❓ Mrs Roberts questions the Minister for Road Safety about a significant increase in country road fatalities and the Minister's responsibility. The Minister details government strategies and investments to address the issue, attributing causes to poor driver behaviour.
AnsweredQoN 481Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ROAD
SAFETY — COUNTRY FATALITIES
481. Mrs M.H. ROBERTS to the
Minister for Road Safety:
I note that the number of country road fatalities this year
is now 62 compared with 41 at the same time last year and that in the same time
in 2013, there were just 35 fatalities.
(1) What
responsibility does the minister take for the 50 per cent increase in country
road fatalities this year?
(2) Does she
agree with the Premier's assessment from April this year that the cause
is ''a pattern of bad, irresponsible driving'' in regional WA?
SAFETY — COUNTRY FATALITIES
481. Mrs M.H. ROBERTS to the
Minister for Road Safety:
I note that the number of country road fatalities this year
is now 62 compared with 41 at the same time last year and that in the same time
in 2013, there were just 35 fatalities.
(1) What
responsibility does the minister take for the 50 per cent increase in country
road fatalities this year?
(2) Does she
agree with the Premier's assessment from April this year that the cause
is ''a pattern of bad, irresponsible driving'' in regional WA?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for her question on road safety.
(1)–(2)
The road toll this year is dreadful. Eighty-eight people have lost their lives
on our roads, with a disproportionate representation in the regions. To that
end, as a government, we have had a number of strategies that we have been
working on. We have had the wheatbelt highway safety review looking at the
crashes specifically throughout the wheatbelt, and that has identified some
recommendations for government around education campaigns and also around
sections of road that may need improvement, and we have already started to fund
some of those improvements in the wheatbelt road network to ensure that we can
get ahead of the game there.
Mr R.F. Johnson interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Hillarys, I call you to order for the first time.
Mrs L.M. HARVEY :
Very shortly, the community will see some of our new education campaigns
rolling out, targeting those causes of crashes. Specifically, the wheatbelt
safety review revealed a consistent trend that we see right across regional Western
Australia of very poor compliance with wearing seatbelts. We will be targeting
those groups specifically. A lot of those crashes could be avoided. They
involve speed. They involve alcohol. The vast majority are run-off-road
crashes. We have allocated a record amount from the road trauma trust fund this
year—$146 million. A large proportion of that is going to the
run-off-road crash program and places such as the Collie Coalfields highway,
which we have already improved.
Mr M.P. Murray interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Collie–Preston, I have been lenient with you. I call you to
order for the first time.
Mrs L.M. HARVEY : I
am really proud of our investment in the south west with the Coalfields highway—$22.5
million.
Mr M.P. Murray interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the second time.
Minister, a quick answer.
Mrs L.M. HARVEY :
An amount of $17.5 million was allocated to Albany Highway to put in passing
lanes. The wheatbelt highway safety review revealed to us that unsafe passing
was a cause of —
Point of Order
Mrs
M.H. ROBERTS : The minister is giving a general statement about road
safety. I have asked what responsibility she takes for the 50 per cent
increase. Does she take any responsibility for the increase?
The SPEAKER : I think
she is answering what you asked, but I want a quick answer. We are making very
poor process.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mrs L.M. HARVEY :
We have invested $9 million for South Coast Highway and $17.5 million for
Albany Highway for passing lanes. Our record on investment in road treatment
improvements and road safety is outstanding. We have allocated $146 million
this year compared with a paltry $14 million when the previous lot were in
government. We will continue with our education campaigns and road
improvements. We will continue trying to inform motorists on better
decision-making so that we can help to reverse this awful trend.
(1)–(2)
The road toll this year is dreadful. Eighty-eight people have lost their lives
on our roads, with a disproportionate representation in the regions. To that
end, as a government, we have had a number of strategies that we have been
working on. We have had the wheatbelt highway safety review looking at the
crashes specifically throughout the wheatbelt, and that has identified some
recommendations for government around education campaigns and also around
sections of road that may need improvement, and we have already started to fund
some of those improvements in the wheatbelt road network to ensure that we can
get ahead of the game there.
Mr R.F. Johnson interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Hillarys, I call you to order for the first time.
Mrs L.M. HARVEY :
Very shortly, the community will see some of our new education campaigns
rolling out, targeting those causes of crashes. Specifically, the wheatbelt
safety review revealed a consistent trend that we see right across regional Western
Australia of very poor compliance with wearing seatbelts. We will be targeting
those groups specifically. A lot of those crashes could be avoided. They
involve speed. They involve alcohol. The vast majority are run-off-road
crashes. We have allocated a record amount from the road trauma trust fund this
year—$146 million. A large proportion of that is going to the
run-off-road crash program and places such as the Collie Coalfields highway,
which we have already improved.
Mr M.P. Murray interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Collie–Preston, I have been lenient with you. I call you to
order for the first time.
Mrs L.M. HARVEY : I
am really proud of our investment in the south west with the Coalfields highway—$22.5
million.
Mr M.P. Murray interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the second time.
Minister, a quick answer.
Mrs L.M. HARVEY :
An amount of $17.5 million was allocated to Albany Highway to put in passing
lanes. The wheatbelt highway safety review revealed to us that unsafe passing
was a cause of —
Point of Order
Mrs
M.H. ROBERTS : The minister is giving a general statement about road
safety. I have asked what responsibility she takes for the 50 per cent
increase. Does she take any responsibility for the increase?
The SPEAKER : I think
she is answering what you asked, but I want a quick answer. We are making very
poor process.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mrs L.M. HARVEY :
We have invested $9 million for South Coast Highway and $17.5 million for
Albany Highway for passing lanes. Our record on investment in road treatment
improvements and road safety is outstanding. We have allocated $146 million
this year compared with a paltry $14 million when the previous lot were in
government. We will continue with our education campaigns and road
improvements. We will continue trying to inform motorists on better
decision-making so that we can help to reverse this awful trend.
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