Safety plea to honour mum
In July, 82-year-old Maria Delores Garcia was hit by a car and killed as she attempted to cross Stirling Highway in North Fremantle, near the corner of Harvest Road, on her daily walk to the beach.
A police report on the incident has been sent to the Coroner, but her daughter Maria-Marta Garcia is convinced her mother's death could have been prevented if there had been a dedicated pedestrian crossing at the intersection.
"Mum was fit and alert," Ms Garcia said. "She crossed that road every day for a walk along the beach.
"She nearly made it to the median strip but was struck and flung about 12m. It is not the way her life should have ended."
Ms Garcia, who migrated with her family from El Salvador about 20 years ago, said the intersection was used by many elderly people and she was aware of several near misses involving pedestrians.
Many local residents believe more needs to be done to make the intersection safer.
Tony Williams said drivers were not looking for pedestrians and, too often, rolled through the stop sign on Harvest Road.
"The police should come down here for a few hours and nab the drivers who don't stop," he said.
"They would catch dozens."
Ms Garcia said she had discussed with police the possibility of installing a dedicated crossing, where pedestrians press a button to stop traffic.
She has nominated the intersection as part of the RAC's Risky Roads campaign - dubbed WA's biggest road infrastructure survey.
The RAC is asking drivers to nominate the State's most dangerous roads and intersections in the repeat of a 2011 campaign that led to improvements to WA's road network.
RAC general manager corporate affairs Will Golsby said the number of accidents involving pedestrians at the Stirling Highway-Harvest Road intersection was well above the average rate.
"The crossing infrastructure currently in place is a misaligned footpath that directs pedestrians into the intersection rather than creating a safe location for them to cross," Mr Golsby said.
"There is a nearby bowls club, which may see an increased need for pedestrians to cross the road."
A spokesman for Main Roads said that, in response to recent concerns, the existing pedestrian warning signs at the location had been relocated to "increase their conspicuousness".
The RAC survey can be accessed at www.riskyroads.com .au.
There is an option for nominations to also be sent to local members of Parliament.
Nominations close on May 22.
