10-07-2025
Road safety chief tells WA drivers to stop 'rationalising' rule breaking and risk taking
Western Australia's road safety chief says a major shift in individual behaviour is needed as the state's road toll nears a two-decade high.
Twelve people have been killed on WA roads since July 3, bringing 2025's road toll to 112.
Road Safety Commissioner Adrian Warner said people needed to realise the choices they made behind the wheel could be the difference between a near miss and a fatal crash.
"There are over 2.1 million licensed drivers on our roads and 2.1 million answers to the question of why this year's year-to-date road toll is the worst in 18 years," he said.
Beloved postman Gary Cahill was one of the lives tragically lost on the roads this week.
He was killed in a crash south of Bridgetown on Monday morning.
The family of the 73-year-old grandfather paid tribute to him in a statement sent to the ABC.
"The sudden and tragic loss of Gary has left a massive hole in our family and the wider Bridgetown community where he grew up," they said.
"He was married to Karen for 49 years, always keeping her on her toes, the most fun-loving dad to Glen, Denise and Mandy, and Gramps to five grandchildren who absolutely adored him.
"He was the milkman in town for more than 20 years and more recently the postie.
"He loved caravan adventures with his brother Lindsay and tinkering away on his vintage cars and caravans."
Tarryn Sanford launched Heart Hub South West after the tragic loss of her son in 2017.
The not-for-profit organisation based in Collie, 187 kilometres south of Perth, offers professional counselling for those impacted by road trauma.
Ms Sanford said there was a lack of similar services outside of the metropolitan area.
"With every crash, every life lost or serious injury on our roads, we see more people reaching out. Sometimes it's just days after the loss, sometimes it's months or even decades."
Ms Sanford said grief and trauma needed to be part of the broader road safety conversation.
"Every crash doesn't just end one life, it changes the lives of everyone around them."
The increased road deaths come despite a $32.5 million state government commitment to improve road safety in regional WA.
The funding was one of a string of commitments from a snap road safety summit last year, called after a similar spike in road deaths to those seen in the past week.
Centre for Road Safety Research director Teresa Senserrick said it was disheartening road fatality numbers had not improved.
"It's very saddening that with all the efforts they are making, we're still at this point," she said.
Professor Senserrick said typically there were more fatalities and injuries on regional roads due to the higher speeds.
A Cook government spokesperson said $250 million had been invested in the Regional Road Safety program in the 2025–26 state budget.
"The fatal five of fatigue, alcohol and drugs, speed, distraction and seatbelts are often playing a role in road fatalities," they said.
"We urge all West Australians to think twice before getting behind the wheel."
