Media releases 2009

200th road death - road safety failing in WA: RAC
01 January 2009
The RAC says the 200th death on Western Australian roads for 2008 is a grim reminder of the dangers facing motorists over the holiday period.

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Beach warning for Perth motorists
02 January 2009
The RAC has issued an alert to Perth beach-goers about a spate of recent car thefts from beach-front carparks.

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Cape Le Grande hanging on to top spot in RAC 101 poll
02 January 2009
Cape Le Grand and Lucky Bay remains the best place to visit in the west according to visitors to the RAC’s new travel website, 101WA.com.au

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Don't get your New Year off to a bad start
02 January 2009
New Year’s Eve party-goers should make sure their homes are secure against burglars before heading out to tonight’s festivities.

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New Ford Fiesta rates 5-stars for safety
02 January 2009
Ford’s 5-star safety rated stable continues to grow, with some of the new Ford Fiesta variants receiving a 5-star safety rating.

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RAC warns parents against locking kids in cars
As Perth temperatures continue to climb, the RAC has issued an urgent alert to parents to not leave young children locked in cars.

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Young men at risk from drink driving
04 January 2009
Young men are twice as likely to drink drive as young women according to a new snap poll of RAC free2go members*.

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Fuel price hike disgraceful
20 January 2009
Perth motorists are being softened up for another round of petrol price rises with some BP stations hiking their prices for unleaded petrol by 18 cents a litre, according to the RAC.

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WA motorists hit again by retailer hiking fuel prices
21 January 2009
Western Australian motorists are being pummelled by higher petrol prices with a second major retailer spiking their prices by 18 cents a litre.

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Young drivers suffer from over confidence
25 January 2009
Over-confidence is breeding a “it won’t happen to me” culture among young Western Australian drivers, according to a new RAC survey.

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Opportunistic burglars strike on Australia Day
26 January 2009
Western Australians are being warned to secure their homes against burglars before heading out for today’s Australia Day celebrations.

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Congestion headache for Perth's commuters
01 February 2009
Perth’s bus and train network is failing commuters with results of an RAC survey revealing 60 per cent of respondents said it was not possible for them to get to work using public transport.

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RAC welcomes northern rail line expansion plan
The RAC has welcomed the State Government’s announcement that it will make a major capital investment to extend the northern rail line.

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Bungle Bungle range voted WA's top spot
12 February 2009
The spectacular Bungle Bungle Range (Purnululu National Park) has been voted Western Australia’s favourite tourism destination in RAC Travel’s 101WA poll.

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Motorists should be aware of car jackings
22 February 2009
The RAC is warning motorists to be vigilant when driving in the metropolitan area following a spate of car jackings this week.

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RAC encourages Western Australian's to explore their state
The RAC has welcomed the State Government’s $1.6 million spend to encourage WA-based tourism.

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RAC budget submission call for adrenalin shot for road safety
23 February 2009
The RAC is calling on the State Government to use this year’s Budget to kick-start the Towards Zero road safety strategy.

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Perth's cheapest petrol stations revealed
Motorists in Perth can still find bargains at the petrol pump if they’re prepared to shop around, according to the RAC.

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RAC Rescue 1 sponsorship renewed
08 March 2009
The RAC will continue its support for Western Australia’s only emergency service helicopter, RAC Rescue 1.

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RAC warns against hot weather burglars
Home-owners are being warned to be on their guard against opportunistic thieves looking to take advantage of doors and windows left open to cool down homes.

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RAC slams high LPG prices
Perth motorists are paying too much to fill up their vehicles with LPG according to RAC.

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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.

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Towards Zero needs funding not just commitment
20 March 2009
The RAC says the State Government’s commitment to road safety will be judged on whether it delivers funding for the newly endorsed Towards Zero road safety strategy at the next budget.

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Shopper dockets don't give motorists a full discount
25 March 2009
New research has revealed that on nine days out of 10 motorists who use the popular “shopper dockets” to gain a fuel discount are not getting a full four cent a litre saving.

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RAC wants motorcycle forums to confront all issues
30 March 2009
The RAC has challenged the community to confront the road safety issues which are seeing a growing number of motorcycle riders killed or seriously injured on our roads.

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Motorcycle forums to identify major safety issues
03 April 2009
Alarming new data showing that a majority of Western Australian motorcyclists are ignoring speed limits will be presented to a motorcycle safety forum in Perth today.

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RAC condems Easter holiday fuel price
08 April 2009
The RAC has accused BP and Caltex of highway robbery for hiking petrol prices by 15 cents a litre as motorists gear up for their Easter holiday break.

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WA Farmers should withdraw daylight saving advert
07 April 2009
The RAC has called for the immediate withdrawal of an anti-daylight saving advertisement being distributed by WAFarmers.

