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Cambodia’s New Helmet Law Met With Civil Disobedience

Posted on Sep 02, 2009

Posted 1/14/2009

Attorney Michael Hupy and family were in Cambodia over the Christmas holiday and saw civil disobedience on the first 3 days of the newly enacted mandatory helmet law. Less than half of the people Attorney Hupy saw riding motorcycles were wearing helmets. In some instances, a father and mother were wearing helmets but their infant being held by the mother was not. It is common for three or four people to ride on one motorcycle in Cambodia.

According to the Cambodia Daily, the local newspaper, police issued 124 fines to people for not wearing helmets on January 1, the first day of the new law. Despite Attorney Hupy’s observations, police say compliance has gone up to 70%. Still, most students seem to ignore the law according to Tin Prasoer, municipal traffic police chief.

Cambodia has a population of 14.1 million people and motorcycles are an important mode of transportation. According to a report published by World Health Organization (WHO), in Phnom Penh, the capital city of Cambodia, about 89% of fatal collisions involve motorcycles. The mandatory law came about as a product of collaboration between WHO, Handicap International, the Cambodian Ministry of Health, the Cambodian Red Cross and the Red Crescent Society.

Crowded streets are packed with motorbikes and despite the new law, Attorney
Hupy saw less than 50% compliance while visiting when the new law went
into effect. Photo taken by Rex Hupy.

Drivers without helmets will be fined 3,000 riel (approximately US $0.75). Chief Tin Prasoer denied that the new fines are being pocketed by his traffic police officers, who have a well known reputation for such activity. He said, “No police take fine money. Previously they were, but now we have strict rules [against it].”