MEDIA RELEASE
RAC welcomes the $55.25 million Federal and State Government funding package for WA regional road safety projects.
RAC General Manager Corporate Affairs, Will Golsby, said last year 60 per cent of road fatalities occurred in regional WA.
"This funding acknowledges the urgent need to address the devastating impact of road trauma in our regions," Mr Golsby said.
"Twenty years ago, WA had the lowest fatality rate of any State – since 2006 we have consistently been one of the worst.
"We have gone from being the best in class to the worst in class.
"In particular we are pleased to see attention being paid to areas such as the Wheatbelt, and roads like Indian Ocean Drive.
"The Wheatbelt has consistently had an unacceptable road safety record. Over the past five years, 146 people have been killed while driving on Wheatbelt roads.
"In the case of Indian Ocean Drive, this long stretch of road has a particularly tragic crash record. In RAC's recent Risky Roads survey, the community nominated it as the fourth-riskiest road in regional WA, and seventh-riskiest road in the entire State.
Other roads in the funding announcement the community nominated as Risky Roads include:
- South Western Highway - #9 Risky Roads (regional)
- Great Northern Highway - #6 Risky Roads (regional)
- Indian Ocean Drive - #4 Risky Roads (regional)
Tragically last year, 195 people were killed on WA roads and 1,500 were seriously injured.
On average last year, one person was killed on WA roads every two days, our worst road fatality rate in eight years. Almost 30 per cent of those killed were aged between 20 and 29;
- 65 were in speed-related crashes;
- 62 were involved in alcohol-related crashes;
- 27 were involved in fatigue-related crashes; and
- 24 of those killed were not wearing a seatbelt.
"Over the past five years alone, road trauma has cost the WA economy more than $2.8 billion."
"What can’t be measured is the social cost of the tragedy of road trauma. For the families and loved ones of those killed or injured on our roads, the impacts impacts last a lifetime."
RAC Media:
0401 703 719
media@rac.com.au
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