"They Just Want to Get to Work Safely: Cambodian Garment Workers Urge Transport Reform", 30 May 2026

... Sila spends nearly three hours each workday in constant fear as she travels to and from a factory in Kampong Speu province…

Her fears have grown following two traffic accidents involving vehicles transporting garment workers in Kampong Chhnang and Svay Rieng provinces that claimed 14 lives and injured 79 others.

The deadliest crash was in Kampong Tralach district when a cargo truck collided with a worker transport vehicle, while another collision between two worker transport vehicles in Svay Rieng city left five workers dead…

Sila said overcrowded transport, long commuting hours, and reckless driving continue to put workers at risk, while rising transport costs leave them with few alternatives.

… Tragic traffic accidents involving the transport of garment workers expose major gaps in road safety, with labor advocates, safety experts, and workers warning that overloaded vehicles, weak law enforcement and poor transport standards are putting lives at risk.

Ti Ratana, whose husband died in a traffic accident in Svay Rieng province, said workers often have little choice but to rely on unsafe transport because of financial hardship…

… Kim Panha, director of the Asia Injury Prevention Foundation (AIP), said workers traveling by motorbike face the highest risk of accidents, followed by those using shared transport vehicles, despite ongoing efforts to improve road safety.

He said stronger enforcement of traffic laws was urgently needed for worker transport drivers and other road users.

Authorities and employers should improve driver education and crack down on dangerous practices such as speeding, phone use while driving, drunk driving and poor vehicle maintenance.

… Moeun Tola, executive director of the Center for Alliance of Labor and Human Rights ..., said one of the biggest challenges was the practice of overloading worker transport vehicles to maximize profits…