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Premium petrol too costly
21 April 2009
The RAC has revealed that petrol companies have skimmed more than $5million from higher prices for premium unleaded petrol.

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South of the river most prone to burglary
21 April 2009
The RAC is calling for an overhaul of crime reduction strategies after a new study named Hilton as the worst suburb for burglary for the second consecutive year.

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WA drivers driven to distraction
15 April 2009
The RAC says it is alarmed by the results of a new survey that show Western Australian drivers understand the dangers of being distracted behind the wheel, but continue to flaunt road rules putting them and other road users in danger.

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Major roads lead the way as areas of frustration
24 April 2009
The RAC’s Red Spots 09 campaign is heating up with some of the city’s major roads leading the way as Perth’s most frustrating, according to motorists.

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RAC calls for radar detector ban
24 April 2009
As double-demerit points kick in for the ANZAC Day long weekend, the RAC says our State MPs are refusing to confront the issue of motorists avoiding speeding fines by using radar detectors.

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RAC welcomes new fuel card
30 April 2009
The RAC has welcomed today’s introduction of the Country Age Pension Fuel Card, which will help improve the mobility of about 35,000 Western Australians.

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Scrap licence fees for seniors
11 May 2009
The RAC is calling for the scrapping of drivers licence and car registration fees for seniors to help ease the financial burden on Western Australia’s older drivers.

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Vehicle safety defies economic downturn
12 May 2009
The RAC says Australian car manufacturers are showing that vehicle safety does not need to be sacrificed because of the tougher global economic conditions.

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WA roads and rail miss out in Federal Government infrastructure splurge
14 May 2009
The RAC says Western Australians are being forced to wait for new road and rail infrastructure projects while rivers of money flow into the eastern states.

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Road safety a casualty in 09/10 State Budget
15 May 2009
Western Australian motorists will be paying a whopping $198million in additional speed and red light fines as a result of the State Budget.

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RAC claim bill hits $1m - expected to rise
Western Australians have been cleaning up today after this year’s first big blow across the south of the State.

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RAC urges motorists to beat the petrol price rip-off
26 May 2009
Perth motorists are facing higher petrol costs as the Foundation Day long weekend looms with price hikes of as much as 18 cents a litre.

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Australia short changed on safety
11 June 2009
Many cars being sold in Australia don’t have the same safety features as those available in other countries, even if they’re the same model, the RAC has said.

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RAC calls for commitment to cut regional road deaths
17 June 2009
The RAC has called for a long term commitment backed with funding from the Royalties for Regions program to cut the number of road deaths in regional Western Australia.

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RAC calls on government to respond to Auditor General's road report
17 June 2009
The RAC has called on the State government to prepare an urgent response to a damning report by the Auditor General on maintenance of the state road network.

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Mandatory ESC welcomed by the RAC
24 June 2009
The RAC has welcomed the Federal Government’s decision to make Electronic Stability Control (ESC) mandatory in all new passenger cars and SUVs.

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National Party turns its back on road safety
21 June 2009
The RAC says the WA National Party has betrayed country Western Australians by turning its back on efforts to improve the safety of regional roads.

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RAC rejects CCI claims on FuelWatch
25 June 2009
The RAC has accused the CCI of doing the bidding of the big oil companies by undermining the popular FuelWatch system.

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RAC claim bill expected to hit $2 million
30 June 2009
Western Australians have again been hit hard by the recent storm that swept across the south west of the State, with RAC Insurance responding to thousands of calls since Saturday.

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RAC Plans to Expand Driver Training Acquisition
01 July 2009
The RAC has confirmed it has purchased Western Australia’s only specialised driver training facility, the Driver Training and Education Centre (DTEC) located near the Perth International Airport.

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Car costs drop in 2009
02 July 2009
WA motorists are emerging as the big winners this year with the RAC’s annual vehicle operating costs survey revealing it’s cheaper to run a car today than the same time last year.

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Cooking is a fire danger in winter
06 July 2009
Forgetful cooks are the greatest fire hazard facing Perth homes this winter, according to a new analysis released by the RAC.

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Northern suburbs top the list of congested Red Spots
16 June 2009
Perth’s northern suburbs have been named as the worst area for congestion, with six of Perth’s top 10 Red Spots located north of the river, the RAC has said.

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RAC questions funding priorities
22 July 2009
The RAC has questioned why the National Party is using Royalties for Regions funding to invest in fibreglass cows while refusing to spend any of the fund on country road safety.

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Football volunteers recognised for valuable contribution
30 July 2009
The crucial role of volunteers in the WA football community will be recognised this weekend at the RAC Football Volunteer of the Year Award.

