Safety comes first on Northam roads
Posted on Saturday, 5 November 2011
The number of people being killed or seriously injured on roads in WA has declined over the past 40 years. The introduction of the mandatory use of restraints and work around alcohol has been two of the biggest contributors to this reduction.
However, at the moment the Wheatbelt Region has one of the worst rates of deaths and serious injury in, not just WA, but all of Australia.
This fact took centre stage at the launch of Northam Road Safety Week in July, with local government, Police, RAC and schools coming together to discuss to issue of road safety on regional and country roads.
The state road safety strategy is called "Towards Zero". It uses what we call a “Safe System” to work towards the reduction of deaths and serious injuries. It works on the principle of safer people, in safer cars, on safer roads, doing safer speeds.
A number of issues have been identified as critical to road safety in regional areas. Most of the crashes in the bush are run off road crashes. Low level speeding is also a big issue, where going just a few kilometres over the limit can affect your chance of survival.
According the RAC, regional people are not as diligent as metropolitan people in wearing restraints and events such Road Safety Week are vital in bringing such issues into focus.
No one did this better at the Northam launch, which was held at the Northam Visitor Centre Conference Room, than Keith Conder of the Paraplegic Benefit Fund. Mr Conder spoke of his own experiences of drink driving as a young man in New Zealand. An experience which left him paralysed from the waist down.
His story made sure those in attendance, particularly the school-aged children, remembered the value of practicing road safety.