On Sunday, November 19 families of road accident victims came together at an event in Fremantle to remember those who lost their lives on WA roads.
Joining the families and those impacted by road trauma at the Fremantle Sailing Club was Road Safety Minister Michelle Roberts.
Unfortunately, Collie roads have seen many accidents over the years, including fatalities. Young Collie woman Lauren Jackson, who lost her brother in May last year spoke at the event.
World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims is commemorated on the third Sunday of November to remember the millions killed and injured in road crashes each year.
In WA, the event is coordinated by Road Trauma WA, the state’s only dedicated service supporting Western Australians impacted by road trauma.
On average, about 1200 people lose their lives on Australian roads and more than 30,000 are seriously injured.
In addition to the massive emotional and physical toll suffered by families and communities, road trauma is estimated to cost the country $27 billion a year.
Men aged between 18-24 and drivers in remote and regional WA continue to be over-represented in road crash data.
Speed, drink and drug driving, fatigue, failure to wear seatbelts and distraction remain the leading causes of death and injury on our roads.
Ms Roberts said that far too often we dealt with numbers and statistics when talking about deaths and injuries on our roads.
“What we don’t always see is the devastating impact that road trauma has on thousands of WA families each year and the personal stories behind those headlines,” she said.
She thanked emergency service workers for their tireless work and recognised the impact road trauma had on them.
“Road safety is everyone’s responsibility and if we all make a commitment to drive so others survive, then we can work together to reduce death and injury on our roads and prevent more families experiencing the tragedy of road trauma,” Ms Roberts said.