Major road rule change to combat deadly issue in Australian first
Western Australia is shaping up to see its deadliest year on the roads in a decade, experts say, calling for a major reduction in speed limits.
Thousands of roads could soon see significant speed limit reductions under a new trial aimed at curbing the skyrocketing rate of road fatalities in one Australian state. If approved next month, the scheme would see the limit changed on almost 2000 roads, with a focus on regional areas.
In Western Australia, road fatalities soared in 2024. By mid-year, the state recorded 102 deaths on its roads, marking a substantial increase over previous years and suggesting that 2024 might be one of the most deadly years in a decade.
The state's regional roads are particularly dangerous, with up to 60 per cent of these deaths occurring outside metropolitan areas. It's a growing problem road authorities have scrambled to combat, and they say reducing speed limits around the state is a good start.
In December, the Shire of Augusta Margaret River and City of Busselton councils will vote on whether to reduce speed limits on 1800 roads between the two LGAs — 550 in the Shire and 1250 roads in the City — which would take effect from early 2025. It's understood the first-of-its-kind trial would operate for three years to fully determine the success of the changes.
The trail would operate in partnership between the two local governments and Royal Automobile Club of Western Australia (RAC), who heavily back the move. Speaking to Yahoo News Australia, RAC General Manager External Relations Will Golsby said the trial would "measure the extent lower speed limits help save lives" and prevent serious injuries on local roads.
Data suggests speed limit reductions will save lives
Speed limit reductions would vary depending on the area, with limits in locations with high pedestrian activity — such as the Busselton and Augusta town centres, and residential streets across all townships — set to be decreased from 50 kilometres per hour to 40.
Sealed roads west of Bussell Highway with existing speed limits between 80km/h and 110km/h, from Wonnerup to Cape Leeuwin are proposed to be reduced to 70km/h and 80km/h. Roads through built-up areas, including the Bussell Highway through Busselton and Bayview Drive entering Gracetown with a current speed limit of 60km/h and 70km/h are proposed to drop to 50km/h and 60km/h.
Golsby said there's "strong evidence from Australia and around the world" that speed limit reductions lead to a substantial decrease in road deaths and serious injuries. "According to the WA Road Safety Commission, speed continues to be a leading factor in WA road trauma," he told Yahoo.
"The South West region has experienced significant population growth and continues to be a popular destination to visit, which means there are more people using these roads than ever before.
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"Between 2019 and 2023, 195 people were killed or seriously injured on roads in the City of Busselton and Shire of Augusta Margaret River. This represents one of the highest figures in regional WA."
The topic of speed reductions in WA is one that has gathered steam this year, with Yahoo News Australia earlier reporting on a previous pushback in August.
Experts push for change in Western Australia
WA Centre for Road Safety Research director Teresa Senserrick called for a decrease in the default speed on outback roads in the state, which is currently 110km/h — among the highest limits in the world. The West Aussie says she'd like to see that figure drop in WA first, but argues the rest of the country could benefit from reduced limits too.
"When the country changed from miles per hour to kilometres per hour, all the states and territories rounded their default speed limit on rural roads to 100 — except WA and the NT," she earlier told Yahoo.
"Modelling shows that the one decision has resulted in hundreds of lives lost, and thousands of injuries on our roads that could have been avoided."
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