Phnom Penh municipal authorities plan to deploy police and military police at all city traffic lights to educate the public about the new traffic law and strengthen security, officials said Tuesday.
Tin Prasoer, municipal traffic police chief, said that the municipal authorities launched the plan Monday to have extra officers at all 39 sets of traffic lights in the capital.
Using loudspeakers, the officers will recite aloud the most important parts of the new traffic law, and “educate people without extorting them,” Tin Prasoer said.
Starting today at some locations, up to 10 officers will be deployed at each traffic light, he said, adding that each of the participating policemen will be paid an extra $1.25 per day for their work. How long the public education program will run remains to be determined, he said.
“If people abuse the law, police will stop them and educate them about the new traffic law, but police officers are not allowed to fine people yet,” Tin Prasoer said. Penalties for breaking the new traffic law will be issued once the Interior and Finance ministries have issued authorization, he added.
Under the traffic law adopted in February, all drivers of motorcycles with engines of 49cc or larger must carry a driver’s license.
The law also stipulates that drivers of two-wheel vehicles wear safety helmets, and sets penalties for drivers with blood-alcohol concentration above 0.4 milligrams per liter.
Ung Chun Hour, director general of transport for the Ministry of Public Works and Transportation, said that his ministry, along with the Interior and Finance ministries, had approved a new form of receipt that police will give drivers when collecting fines from those found breaking the law.
He added that he did not know when the new fine receipts would be distributed to police.
