Motorcycle fatalities in the Peel-Mandurah region account for one fifth of WA’s motorcycle-related fatalities since the start of the year.
In the wake of recent fatal motorbike crashes, acting road safety commissioner Chirs Adams has urged riders to take more responsibility and precautions on the road.
“We’ve now had 28 motorcycle deaths on WA roads, compared with 22 for the whole of 2015,” he said.
“While the Road Safety Commission is working hard to create safer roads and roadsides, motorcycle riders also need to be aware of the risks they face every time they go onto the roads, take the necessary precautions, be more responsible for their own safety and be visible to other road users.”
The message comes shortly after two motorbike fatalities on Pinjarra Road, where a man and a teenager lost their lives only a few days apart.
Dashcam footage of two riders running a red light at speed at the Pinjarra and Lakes Road intersection was also sent to the Mail this week, highlighting the risks taken by some riders on the road.
Of 28 motorcycle deaths in WA since January, six have happened between Serpentine and Lake Clifton, in the areas of Serpentine, Meadow Springs, Mandurah, Barragup and Lake Clifton.
“That’s around one fifth of WA’s motorcycle fatalities and two thirds of the female motorcycle fatalities,” Me Adams said.
He said the fatalities involved mainly male riders aged 21 to 50, and half didn’t involve a second vehicle.
Three female riders have lost their lives on the road in 2016 compared to 15 male riders, two in separate crashes in Serpentine.
Ahead of Motorcycle Safety Week 2016, which begins on October 22, Mr Adams said the community needed to have a serious conversation about how to keep some of WA’s most vulnerable road users safe on the roads.
“Motorcycle safety is about the attitude of the rider and the need to take more responsability and precautions when they are on the roads,” he said.
“Remember, you are sharing the roads with all types of motorists while riding in the Peel region, including locals and visitors who may not be familiar with the roads.”
He encouraged riders to wear appropriate visible protective clothing and helmets and to ride to the conditions of the road.
“Whether it’s the suburban streets of Mandurah or the rural roads of the greater Peel region,” he said.
To find out more about protective clothing and helmets for riders go to the Road Safety Commission website.