19/3/02
As part of the State Government's ongoing road safety strategy, drivers who commit traffic offences over Easter and long weekends will lose twice the number of demerit points.
Road Safety Minister Michelle Roberts welcomed the new initiative - which will operate on a trial basis - in a bid to save the lives of more Western Australians.
"Easter and long weekends are traditional blackspots on the road safety calendar with more deaths and serious injuries than any other time of the year," Mrs Roberts said.
"Last Easter, six people died and there were 25 serious injuries. Their families and friends are now bearing the emotional trauma of losing a loved one at a time of the year when people should be enjoying themselves."
Mrs Roberts said demerit points for speeding, drink driving and seatbelt offences would be doubled during these times, but the fines would not increase.
"This is not a revenue-raising exercise, but rather another program to make our roads safe and secure for all Western Australians," she said.
"We are always investigating strategies to encourage people to take ownership of controlling the road toll and double demerits will ensure drivers spend more time thinking about their actions."
Mrs Roberts said the double demerit system was the latest initiative in the State Government's wide-ranging road safety program, which had included the introduction of a 50kmh limit, a ban on drivers using hand-held mobile phones and boosting the funding to remove traffic blackspots.
The Minister said a comprehensive advertising campaign to alert drivers to the introduction of Double Demerits this Easter would begin tomorrow. Further campaigns would be held in the lead-up to the five other long weekend periods.
"When a similar program was introduced in NSW in 1997, the State saw an immediate decrease in fatal crashes in holiday periods of some 28 per cent," she said.
"We hope to achieve similar results over our trial period, which will conclude following Easter next year."
Police enforcement will begin on Thursday, March 28 through to Monday, April 1 (inclusive) for Easter 2002.
Minister's office: 9213 6600
