Traffic in Phnom Penh may seem like an accident waiting to happen, but get out of the law and it will cost you a lot of time and money.
Anyone who has been to the streets of Cambodia on two, three or four wheels knows that it is a everyone against everyone issue. There are city ordinances that seem to only apply when the boys in blue are close enough to assess the value of stopping an offender. And like it or not, the stranger is seen through glasses etched with a dollar sign and will often be detained for what appears to be the most mundane reason.
Just the other week my wife had her car stopped for having “a dirty vehicle.” Technically, there is no law against owning a dirty vehicle as it can probably be deduced from some trucks that they are so covered in provincial red dirt or general grime that it is impossible to identify the original color. Needless to say, it handed over the required $ 5 fine, largely because our daughter was in the vehicle and the midday heat was not worth fighting for.
By the way, so to speak. Drivers who are stopped by the police and want to persuade them to obey Cambodian law point out that no traffic fine for a car or van can exceed 10,000 riel, which is approximately $ 2.50. As for motorcycles, it is a manageable 5,000 rail for serious offenses and 2,000 rail for crimes such as running a red light. If more than those sums are required, it is up to you to argue or pay.
However, despite the current chaos and horror stories, there are traffic laws here. Parliament passed a full set of rules in December 2006 and they are being implemented very slowly.
Strangely for Cambodia, unnecessary noise is included in the ordinances, as the use of the horn is only allowed during the day to inform road users of a traffic accident.
Vehicles 49cc and up need proof from a licensed driver, registration and inspection. There are five license grades: A1 for motorcycles from 49cc to 125cc, A2 for motorcycles over 125cc and vehicles with a trailer, B for vehicles carrying less than 10 passengers, transporting goods of less than 3.5 tons and / or they tow less than 0.75 tons. B license holders can also drive the same vehicles as A1 holders, but no the same as A2 headlines. However, no one can answer how to get a license that allows you to drive large cars and bicycles.
Motorcycles must have rear view mirrors and drivers must wear a safety helmet.
When a traffic light is yellow, it is a signal to prepare to stop or move forward. Driving is prohibited if the driver has between 0.5 mg of alcohol per liter of gas or 0.25 mg per liter of blood. Hence the reason for driving a large SUV? The maximum speeds for vehicles in the city are 30 km / h for all motorcycles and tricycles, 40 km / h for all cars. Outside the city, the maximum speed for all vehicles is 90 km / h. On motorways (national roads), in the city the maximum is 60 km / h, 100 km / h outside the city.
If you open a car door and cause an accident, you are at fault and all traffic accidents are “under the jurisdiction of the traffic police.” After an accident, everyone involved must stop and report it to the traffic police.
If there are no injuries, the parties involved can reach an agreement or request the intervention of the police. If there are injuries or deaths, you should help take the victims to a nearby hospital, not tamper with the evidence, and wait until the police arrive. Police officers are authorized to impound your vehicle, as well as impose fines or confiscate your license for minor offenses. If you find yourself in such a situation, stay calm and resign yourself to the fact that it will take time to resolve. Bringing copies of the legal code, along with as many people as you can muster, to the police station will go a long way. Cash is, of course, faster.
