The Royal Automobile Club (RAC) of Western Australia has opened nominations for its 2024 Risky Roads survey, inviting residents to identify roads and intersections across the state that pose significant safety risks.
This annual survey encourages input from the community to pinpoint areas that require urgent safety improvements – something insurers and brokers could send to their clients to ensure their safety on the road.
Launched in 2008, the Risky Roads survey has become a key tool for gathering public feedback on road safety issues in both urban and regional areas.
Will Golsby, RAC’s general manager of external relations, highlighted the importance of this initiative in addressing road safety concerns across the state.
“No one knows our roads better than the people who drive, ride, walk, or cycle on them every day, and we all have that particular street or intersection that makes us feel unsafe,” he said.
The survey aims to capture a broad range of safety concerns, from narrow local roads to complex intersections and high-speed rural routes.
RAC said it sees this initiative as an opportunity for the public to advocate for safer conditions across the state’s road network.
“This is an opportunity to push for positive change and make the roads safer for all road users – whether you’re a driver, motorcyclist, bike rider, or a pedestrian,” Golsby said.
This year’s survey comes amid growing concerns about road safety in WA, with 118 road fatalities recorded so far in 2024, putting the state on track for one of the deadliest years in a decade.
Golsby stressed the critical role of road maintenance and government investment in reducing these numbers.
“Someone is killed or seriously injured on a WA road every five hours. The impact on each individual and their family, friends, and communities is widespread and lasts a lifetime,” he said.
During the 2022 Risky Roads campaign, over half of the 40 nominated locations were slated for safety upgrades, including projects on the South Western Highway and Farrall Road in Midvale.
In last year’s road fatality data, the broader WA reported a 28% decline in deaths compared to 2022 statistics. However, the Pilbara area experienced a 67% increase in road deaths.
“The level of road trauma that occurs in Western Australia is unacceptable. We all share a responsibility to make our roads safe,” Golsby said in a previous statement.
RAC is urging all road users to participate in the current survey, which will remain open until Sept. 30, 2024.
