WA Police are pleading with drivers to take care on the road this Easter long weekend following a horror 2014.
Five men died on WA roads last year at Easter – more than any other state or territory.
Last year’s Easter break got off to a disastrous start with three men aged 17, 19 and 20 were all killed on Thursday in Carnarvon, Collie and Bruce Rock respectively.
Police across regional Western Australia have told drivers they want them to arrive alive at their destination this year.
Donnybrook First Class Constable Mike Danks said there would be a lot of traffic on the road, and people needed to pay extra attention while driving.
“Be courteous, be patient, slow down and take your time,” he said.
“Plan your journey ahead, and if it’s a long one, stop off every now and again and have a rest.”
South West Traffic officer-in-charge Sergeant Craig Clarke said Bunbury drivers need to take their time on the road.
“Abide by the road traffic rules, wear your seatbelt, don’t drink and drive and don’t use your phone,” he said.
Busselton officer-in-charge Senior Sergeant Steve Principe said the hardest part about attending fatalities was when children are involved.
“There will be a lot of families coming down for holidays so be sure to swap drivers, ensure your kids are properly restrained and pay attention,” he said.
Esperance police Senior Sergeant Richard Moore said people should take precautionary measures to ensure their weekend was memorable for the right reasons.
“People should slow down in wet weather conditions and keep an eye out for wildlife that could come out of nowhere,” he said.
Acting Northam Police officer-in-charge Darrell Hagan said police will be running an operation over the Easter period which targets industrial and retail precincts.
“Police will be targeting hooning and traffic offences in every Wheatbelt sub-district,” he said.
“There will also be the usual high visibility police presence on the roads, along with the usual double demerit system.”
Collie police officer-in-charge Senior Sergeant Mike Dean said those left behind after a road death suffer for a lifetime.
“Please do not be a casualty on our roads,” he said.
Merredin police officer-in-charge Senior Sergeant Erica Silwood said she wants everyone to arrive at their destination safely.
“If it takes a little extra time but you get their safely in the end, what does it matter?” she said.
The Easter traffic warnings come after the current road toll for 2015 hit 44 with five people killed last weekend.
The road toll for the year to date is higher than last year which was the deadliest year on WA roads in the last four years with 184 lives lost.
A three car crash saw a 62-year-old Bentley man and a 57-year-old Leda man killed at 4.40am on Saturday morning while a thick blanket of smoke from a bushfire covered the Kwinana Freeway. A 38-year-old man was taken to Fiona Stanley Hospital with injuries from the same crash.
A 21-year-old Padbury man, who was riding his Harley Davidson motorcycle on the Mitchell Freeway, collided with a car three hours later and died in Royal Perth Hospital as a result of his injuries.
Shortly after this a Yamaha motorcycle hit a car on Elliot Road near Mathieson Road in Chidlow.The 23-year-old male rider received fatal injuries and died at the scene while the 64-year-old female driver received serious injuries and was conveyed to hospital.
The final fatal crash occurred at 6am on Monday when a vehicle collided with a cyclist in Willetton.
The cyclist, a 65-year-old Chinese man who was visiting family in WA died in Fiona Stanley Hospital as a result of his injuries.
Double demerits will be in place for the Easter long weekend from April 2 to April 6.
