Drivers need to be alert to ‘vulnerable’ motorcyclists, Roger Cook says as four killed in horrific weekend

Roger Cook has urged drivers to be aware of motorcyclists after a horrific weekend saw four riders killed in separate crashes. As the State reeled from the seven fatal crashes over the weekend — pushing the annual road toll to 173 — Mr Cook described the incidents as “one of the most horrific weekends in WA’s history”. Of the seven deaths between Friday night and Sunday, four were motorcyclists, bringing the total toll for the year for riders to 38 — the highest at this time of year in more than a decade. They include three men aged over 60 crashing their Harley Davidson bikes in a 24-hour period. A fourth motorcyclist, a man in his 20s, was killed when his Yamaha crashed into a silver Mercedes in Padbury late on Friday night. “We do know that road cyclists are at extra level of danger on the roads because they are vulnerable,” the Premier said. “They can move quickly and they can manoeuvre quickly, and as a result of that, that sometimes puts them at an extra level of danger. “Everyone (needs) to make sure that you take care and for motorists, keep a lookout for motorcyclists — they can come into your line of sight or in the line of your vehicle at a blink of an eye. So it’s important that everyone is alert.” Repeating previous pleas for drivers to be safe on the road, and not speed, drive while impaired, distracted or fatigued, and to wear seat belts, the Premier said West Australians were clearly frustrated and dismayed by the soaring road toll. Despite the deaths, Mr Cook said he believed the Government’s messaging was working. “We’re all aware of how important it is to keep each other safe and and we’ve made the investments necessary for that, but still, we see this alarming rate of deaths on our roads,” he said. “These statistics are horrific, behind those stats is grief, there’s loss, there’s pain, and I’m just pleading with all Western Australians, particularly in the couple of weeks ahead, leading up to Christmas, please take extra care on our roads.” Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson said the increasing road toll was putting more pressure on the State’s only trauma centre at Royal Perth Hospital. “They are a world-class trauma centre, but that does put pressure on the hospital system, and those clinicians don’t want to see more patients coming through their doors,” she said. “I don’t think there’s any one particular cause of of these accidents, as we know, the drivers are complex and many. “What we know is that everyone needs to take responsibility, not only for getting themselves home safely, but letting other people get home safely too.”