Caleb Runciman: Five Deaths and the Dangerous Driving We Must Confront After Horror Easter on WA Roads
Tell me one good reason why tailgating another driver while speeding 20km/h over the limit is justified—aside from inflating your own ego. This question looms large after a terrifying Easter long weekend on Western Australian roads, where reckless behavior turned a relaxing drive into a life-threatening ordeal.
A Perilous Journey from Perth to Busselton
From Perth to Busselton and back, I witnessed one of the worst displays of driving I have ever encountered. In a dangerous mix of P-plater hoons and distracted motorists, there were countless incidents of aggressive tailgating, unsafe overtaking, and vehicles swerving over lane markings. The round-trip unfolded against the backdrop of five tragic deaths across WA during the Easter period, highlighting a crisis on our roads.
The Tragic Toll: Five Lives Lost
The horror began on Thursday afternoon with three fatalities. Promising motocross rider Jaxxon Brinkworth, 14, died when his dirt bike collided with a Ford utility on Albany Highway. Minutes later, a 30-year-old man was killed in a motorbike crash in Jarrahdale. Hours after that, an 18-year-old woman died after being thrown from a car that rolled on mudflats near Derby; the 19-year-old driver was charged over her death.
On Monday, a 35-year-old man died after the car he was a passenger in slammed into a tree in Como on Easter Sunday. The driver was seriously injured, and police are investigating whether speed played a role. On Tuesday, first responders paid tribute to an 11-year-old boy who died after riding a push-scooter down a steep driveway at holiday apartments in Mandurah, directly into the path of oncoming traffic.
Reckless Behavior and Near-Misses
Amid this carnage, a shocking near-miss was captured on dash-cam by truck driver Andrew Cox. He filmed a white car attempting to overtake a road train by crossing a continuous double white line—an illegal act—about 20km west of Esperance. Cox, travelling at 98km/h, had to brake suddenly to avoid a collision. This incident underscores the blatant disregard for safety that pervaded the weekend.
The Four-Wheel Drive Dilemma
My journey started in bumper-to-bumper traffic in Perth and continued down the Wilman-Wadandi Highway. What stood out most was the recklessness of some members of WA’s four-wheel drive community. As a part of that community, I appreciate the joys of driving a big car—the off-road capability, the commanding view. But that does not grant a free pass to break the law.
Before this trip, I made it clear to friends and family that I despise tailgating. Unsurprisingly, minutes after hitting the road, I saw a case in point: a large four-wheel drive speeding up behind a smaller car, leaving less than a metre of space, before forcing it into the left-hand lane and wedging it between hesitant merging drivers. The notion that it’s acceptable to speed while tailgating in a big vehicle is both foolish and hazardous. Remember: speeding is illegal, even when overtaking.
Nobody cares about your lifted Nissan Patrol or the diesel fumes pumping from your exhaust. If you think another driver is incompetent, take a deep breath and put on some classical music.
A Close Call on Caves Road
After reaching Busselton safely, I planned a day-trip to Dunsborough, where I narrowly missed being involved in a serious head-on collision by minutes. A white Ford Everest travelling towards Busselton collided with a white Ford Ranger heading the opposite direction on Caves Road. The impact caused extensive damage to both vehicles’ driver sides and sent four people to hospital.
While others in my group were breathalysed or drug-tested by police, I didn’t encounter any officers—despite police estimating they stopped 10% more drivers this Easter within a 400km radius of Perth compared to last year. WA Police emphasize that community presence is key to enforcing laws and protecting road users from dangerous behavior. However, the ultimate responsibility for reducing our road toll must fall on drivers themselves.
Ignored Warnings and the Need for Change
Despite pleas for safe driving at the start of the Easter break, the message is clearly being ignored or not getting through. Five families are now left to grieve. Sadly, I believe nothing will truly influence bad drivers until someone they know is killed or seriously injured. In the meantime, for those blaming reduced speed limits on routes like Indian Ocean Drive for crashes: remind yourself why speed limits exist. Speed kills.
Road Safety Commissioner’s Statement
Amid debates about improving road safety messaging, Road Safety Commissioner Adrian Warner was unavailable for an interview but provided a written statement. He noted that the “fatal five” factors—alcohol, drugs, seatbelts and helmets, speed, and fatigue—continue to be ignored by too many drivers.
“Our warnings about the fatal five continue to fall into the ‘it can’t happen to me’ category,” he said. “But in reality, these dangerous driving behaviors, all preventable, lead to deaths and serious injuries on our roads. We can’t enforce our way to zero and we can’t engineer our roads to zero, but we will continue to educate how drivers and road users can change their behavior. Reducing your speed, removing distractions, saying no to drugs and alcohol, wearing seatbelts and helmets, and avoiding fatigue are real and actionable ways to save lives.”
Road Trauma Support: 1300 004 814.
