Overhauled speed limits may save more lives in one state

Safety should always be paramount when we navigate the roads of life.

Unfortunately, Australia has witnessed the devastating impact of road injuries and fatalities.

In a bold move to address this deadly issue, one region may revolutionise road safety with a new set of regulations—a first in the country.


Western Australia may pioneer major road rule changes through a trial that will happen in December.

Once approved, WA will implement reduced speed on nearly 2000 roads, with a particular focus on regional areas where road deaths happen at an alarming rate.

This year, WA witnessed a harrowing surge in road fatalities.


compressed-WA roads.jpeg
Western Australia has seen over a hundred road-related accidents, which led to injuries or death. Image Credit: Pexels/Lachlan Ross


Halfway through the year, the state had recorded 102 deaths, which served as a grim indicator that 2024 could be one of the deadliest years for road safety in a decade.

The statistics are particularly dire for regional roads.

About 60 per cent of these fatalities have occurred outside metropolitan areas.

This prompted road authorities to take action, and reducing speed limits could be a critical first step.


By December this year, the councils of the Shire of Augusta Margaret River and the City of Busselton will cast their votes on implementing reduced speed limits on roads between the two local government areas.

This should include 550 roads in the Shire and 1250 roads in the City.

Once approved, these changes should come into effect from early 2025 under a trial.

The said trial would run for three years to thoroughly assess the impact of the new speed limits.

This initiative was a collaboration between the two LGAs and the Royal Automobile Club of Western Australia (RAC).

RAC General Manager for External Relations, Will Golsby, spoke about the trial's objectives.

It should 'measure the extent to which lower speed limits help save lives' and prevent severe, road-related injuries.


The proposed speed limit reductions would be tailored to the specific needs of each area.

Speed limits should lower from 50 km/h to 40 km/h in high pedestrian zones like Busselton, Augusta and residential streets.

Sealed roads west of Bussell Highway should have new limits between 70 km/h and 80 km/h.

Roads through built-up areas—including the Bussell Highway through Busselton and Bayview Drive entering Gracetown—should have a speed limit between 50 km/h to 60 km/h.

Golsby believed that there was 'strong evidence from around the world' that speed limit reductions could decrease road-related accidents.


The WA Road Safety Commission also identified speed as a leading factor in road trauma within the state.

WA Centre for Road Safety Research Director Teresa Senserrick advocated for a decrease in the default speed speed limit on outback roads in the state.

As of writing, the speed limit currently stands at 110 km/h—one of the highest limits globally.

Senserrick wanted this limit to be reduced as a starting point, hoping that the rest of the country would follow suit.

Earlier this year, other states, such as the Northern Territory, have also eyed changing their speed limits.

As we await the outcome of the upcoming vote, drivers must stay informed and adapt to these potential new laws.

The safety of our community is paramount, and adhering to these changes could save countless lives.
Key Takeaways

  • Western Australia has considered a significant road rule change through a speed limit reduction trial on almost 2000 roads to combat high road fatality rates.
  • Once approved, a speed limit trial should start in early 2025 and would take effect for three years.
  • The Royal Automobile Club of Western Australia (RAC) supported the move, with evidence suggesting lower speed limits could decrease road deaths and injuries.
  • The trial should implement lower speed limits in high pedestrian areas and on sealed roads, among others.
Have you experienced close calls on regional roads? Do you believe that reducing speed limits will make a difference? Join the conversation and share your thoughts and opinions with us in the comments below.
 
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THat's a really stupid comment. At 10km/h, deaths would be negligible. IF you're so stupid as to not know this, you shouldn't have a licence.

No single solution addresses all the issues.
Driving is from when you get in the car and turn it on. How many toddlers have been run over by a reversing car and died??? How many toddlers have run in front of a car going into a driveway and got run over and died. I don't think that you are doing more than 10km/h reversing your car or driving into a driveway. So it's not a stupid comment
 
Driving is from when you get in the car and turn it on. How many toddlers have been run over by a reversing car and died??? How many toddlers have run in front of a car going into a driveway and got run over and died. I don't think that you are doing more than 10km/h reversing your car or driving into a driveway. So it's not a stupid comment
Yes, true. That is why I think those defensive courses are great. There are ones that have driving instructors from different perspectives....eg truck drivers, bike riders, towing perspectives and so on....at the end of the day it is learning from experience in many varied situations that makes a capable driver. Sometimes you don't know what you don't know.
 
