Year shaping up to be a shocker on WA roads

13 March 2009

Damning figures, released today by the Federal Government, show that Western Australia is on track for another horror year on its roads.

The toll for January and February this year, according to the Road Deaths Australia Monthly Bulleting* is 36, a third more than it was in the same two months in 2008. If that rate continues the toll could rise to more than 250.

The RAC believes the figures, which also show WA is second only to the Northern Territory in number of deaths per 100,000 people over the past 12 months, underline the need for a cash injection in the State Budget to kick start the dormant Towards Zero road safety strategy.

RAC Head of Member Advocacy Matt Brown said the figures place even greater pressure on the State Government to provide funding for the new strategy.

“We understand the current financial constraints being faced by the Government but they should not be compromising when it comes to road safety.

“Business as usual is not an option when this year could see one of the worst road tolls in our recent history. It is time for the Government to act decisively on road safety.”

Mr Brown said the RAC has outlined a radical plan in its 2009 /2010 budget submission that would help the Government make a cost neutral investment in road safety.

“The RAC recommended in its submission that 100 per cent of revenue generated from additional speed cameras should be reinvested into road safety,” Mr Brown said.

“The extra revenue should go primarily to road improvement programs such as Black Spots, the Safer Roads program and safety upgrades at dangerous intersections.”

Mr Brown said the RAC was also working on a proposal for the National Party’s Royalties for the Regions fund to invest in a Regional Roads Rescue Program to target unsafe country roads.

“Around 60 per cent of road fatalities happen on country roads and more than 80 per cent of them involve single vehicle run-off-road accidents,” Mr Brown said.

“The Regional Roads Rescue Program would allow us to identify road lengths with poor safety records and then develop solutions appropriate to those roads.

“This could be as simple as audible edge lines, sealing verges or clearing roadside obstacles.

“A four year commitment to this work would provide an enormous road safety return for the regions.”

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