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RAC launches campaign to promote safer driving
The RAC has used the opening of the RAC Driving Centre near Perth International Airport to launch a new campaign aimed at creating a safer driving community in Western Australia.

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RAC calls for greater investment in local roads
06 August 2009
The RAC has warned that the State Government may need to lift its allocation of funding for local roads in the wake of the global financial crisis.

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Insurer fires warning shot at fraudsters
07 August 2009
Insurance fraud in Western Australia has escalated in the past year as the economic impact of the global financial crisis hits home, the State’s leading insurer has said.

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RAC welcomes new Road Safety chair
The RAC has welcomed the appointment of Professor D’Arcy Holman as the new Independent Chair of the Road Safety Council.

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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.

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Warning over new highway
18 September 2009
The RAC is warning motorists not to use the new section of the Perth-Bunbury Highway as a racetrack or personal speedway.

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Long weekends can be a trap for motorists
22 September 2009
Motorists heading away for the September long weekend could be left feeling flat if past experience is anything to go by.

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Fuel price cycle costing motorists $400 a year
23 September 2009
Perth motorists being caught out by the weekly fuel price cycle could be paying an extra $400 a year for petrol according to new analysis by the RAC.

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Mobile phone usage should attract harsher penalties
25 September 2009
As the double-demerit point period kicks in for the September long weekend a new poll by the RAC has shown motorists want mobile phone use to attract the tougher penalty.

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RAC warns against unsafe imported utes
29 September 2009
The RAC has warned new vehicle buyers against purchasing two brands of imported utes after both returned very poor crash testing results.

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RAC launches public transport survey
13 October 2009
The RAC has today launched its 2009 Public Transport Survey to help gauge what Western Australians think about Perth’s bus and train system.

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RAC reminds drivers to slow down near schools
13 October 2009
The RAC is reminding all drivers to slow down in school zones, with students returning to school today for the beginning of term four.

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Horizons Magazine correction - Roundabout rules
14 October 2009
Rounadabout rules in WA. Roundabout animation.

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RAC welcomes Australia’s first five-star ute
20 October 2009
The RAC has backed a new five-star crash test rating for the Holden Commodore ute, contrasting strongly with the poor ratings recently attributed to imported Chinese and Malaysian utes.

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La Salle student wins top award
29 October 2009
Year 11 student Luke Bennett from La Salle College has been named the overall winner of the RAC’s 2009 Fame competition.

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Country prices expose Perth petrol rip-off: RAC
04 November 2009
Perth motorists filling up at some BP stations today will be paying up to 11 cents a litre more for petrol than motorists in the South West of the State.

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Stylish cars get top marks for safety
17 November 2009
Style-conscious car buyers now have a greater choice of appealing cars that are both top-rated for safety and kind to the environment.

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RAC warns leavers on riding with drunk drivers
23 November 2009
Too many school leavers will put their lives at risk during ‘Leavers Week’ by getting into cars being driven by someone who has been drinking, according to the RAC.

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Personal safety a concern on Perth's public transport
01 December 2009
Personal safety, overcrowding and a lack of parking at train stations are some of the issues that need to be addressed on Perth’s public transport system, according to the latest RAC survey.

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The future of motoring
09 December 2009
The combination of environmental concerns and predicted future oil shortages means the automotive landscape is changing.

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Unsafe cars fatal choice for young people: study
09 December 2009
Unsafe used cars have been found to be a major contributing factor in the high number of road fatalities among young people, a study has found.

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Australia's Best Cars winners announced
03 December 2009
The Volkswagen Golf and Subaru Outback have won two of the most popular categories in the Australia’s Best Cars awards.

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RAC reveals worst metropolitan suburbs for property crime
21 December 2009
In the lead-up to Christmas, the RAC is urging Western Australians to be extra vigilant against crime with new RAC Insurance figures revealing the worst suburbs for home burglary and motor theft insurance claims.

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RAC reveals worst regional suburbs for property crime
21 December 2009
In the lead-up to Christmas, the RAC is urging Western Australians to be extra vigilant against crime with new RAC Insurance figures revealing the worst suburbs for home burglary and motor theft insurance claims.

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Highway holiday warning for travellers
21 December 2009
The RAC is warning motorists to take extra care over the holiday period especially if they are travelling in regional areas because of the unforgiving nature of much of Western Australia’s highway network.

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RAC warns against aggressive festive motorists
21 December 2009
A snap poll of motorists carried out by the RAC has pointed to turmoil on Perth’s roads and in Perth’s shopping centre car parks over the Christmas period.

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RAC warning for Christmas motorists
21 December 2009
The RAC says too many motorists are putting their lives at risk this Christmas by heading out on our roads in cars that fail to meet the most basic safety tests.

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