ONE of Western Australia’s top cops believes the state’s motorcycle road toll has reached a tipping point following the tragic deaths of four riders on the weekend.
This is despite this year’s current motorcycle road toll being down on previous years, but with three months to go, Assistant Commissioner Alf Fordham is concerned.
“Motorcyclists account for 15 per cent of all deaths on WA roads over the last 10 years, and they’re not 15 per cent of the vehicles and they’re not 15 per cent of the riders,” he said.
“There’s a really worrying trend and we’re probably at the stage [this year] where at a tipping point.
“We can come in about the same as last year and previous years or we can tip over the edge.”
So far this year, three of the 28 fatal motorcycle crashes have happened in the Peel region.
On March 22 a rider was killed in central Mandurah after hitting another vehicle at speed.
Just five days later another rider was killed in Secret Harbour when a car collided with him.
On May 10 a rider died following a crash in North Dandalup.
Alcohol and speed were responsible for two of the crashes.
Mr Fordham said Sunday’s fatal accidents – none of which happened in the Peel region – involved speed, with catastrophic consequences.
“Over the weekend there was speed, speed and alcohol, speed and not wearing a helmet, speed and not obeying road rules,” he said.
“In these instances the riders made decisions and the consequences mean that someone has died.
Mr Fordham said there was only so much police could do.
“We want people to understand that if you ride a motorcycle on the road and you make an error or another driver makes an error, there are some really serious consequences.
“I’m not worried the message isn’t getting through; it’s a fact.
“It’s just not happening.”
In the past 10 years the worst motorcycle road toll was in 2008 with 36 riders killed.
In 2010 32 riders lost their lives as well as three passengers.
Last year’s motorcycle road toll reached 23; just one more than this year’s so far.
