Road Safety in WA: Gone from Australia’s best performing state to the worst. How can we save over 74

The RAC Horizons magazine recently arrived.

One article highlighted the fact that Victoria’s fatality rate has consistently improved whilst WA has gone from Australia’s best performing state to its worst.

So what is Victoria doing right?

Journalist John Rees highlights the following in his article.

Every 2 days someone in WA is informed that a loved one has died as a result of a road crash.

WA once had the lowest road fatality rate in the nation. Now we have the worst.

In 2002 9.3 road fatalities per 100,000 to 7.2 per 100,000 in 2014. The national average is 5.

The RAC have plans underway with a major research project to investigate why.

The first stage of the research has already been commissioned and will examine the following factors:

• Road safety funding criteria

• Intersection treatment trends

• Local traffic management

• Residential street design

• Audio tactile road marking trends

• Driver education investment

• Speed limit selection

• Road safety governance differences

Some of the reasons believed to be contributing factors to Victoria’s success has been an investment in road safety and creating a road safety partnership approach between agencies resulting in a more holistic approach to better co-ordinate legislation, law enforcement and public engagement.

‘It is timely to consider whether the structures in place in WA to drive road safety remain relevant, efficient and effective…’

Horizons, pg 25, Anne Still, RAC Senior Manager Policy and Research.

According to the Office of Road Safety ‘Towards Zero’ policy, if the 4 cornerstones embraced within it were implemented we could see a reduction of 40% in fatalities and serious injury by 2020.

And with 185 fatalities in WA in 2014 alone, that would mean the lives of 74 people would be saved per year.