Cambodia Aims to Cut Traffic Accidents by 30% with Solar Streetlights

Cambodia is planning to install solar-powered street lighting along busy national roads and other accident-prone areas. Adequate lighting could potentially reduce accidents by between 20 and 30 per cent, according to Minister of Public Works and Transport Peng Ponea. The plans will prioritise roads with heavy traffic, high numbers of accidents and other key public areas, as the government seeks to make road infrastructure safer for motorists and communities, rather than focusing solely on road construction and rehabilitation. Ponea announced that working group will be established under a memorandum of understanding to assess the locations where solar-powered streetlights are most urgently needed. The assessment is expected to focus on major national routes, including National Roads 5 and 6, as well as other heavily travelled corridors and sections of road with a high incidence of traffic accidents. “Roads with heavy traffic, such as National Roads 5 and 6, and some other sections are among the areas we are considering,” he said. “Roads where there are many traffic accidents… and areas around hospitals, schools and markets are also important locations for the installation of solar-powered lights,” he added. According to Ponea, international studies have shown that adequate lighting along national roads and other major routes can reduce traffic accidents by between 20 and 30%. He stressed that improved road illumination was particularly important for road users travelling at night, when poor visibility can increase the risk of collisions and make it more difficult for drivers to identify pedestrians, other vehicles and hazards. Ponea described the proposed expansion of street lighting as part of a broader shift in the government’s approach to road infrastructure, with greater emphasis being placed on safety and the quality of the environment surrounding roads. “In the past, when we built roads, we had hope. Now, after building roads, alongside hope, there must be safety,” he said. “Beyond that, when there is hope and safety, there must also be greater beauty,” he added. Solar-powered lighting could also provide a practical option for sections of national and rural roads where connection to conventional electricity infrastructure may be difficult or costly. The use of solar technology allows lighting systems to operate using renewable energy and could support their expansion to areas beyond major urban centres. Ponea noted that the locations will be subject to assessment, suggesting that installations will be based on road conditions and public needs rather than being rolled out uniformly across the country. The focus on schools, hospitals and markets could also improve safety for pedestrians and local residents who regularly cross or travel alongside roads, particularly during early morning and evening hours. Traffic accidents remain a major public safety concern in Cambodia, prompting authorities to repeatedly urge motorists to respect speed limits, avoid drink-driving and comply with traffic laws. While enforcement and driver behaviour remain central to reducing road deaths and injuries, Ponea’s comments highlight the role that road design and supporting infrastructure, including adequate lighting, can play in preventing crashes. The planned solar lighting assessment signals an effort to move beyond measuring road development solely by kilometres of roads constructed or rehabilitated, towards considering how infrastructure can better protect the people who use it. For Ponea, the objective is straightforward: Cambodia’s roads should offer not only connectivity and economic opportunity, but also safety. “We are all cooperating to make our national roads in the capital and provinces better,” he said.