
Details emerge about deadly crash in East Rockingham
The latest tragedy occurred at the intersection of Patterson and Ward roads in East Rockingham about 8.15am on Sunday.
It is understood the driver of a white utility veered off the road and ploughed into a tree, leaving the vehicle a mangled wreck.
The driver's injuries were so severe they died at the scene.
It follows a horror run on the roads since Thursday, which started when a tow truck and motorcycle collided at the intersection of Forrest Highway and Raymond Road in Australind.
The motorcyclist, a 70-year-old man, suffered critical injuries and died at the scene.
And on Friday morning, a 40-year-old man was killed after his Toyota Camry sedan crashed into a Mack truck towing three trailers on Neaves Road near Mariginiup about 6am. A car is taken away from the scene of a serious crash on Patterson Road in East Rockingham this morning. Credit: Michael Wilson / The West Australian
Just 30 minutes later, a 51-year-old male pedestrian died after being hit by a blue Jeep Wrangler on Phillips Road in Mundaring.
Then about 10.20am, emergency services rushed to a single-vehicle crash in Serpentine. The male driver died at the scene.
And on Friday afternoon, a female passenger, aged in her 60's, died after the white Hyundai Kona she was in struck a tree on Canning Highway near Latham Street in Alfred Cove.
Already this year, 109 people have died in crashes — 16 more than the same time last year, and 26 more than the same time in 2023.
Transport Minister Rita Saffioti on Sunday said road safety was a 'community-wide issue.'
'We need to all continue to work together to improve road safety,' she said.
'When you see these terrible accidents, deaths and serious injuries, the families of those affected, their lives will never be the same.
'We all need to be safer on our roads, we need to work together to improve road safety and make sure we don't lose people on our roads. The scene of a serious crash on Patterson Road in East Rockingham this morning. Credit: Simon Hydzik / 7NEWS
'It's a terrible circumstance and it affects people's lives forever.'
Shadow Education Minister Liam Staltari said 'every death we see as a result of the road toll is a death too many.'
'It's very sad to see there has been a spate of deaths recently and I think we all just have to work together to bring that toll down,' he said.
On Saturday, Road Safety Commissioner Adrian Warner urged drivers to be safe and make adjustments during wet weather conditions.
He said car fatalities were entirely preventable 'if people make safer choices.'
'July: cold, wet, dark, fog in some places,' he said.
'These add to the risks on our roads and we need people to make adjustments.
'We need to be conscious about the risks on the roads.
'We need to be conscious about the choices we make when we get behind the wheel.'
WA Police Commander Mike Peters, of the Road Policing Command, urged drivers to stay alert and remove any distractions.
'I also remind pedestrians and motorcyclists and also cyclists (about) their responsibility in relation to being distracted as well,' he said.
'Distraction comes in all forms: mobile phone use and all other sorts of distractions.
'Please remain vigilant when you're on the road network to understand there's lots of different people using it.'
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