Editorial: What will it take to make drivers listen?

WA Police Commander Mike Bell did not mince words on Sunday.

Confronted with seven fatal road crashes over the weekend — including four motorcyclists — the boss of road traffic command was left to concede months of desperate pleas to drivers had failed to sink in.

“This week we have (more) families whose lives have changed, their communities will change, their sporting clubs, their work environments will all change,” he said.

“The message doesn’t seem to be getting through that road safety is everybody’s responsibility.

“That tells me strongly that the culture out there isn’t changing ... and I reflect on how how many of those people saw my messages.”

So far this year, 173 people have been killed on WA roads.

That’s 173 families who have had to plan a funeral, farewell a loved one and live with their loss.

It’s a figure keeping pace with the worst road toll in more than a decade. The worst since 2016, when 194 lost their lives.

Our State’s soaring annual toll has prompted a wave of concern and decisions at the highest level of government.

State ministers and senior police repeat the same message — drivers should not speed, while impaired, distracted or fatigued, and they should wear a seat belt.

And still the road toll climbs higher.

Premier Roger Cook convened an emergency road safety summit, which lead to more than $50 million in additional funding for upgrades and new police resources.

And still the road toll climbs higher.

The solution is so painfully simple it seems absurd — every driver on the road needs to take responsibility for their own behaviour.

Some drivers who read that line will think it does not include them. They are wrong.

Commander Bell revealed that during a targeted 10-hour lockdown operation at Crown Casino over the weekend, police picked up 64 positive breath tests and six positive drug wipes.

Last week, in a similar sting in Northbridge, there were 59 positive breath tests and seven positive drug wipes

With both the festive season and summer holidays, WA is coming up to one of the busiest times on our roads — and there is a risk our road toll will climb even higher.

Drivers will be tempted to drive while over the limit, or check their phone in the lead up to office shutdown, or speed to get to their next event.

The reality is no one can do any of those things in a safe way behind the wheel of the car.

“We’re three weeks out from Christmas and I suspect, unfortunately, more people will be going through this suffering,” Commander Bell said on Sunday.

There are 173 families will be contemplating the first Christmas without their loved ones at the table.

If WA drivers cannot heed the message for themselves or their families, or others on the road, they are only adding to the problem.