The Department of Main Roads and WA Police are urging drivers to respect the road rules as travel restrictions between regions are eased.
Minister for Road Safety, Michelle Roberts said the partial lifting of regional travel restrictions was expected to result in significantly higher traffic volumes on both metropolitan and regional roads, as people were now permitted to travel for non-essential reasons such as visiting friends and family.
“Motorists are urged to plan their journey, stay focused and remain patient, as some people take to the roads for the first time in many weeks,” Ms Roberts said.
“Restrictions on travel to biosecurity zones and remote communities remain in place for now.”
She said the current year-to-date’s number of road fatalities was the lowest in more than a decade.
There were seven road deaths recorded in April, compared to 16 fatalities recorded in April 2019 and 21 in April 2018, she said.
“It’s natural that after several weeks of lockdown, Western Australians will want to visit friends, loved ones or just simply go for a drive,” Ms Roberts said.
“There will be a lot more traffic on the road and for some, it may have been a while since they have got behind the wheel.”
She said people had done a fantastic job abiding by the intrastate travel restrictions to help halt the spread of COVID-19.
“Let’s continue to do the right thing, be courteous and respectful of other road users, abide by the road rules and make sure your journey is a safe one,” the Minister said.