How about they look at the stupidity of pedestrians with mobile phones. Let's ban the use of mobile phones by pedestrians as well as drivers. Recently I nearly hit a pedestrian who just walked off the footpath without looking where she was going, just looking at her phone. Fortunately I was only going slowly so was able to stop easily but it sure scared the pants off me at the time.
 
n,s,w hwy ways have 110km limis i travel at105 and still have ideots parse me like iam parked in the curb :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:
Maybe because you are travelling below the speed limit. Not everyone wants to drive below the limit. All that does is increase driver frustration when a driver is stuck behind someone going slower than the limit on a single lane road, especially if it is unsafe to pass.
 
It wouldn't matter if the speed limit was reduced, that's been done before. I live in Queensland and on the motorway even at 110 plenty of people go speeding past doing far more than 110 and push in because they think they are entitled once they get behind the wheel. Young thugs on drugs and alcohol and adult idiots who drink and drive cause most accidents. If they want to do something useful then raise the driving age to 21 and get the driver training centers to stop giving out licenses like sweets. These kids aren't taught properly how to drive and handle a car before they are let loose on the road.
 
We live in Busselton and I voted for a reduction in speed on our local roads as sometimes us oldies simply cannot cross our roads safely and the amount of road deaths in our state is simply shocking.
 
  • Wow
Reactions: Iggydi
Bloody amazing. The highest fatalities on WA roads was in 1968. This year the road toll is less than half what it was back then. Our population has grown at least 4 times and the number of road users has also increased at the same rate. The number of bad drivers as a percentage of all drivers is probably the same rate, there are just more of them. We also allow people from overseas to drive on our roads. A number of head on crashes have occurred where drivers from countries who drive on the opposite side of the road have been involved. A lot more delving into the causes are required before leaping to conclusions.

Just looks like more revenue raising to me. It's not the speed that is the problem, it's the sudden stop.
 
Yes and international licenses however I do think that if people who have had a license for longer than, say, 30+ years, many would not actually pass the driving tests of today.
Sorry but I do not agree with you as in my opinion older drivers are the safest.
 
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Reactions: Iggydi
Reducing the speed is not going to change anything. much much more harsher penalties for the people that choose to drive over the the limit. Like confiscating the car for good (doesn't matter who's owns it) with repeat offenders.
 
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Sorry but I do not agree with you as in my opinion older drivers are the safest.
Sure Oaklegs - and that is fair enough - you do you! I wasn't actually saying safest, I was referring to road rules. I don't know that I would want to be put to the test personally lol
 
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Absolute rubbish. Education on how to drive and better advice on the hazards of long-distance driving would be better. Better rest stops etc. This reduction in speed limits will ultimately lead to revenue-raising exercises. I am sceptical of this
 
We can go on blaming speed, young people, oldies, cars, road rules and roads for the accidents happening in all states. What we need is a country wide set of rules that apply to all of us and maybe mandatory driving test for the population every 2 years. Which the government pay for. Something like a defensive driving course. Then hopefully some of the drivers will take care on the roads. Also any driver caught drink/drug driving and excessive speeding should be made to do a month at the hospitals accident ward taking care of the one's that have brain damage/ spinal injuries etc due to their stupid actions. Then maybe a lot more people will think twice about their driving style and choices.
 
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Reactions: Nevertiki
I’m in NSW and the place I live has these limits in place and has done for years. So not a new solution, but the figure tell us speed kills so presumably the current speed limits are ignored. Why do they think that by changing a number on a sign it will suddenly stop those drivers who like to speed and take no notice of the current number on a sign?
 
Here's a thought, with the obsession by everyone about speed.
1. why not have all vehicles speed limited to 110 Kph, and I mean every car truck etc etc.
2. sensors on vehicles that read road signs and adapt to the speeds on them,99% of GPS units have speed recognition I know MINE DOES.
3. driver alert, warning of tiredness and fatigue, the vehicle will stop in 1 minute via automated voice.
4. all vehicles to have mandatory ALCOHOL AND DRUG testing before engine will start, alco locks are on Drink Drivers cars!!
I know the Auto industry can implement these devices to all modern vehicles.
 
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Reactions: Nevertiki
Sorry but I do not agree with you as in my opinion older drivers are the safest.
Too bad but your opinion is just that....opinion without looking at the facts. Thinking that young people cause more road deaths than any other age group is a fallacy.

According to BITRE, in 2022, 377 deaths were attributed to the 40 - 54 age group compared to just 230 for the 17 - 25 age group.

Check this out. It will make you think differently about common misconceptions concerning road users and associated motor vehicle deaths.

 
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Reactions: Nevertiki

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