Kimberley’s serious road injury and fatality rate second highest in WA

The Kimberley has the second-highest rate of serious injury and death resulting from car crashes in the State, recording 35 fatalities between 2020 and 2024, according to data from the Road Safety Commission.

The data released in July, shows there were 925 reported crashes in the Kimberley during that period with 17 per cent of them resulting in serious injury or death.

The rate equates to 110.5 people being killed or seriously injured per 100,000, the highest rate in WA after the Wheatbelt which recorded a rate of 204.8 pert 100,000 over the same time period.

Some 60 percent of people involved in the crashes were male, with 51 per cent being aged between 20 to 29 years of age.

A majority of crashes, some 51 per cent, occurred on 110km/h sections of road with 29 per cent also recording speed as a contributing factor to the crash.

In 28 per cent of the crashes occupants were not wearing a seatbelt.

The Australian Road Safety Foundation has released new rural road fatality data as part of Rural Road Safety Month this month.

According to the data, drivers are being complacent on rural roads with 29 per cent admitting to relaxing their safety standards when outside cities.

Some 34 per cent of WA drivers confessed to breaking road rules while driving regionally with 22 per cent of those believing it was safe to do so.

Speeding was the most common with 42 per cent of drivers admitting they had sped on rural roads, followed by driving while fatigued and using a mobile phone.

ARSF founder and chair Russell White, said the findings stressed the urgent need for ongoing education and awareness that targets driver attitudes directly.

“These statistics aren’t just numbers — they represent choices. Every time someone picks up their phone, speeds, or skips a rest break, they’re making a decision that could cost a life,” Mr White said.

“With more than eight in 10 Western Australians (84 per cent) using regional roads — and more than 4 in 10 (46 per cent) doing so at least monthly — the message is clear: rural road safety isn’t just a regional issue, it’s a Statewide responsibility.”

“The good news is that our research also showed the potential for real change — change that could prevent mothers, fathers, partners, friends, and children from losing a loved one,” he said.

“The data shows that education works. People respond to reminders, stories, and signs — so our goal for Rural Road Safety Month is to ensure those messages are seen, heard, and felt in the moments that matter,” Mr White added.

WA Police have also been cracking down on unsafe driving in the North West.

Between July 30 and August 27, WA Police conducted a regional road safety operation in the Mid West-Gascoyne, Pilbara and Kimberley.

During the operation,440 motorists were issued infringements, including 173 speeding tickets.

Other offences included 150 unlicensed vehicles offences, 16 driving without authority offences, 15 for impaired driving offences and 10 using a mobile phone while driving offences.

The operation also found more than 90 drivers driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and 18 vehicles were impounded.

Commander of road policing Mike Peters says addressing unsafe road-user behaviour was a key priority for the Western Australia Police Force.

“The North West of our State experiences a significant increase of visitors between April and August each year, which increases the potential for serious traffic crashes,” he said.

“The infringements given over this operation directly correlate to ‘the fatal five’ — offences which we know are overrepresented in serious and fatal crashes in our State.

“Road policing command will continue to work as hard as we can in the enforcement space to ensure people are safe on our roads.”