Cutting speed limits on country and city roads is on the table as the McGowan Government begins a once-in-a-decade overhaul of WA’s plan to curb the State’s devastating road death toll.

The Towards Zero road safety strategy is nearing an end and the Road Safety Council said work had begun on a new plan for the next decade, involving testing “various road safety measures” to save lives on WA roads.

It recently recruited road safety adviser Martin Small — at a cost of $370,000 — to work on the WA strategy in conjunction with Adelaide University’s Centre for Automotive Safety Research

Mr Small, the vice-president of the Australasian College of Road Safety, played a key role in South Australia’s decision to cut the speed limit on more than 700km of country roads from 110km/h to 100km/h.

He this week told The Sunday Times many roads were not safe enough to warrant the high speed limits they carry.

“Some roads in Australia are quite safe at 110km/h,” he said.

“However, relatively speaking, very few roads are safe at this speed because it typically requires restricting access, roadside and central barriers, and flyovers at every junction.

“This is not always a practical design and would be prohibitively costly across a main road network in regional Australia. Whether in regional or urban areas, safe speed limits should match the design and function of the road, and the capability of vehicles to protect all road users in the event of driver error.”

Camera Icon A nine-year-old girl died after a crash in Esperance earlier this year. Credit: WA Police

So far this year 153 people have died on WA roads, including 97 in the country. The Sunday Times last week shared some of the stories of the devastated families left behind.

Mr Small said SA’s results in lowering speed limits from 110km/h to 100km/h were “in line with what is well proven elsewhere — a casualty reduction in the order of 20 per cent”.

That’s despite the current SA Liberal Government now planning to scrap some of the reductions and return the speed limit to 110km/h on some country roads.

As well as reduced speeds, Mr Small said he would examine other big road safety issues including alcohol, vehicle safety technology, safe road design and infrastructure improvements.

Acting WA Road Safety Commissioner Teresa Williams confirmed WA’s current strategy would be replaced, with Mr Small’s firm hired to “model the effect” that various road safety measures could have on reducing car crashes.

His fee will be paid from the Government’s Road Trauma Trust Account, which is funded through fines handed out to errant drivers.

When asked if speed limits could be cut in WA, Road Safety Minister Michelle Roberts said: “When it comes to saving lives, nothing can be off the table, but before any decisions are made, we want to make sure we consult as widely as possible.

“Because it’s a strategy for all West Australians, it’s only right that there’s an opportunity for all West Australians to have input.”

Last year, Road Safety Commissioner Ian Cameron said reducing speed limits needed to be considered in urban areas where pedestrians, cyclists and drivers can’t be separated.

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