Parties must adopt new road safety strategy

19 August 2008

The RAC has written to the Premier and the Leader of the Opposition seeking a commitment from
both parties to fund and implement the new road safety strategy Towards Zero in full, should they
be elected the next Government of Western Australia.

In the letter the RAC says it is critical for both parties to act now by ensuring the new strategy is
fully funded and the structure is in place for it to be implemented in its entirety.

“We believe the previous strategy failed motorists in WA - there was little accountability for
implementation and parts of the strategy such as alcohol interlock devices are still to be put into
place,” the letter states.

“While other States have taken serious steps to reduce their road tolls, WA has been heading in
the other direction.

“The most damning proof of this is the State’s road safety record over the past two and a half
years. Hundreds of people have died and thousands more have been seriously injured at a huge
personal and financial cost to the State.”

The letter says by adopting this strategy the next Government will have the opportunity to save
more than 1000 people from being killed or seriously injured in its next term of office.

“It is estimated that while this will take a financial commitment of $200m each year for the next
four years, on top of the current provisions for road safety funding, it will also save the State in
the region of $600m in costs associated with road crash deaths and serious injuries.”

The RAC says the new strategy has been put together by road safety experts with
considerable input from the community, key government agencies and it has been ratified by a
bipartisan parliamentary committee so there is no reason why it can not be adopted by either
political party.

Download the release (pdf)