Media Release | 5 May 2026
Hon. Julie Freeman MLC
Shadow Minister for Road Safety
Shadow Minister for Road Safety Julie Freeman MLC has called for urgent, targeted action after Western Australia’s road toll has now surpassed the figure recorded at the same time last year.
73 people have now lost their lives on WA roads, exceeding the 69 fatalities recorded at this point last year, reinforcing a deeply concerning trend in road trauma across the State.
Mrs Freeman said the latest figures should be a clear wake-up call for the Cook Labor Government.
“This week’s tragedies have pushed the toll higher, yet the response remains broad, reactive and unfocused,” she said.
Mrs Freeman said the rising road toll reflects not only current policy settings, but years of underinvestment in proven road safety measures.
“We know road treatments and upgrades take time to deliver. When governments fail to plan and underspend over many years, the consequences are measured in lives lost today.”
She said the Road Trauma Trust Account (RTTA), designed specifically to fund life-saving road safety projects, has repeatedly left significant funds unspent.
“In 2022–23, $95 million remained unused. In 2023–24, that figure grew to $120 million. That is funding that should already have been delivering safer roads, particularly in regional WA.”
“We don’t need a growing surplus in a safety fund — we need action. That money should be delivering shoulder sealing, overtaking lanes, and targeted upgrades on known high-risk corridors.”
Mrs Freeman said the data clearly shows where targeted intervention is needed.
“More than one in four lives lost this year have been motorcyclists — a clear warning sign that specific safety measures are urgently required.”
“More than half of all road deaths have occurred on regional roads, despite only around 20 per cent of the population living in those areas.”
“These are not random statistics. They clearly show where the risk is, and where government attention must be focused.”
Mrs Freeman said WA needs a road safety strategy driven by evidence, investment and accountability.
“That means targeted motorcycle safety measures, stronger enforcement on high risk regional corridors, more overtaking lanes and shoulder sealing, and a renewed focus on speed, fatigue and distraction.”
“It also means ensuring every dollar raised for road safety is actually spent on reducing deaths and serious injuries, with transparency and measurable outcomes.”
“The trends are clear, the risks are known, and what is missing is targeted action. We cannot continue to accept these deaths as inevitable.”
ENDS
