SPEED and failure to wear a seatbelt are the leading causes of serious injuries on local roads, according to recent data released in the South West Region Local Road Crash Report.
Local police confirmed the two factors were a major issue.
First Class Constable Mike Danks said there were concerns about local people getting complacent when driving from home to the shops.
“It’s not just journeys to Perth you need to worry about, as soon as you pull out on the road, anything can happen,” he said.
He said driver inattention and attention to signs were also a problem.
“Plan ahead and leave earlier, you shouldn’t need to be doing 140kph down the highway,” he said.
He said speeding fines had increased recently, some as much as $100-200.
The release of the crash report has sparked a renewed commitment from Donnybrook’s Road Safety Committee, the Shire and community members to raise community awareness to share the responsibility of keeping our roads safe.
The Road Safety Committee has been focusing on educating the community about the impact speed has on road safety.
However, Donnybrook-Balingup Shire Councillor Bernie Dawson commented at last week’s Committee Meeting that while he knew speed was a great concern on the roads, he had been unaware seat belts were an issue.
“It astonishes me that belting up as soon as you get into a car is not automatic, it’s like cleaning your teeth, everyone knows the benefits of it and there should be no hesitation in doing so,” he said.
In recent years the Shire has put in place bin stickers and radar speed detection signs to help raise awareness for the need to reduce speed. The committee will soon be launching a new project to support the “Worth holding onto, belt up” message.
To determine the impact that these projects have had on community members and to collect further community input, a road safety survey is available on the Donnybrook-Balingup Shire website.