian government has launched an action plan comprising traffic safety education and a program for modifying driver behavior. Additionally, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has launched a project for technical assistance in traffic safety. Cross-sectoral collaboration is necessary to develop and implement the behavior modification program. Leadership talent and an organizational framework for leadership are essential for taking the initiative in collaboration in Cambodia.
To provide such leadership, the International Association of Traffic and Safety Sciences (IATSS), during its conference in the year ended March 2023, established a project team in collaboration with the IATSS Forum Cambodia Alumni Association (CIAA) and the JICA. The project team conducted fieldwork in Cambodia. In the year ended March 2024, the team developed a new behavior-modification program informed by interdisciplinary perspectives, conducted a test workshop in pilot schools in Cambodia, and conducted a pre- and post-intervention questionnaire survey to evaluate the program outcomes.
In the year ending March 2025, the final version of the program will be prepared based on the feedback from the survey. Thereafter, the program will be rolled out across Cambodia.
Expected Results
The program rollout will lead to a reduction in road accidents over the medium-term horizon. The program will be well-tailored to circumstances in Cambodia based on a collaboration with the CIAA, JICA, and two government ministries of Cambodia (the Ministry of Public Works and Transport and the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport).
The project involves developing and testing a behavior-modification program that will form part of traffic safety education in primary and secondary schools in Cambodia. Once the program is developed, the project team will collaborate with the CIAA and JICA to organize workshops and cross-sectoral dialogues in Cambodian schools. Such dialogue will help raise students’ traffic safety awareness and encourage safer driving, ultimately resulting in fewer road accidents.