Police will fine motorists for driving without a license or for flaunting traffic rules in a bid to crack down on the city’s traffic mess, Phnom Penh Governor Chea Sophara announced at a recent meeting.
The traffic crackdown will focus on Kampuchea Krom Boulevard and other main streets, according to minutes of the Board of the Phnom Penh Governor meeting held April 23.
It was decided that two-way traffic will return to streets 63 and 51 and both streets will be repaired.
The city’s directive on bad drivers will begin with a blitz of radio, TV and newspaper ads warning the public that they cannot drive without a license.
The directive will also strengthen the Land Traffic Police Bureau, which is in charge of the city’s road traffic, and provide for more training of police, who will become a 24-hour presence at the worst traffic spots.
For the service, the municipality pays $25 a month for dispatch and military police officers and $50 a month for police leaders.
Police also will be directed to collect fines from people who have not paid old tickets. As an incentive to the police to collect fines, they will be allowed to keep 20 percent of the fined amount. The fine amounts are set by the Land Traffic Police Bureau.
Drivers who break traffic laws must be handed a government fine without exception, it was stated at the Phnom Penh Governor’s meeting. Many drivers elude paying government fines when they break traffic laws by bribing willing police officers with $1 or $2.
