Shocking and Sad--Cambodia Traffic Statistics (2010 WHO Report)

I've talked about my experiences as a passenger in Cambodia, both in cars and on motorcycles and tuk-tuks. I've even taken videos. This World Health Organization Report covers the statistics behind the personal experience.

Unsurprisingly, Cambodia is a country in which deaths and accidents may be underreported. The country is moving towards safer roads, but the safest check they have, according to the report, is that low-income countries (according to their classifications) are less endangered than middle-income countries. The statistics about car and motorcycle registration seem to support this; in a country of 14+ million people, 1,650,000 of them own registered vehicles of any kind.

An overwhelming 83% of vehicles owned by Cambodians are motorcycles. Yet, less than 10% of the population owns one. 11% of the population owns a motorized method of transportation. In the US, 83% of the population owns a vehicle--thanks to the multiple-car-per-family model.

It's now illegal to drive in Cambodia without a helmet if you are the driver. This new law has been implemented for road safety. That's great, but I saw a lot of people driving without a helmet, or taking it off when they figured they were 'safe'--on a backcountry road, close to home, etc etc. But it's the 'driver' part of the clause that's killer.

Most families cannot afford to buy helmets for all their users because five people can fit on a motorcycle. That's right; I've seen parents with three kids attached to them driving on unpaved, muddy, or chaotic roads, because that's the only way to get around. Cambodian families are very large; it's impractical to spend money on a helmet for each person. I saw ZERO children wearing helmets while riding as passengers on motorcycles. Small sample size. Anecdotal evidence.

9% of passengers wear helmets, the study says.

You, your spouse, a baby, a toddler, and a five or six year-old on a motorcycle. It's sobering, isn't it?