Police car cuts will jeopardise road safety

25 August 2009

The RAC has called for an urgent briefing to the Road Safety Council on the impact on road safety of cuts to the vehicle fleet of WA Police.

The proposed cuts to the WA Police car fleet come after the motorcycle fleet was cut by almost 70 per cent from 96 down to 30 earlier this year.

RAC Head of Member Advocacy Matt Brown says a strong police presence on our roads and highways is essential to reducing the number of deaths and injuries suffered by Western Australians each year.

“The community demands an assurance from the government that there will be no cuts in the number of police vehicles patrolling our metropolitan and country roads,” Mr Brown said.

“The savings being proposed in cutting the number of police vehicles are illusory at best.

“The cuts to the total government fleet are expected to deliver savings of around $40million over 4 years – or an average of $10million a year.

“But the government has estimated that every road death in Western Australia costs the economy $1.8million, while serious injuries cost the economy an average of $488,000 each.

“The government’s proposed savings would be wiped out if there are an additional three deaths and nine serious injuries on our road.
 
“It’s a completely false economy and reflects the failed short term thinking which has consistently undermined our efforts to reduce our road toll and has seen Western Australia maintain the worst road safety record of any State.

“The government needs to explain how it will meet the cut in vehicle numbers while maintaining these essential frontline services.”

A RAC survey taken at the end of 2008 identified that seven in 10 motorists believed the police presence on WA roads was insufficient.

“Our members want to see more police cars on our roads not less”, Mr Brown said.

“Highly visible policing is an effective way of enforcing the road rules and plays a vital part in reducing the State’s road toll.”

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