Problem

Between 2008 and 2017, 61% of fatalities and 35% of serious injuries on the road network in Western Australia (WA) occurred in regional and rural areas.

Single vehicle, loss-of-control, run-off-road crashes constitute around a third of all serious casualty crashes on the WA road network. Infrastructure can play an important role in mitigating the consequences of these crashes. The relatively low cost measures of sealed road shoulders, wide centre lines and audible edge lines have been shown to substantially reduce the chance of these crash types.

The WA Government’s Towards Zero Road Safety Strategy 2008–2020 targets a 40% reduction in road crash outcomes by 2020, which has the potential to save 11,000 people from being killed or seriously injured.

Proposed initiative

This initiative complements the national High Priority Initiative for Regional road network safety improvements (see page 83). It involves treatments such as sealing shoulders, wide centre lines and audio tactile line marking to attain a safer road cross section on the State’s Highway and Main Roads regional and rural road network.

As at 2018, the WA Government had applied safety treatments to more than 1,465 km (8%) of the State’s Highway and Main Roads regional and rural road network. The first phase of a significant regional road safety upgrade program was announced in 2020.

Next steps

Proponent to identify initiatives and develop options (Stage 2 of Infrastructure Australia’s Assessment Framework).