Safer roads

Even the most careful drivers occasionally make mistakes. By designing and building safer roads, we can reduce the risk and severity of crashes.

Did you know...

Western Australia's road network covers more than 185,000 kilometres
Regional WA is home to 90 per cent of our roads, with two-thirds of the network unsealed
In 2016, the Auditor General estimated WA’s road maintenance backlog totals $845 million

Safer road design

Better road design and maintenance can play a significant role in reducing deaths and serious injuries on WA roads, by reducing the likelihood and severity of crashes. Road infrastructure needs to be 'forgiving' so that simple mistakes don't result in death or serious injury.

RAC also conducts a survey, called Risky Roads, which asks our community to identify dangerous streets, highways and intersections across metropolitan Perth and regional WA.

A wide range of road treatments are available to improve the safety of new and existing roads:
Action	Benefit
Install median lines, median strips or barriers	Separates traffic to prevent head-on crashes
Widen and seal road shoulders	Provides space and tyre grip for drivers to safely stop or steer back into their lane
Install audible line markings, also known as 'rumble strips', on the road edge or median strip	Alerts the driver when they are veering out of their lane to prevent roll-overs and crashing into other cars or objects
Remove roadside hazards, such as trees and poles, or install barriers	Prevents vehicles veering into objects when involved in run-off road crashes
Provide overtaking lanes	Allows cars to safely overtake without having to cross in the path of oncoming traffic
Resurfacing roads and adding anti-skid treatments	Improves grip for vehicle tyres and reduces the likelihood of a driver losing control of their vehicle
Install traffic calming measures, such as speed bumps, chicanes and raised platforms	Slows vehicles down, reducing the likelihood and severity of crashes
Install traffic signals, red light cameras or red light speed cameras	Improves intersection safety by requiring conflicting vehicle movements to happen at different times
Install roundabouts	Slows vehicles down, reduces conflict points and collision angles
Install grade separations	Removes crossing traffic and lowers the chance of crashes
Install traffic and refuge islands	Slows traffic speeds and/or restricts turning movements at intersections. It also provides a safe place for pedestrians to wait when crossing
Install left-turn slip lanes and right-turn pockets	Allows cars to safely slow and wait to turn

AusRAP

The Australian Road Assessment Program (AusRAP) is dedicated to saving lives through advocating for safer roads and roadsides.The program uses criteria, including crash history, to give roads a risk rating from 1 to 5 stars and show how it performs compared with others across the country.

These ratings provide road planners and engineers with vital information and help to secure funding for upgrades.

An infographic showing the distribution of star ratings in WA. 5% equals 1 star, 22% equals 2 stars, 57% equals 3 stars, 16% equals 4 stars, and 0% equals 5 stars. The length of national highways in WA is 4,641.4kms. Date courtesy of: AAA Star Rating Report - July 2013.

Regional Road Safety Program

The safety of WA's regional road network needs urgent attention - that's why we're calling on Government to fully fund a Regional Road Safety Program which would fast-track crucial safety treatments to 17,000 kilometres of our regional roads.

RAC's position on safer roads

RAC advocates for all Western Australians, whether they are wheeling, walking, riding, using public transport, driving or being driven.

These documents outline our public policy positions, and what we are calling on from the State and Federal Governments to support better mobility for Western Australians.

RAC Public Policy

Federal Priorities for Western Australia

State Budget Submission