Superintendent pleads for conversation as SW records the highest number of regional road deaths in 2021

A South West police superintendent has pleaded for more conversations about safe driving as the South West is revealed as as WA’s highest regional area for road fatality in 2021. The Road Safety Commission released preliminary figures to the Times revealing there were 25 deaths on South West roads in 2021. The South West had the highest number of road-related deaths compared to all other regional areas in the State, with the Great Southern totalling 24 deaths, followed by the Wheatbelt at 18. Superintendent Geoff Stewart told the Bunbury Herald the statistics were heartbreaking. “It is gut wrenching to know 25 families, including local ones, had a funeral last year as a result of road trauma in the South West,” he said. “Many crashes, including some of those last year, did not have to occur and besides what the police do, the most impactful prevention strategy is the conversation family, friends and colleagues have amongst themselves.” Supt Stewart said conversations offer the highest level of prevention of reckless driving and road accidents. “We all know someone who may put themselves or others at risk because they should not be driving, either because they don’t have a license or they drive in such a risky way and they need to be told to stop it,” he said. “Things like speeding, drink or drug driving, not wearing seatbelts, distracted by mobile phones and hoon driving. “Don’t let it be a conversation you wish you had had with them because they are no longer around or caused pain and misery for other families to endure for a lifetime. “ This comes as The West Australian reported a spike in the number of motorist fatalities on WA roads due to more people holidaying throughout WA. The latest figures from the Road Safety Commission reveal the number of deaths leapt by 11, up from the previous year’s total of 155. RAC external relations general manager Will Golsby said WA continued to have one of the poorest road safety records in the country. He blamed some of the regional road deaths on the border restrictions that had boosted the number of people travelling by road within WA. “While it’s been fantastic to see so many Western Australians choosing to holiday in WA and support regional tourism, this has meant more motorists, travelling longer distances, on some of the most dangerous roads in the country,” he said. “It’s critical we don’t lose sight of the risks we face behind the wheel so we urge everyone to slow down, ditch the distractions, take regular breaks and be patient with one another.”