3 minute read
The number of road deaths occurring on Western Australian roads has fluctuated over the last ten years, peaking at 134 in 2016. Since then, the number of lives lost annually has declined and excluding 2019, seemed to be continually declining – that is up until now.
The 2021 calendar year to date has already seen 124 individuals lose their lives on roads in WA. With the nation’s worst month for road trauma still to come in December, a new and alarming all-time state peak could be recorded by the end of the year.
With a reported 1500 individuals killed or seriously injured as a result of road crashes every year, and getting hurt in a crash being one of the top three leading causes for admission to hospital, what can we do to keep the state’s road fatalities down?
Make ourselves accountable every time we get behind the wheel, wherever we drive.
As it stands, road deaths are currently six times more likely to occur on regional roads than in metropolitan areas. The majority of major injuries and deaths that arise from run-offs or non-collision rollovers involving one car often occur in regional areas with speed limits over 100km.
More often than not, this is caused by drivers engaging in one of the ‘Fatal Five Factors’ – speeding, drug/drink driving, distraction, fatigue and not wearing a seatbelt or helmet.
The need to reduce such risky driving behaviours will only become more relevant come Christmas time as easing lockdowns urge drivers to get back onto the road and explore the great outdoors in lieu of an overseas holiday.
While the road and the environment certainly play a role in increasing the risk of a casualty crash, the fact that human error is a factor in at least 90% of crash accidents remains. Planning trips, taking frequent rest breaks and double-checking your speedometer and seatbelt could mean the difference between a fun trip and a devastating one.
As always, it is better to be safe than sorry and while the goal will always be to avoid traffic crashes and offences from occurring, Road Sense Australia will also always be here to help. With one of the highest annual road fatality rates in the country, we’re tackling road safety by launching our Traffic Offender Intervention Program in Western Australia.
Covering the ‘Five Fatal Factors’ and the human impact of unsafe driving behaviours over two parts, our charity’s one-day course aims to rehabilitate drivers charged with a traffic offence to make them safer drivers.
Available in three different delivery modes, Face-to-Face, via Virtual Classroom or through a Self-Paced Online version of the program, participants can attend and work through a course regardless of their geographical location.
As we drive onwards towards 2022, always remember to stay safe and make yourself accountable every time you step into a car, because until we reach zero, every life lost on our roads is still one too many.
If you or someone you know is facing court over a driving offence, the program is available at: https://roadsense.org.au/book-toip-now/
—
To find out more about our programs click HERE.
Get involved in the conversation by following us on:
