RAC General Manager Corporate Affairs, Will Golsby, said RAC has continually called for a dedicated regional road safety strategy to help save lives and prevent serious injuries on WA roads.
“Western Australia has a serious road safety problem – last year WA suffered its worst road toll in eight years – and the higher road toll is largely attributable to an increase in deaths on regional roads,” he said.
“The Wheatbelt in particular is continually one of the worst performing regions in the State. The region’s road toll doubled last year, from 14 in 2015 to 28 fatalities in 2016.
“As a community we cannot continue to be complacent; we can and must do more to stop fatalities and serious injuries on our roads.”
Mr Golsby welcomed the commitment to an increase in police enforcement in the Wheatbelt, jointly funded through the Road Trauma Trust Account and Royalties for Regions, as well as road safety treatments and targeted education campaigns.
“Crashes continue to occur because drivers make poor decisions behind the wheel and there is no greater deterrent than having more police on our roads,” he said.
“A Safer Roads Fund will also help improve road safety by investing in initiatives including protective barriers, improved signage and rumble strips.
“Better roads and better police resources will help, however we all need to take responsibility for road safety.
“A dedicated Wheatbelt road safety campaign will help raise awareness about the problem and encourage local communities to come up with their own initiatives to make a difference, like the Elephant in the Wheatbelt has done.”
RAC supports a review of the Road Trauma Trust Account and the formation of a master action plan to boost transparency and accountability. The latest Annual Report released by the Road Safety Commission identified that $95 million remained unspent in the Road Trauma Trust Account.
“This funding is available for road safety initiatives across Western Australia – we have an unacceptable road safety problem and yet the money that is available to help reduce it remains unallocated,” Mr Golsby said.
“RAC wants to see that funding flowing sensibly to initiatives that could make a real difference."
RAC’s Elephant in the Wheatbelt campaign aims to raise awareness about the Wheatbelt’s road safety problem and involve the local community to help reduce the number of lives lost and serious injuries occurring on the region’s roads.
For more information on RAC’s election campaign visit rac.com.au/givemetime
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