Great Southern traffic cop David Johnston urges drivers to arrive alive these holidays

Drivers are being urged to slow down and take care on Great Southern roads these holidays as the double demerit period rapidly approaches.

Great Southern traffic district co-ordinator Acting Sgt David Johnston said he was focused on minimising road trauma these holidays.

“We want people to be responsible behind the wheel,” he said.

“The aim is to keep everyone safe and we just want everyone to have a safe and happy Christmas.”

Sgt Johnston urged motorists to be considerate of other people on the road.

“The roads are going to be very, very busy,” he said.

“Sometimes people get impatient and we see things like people overtaking on the highways when maybe they shouldn’t.

“Everybody’s busy and we all want to get to where we want to get to, and sometimes people place their personal needs above the safety of other road users.

“But we’ll be out there — we’ll be in marked cars, we’ll be in unmarked cars.

“The speed camera will be out and we’ll be there trying to get people to do the right thing.”

Police will be targeting speeders, drivers impaired by drugs or alcohol, distracted drivers, people not wearing seat belts, and people driving without a licence.

The warning comes after a man in his 30s died on Mercer Road, near the intersection of Talyuberlup Way, about 8.15am on December 7.

The man’s silver Toyota Kluger rolled and caught fire, killing the man who was the sole occupant of the vehicle and sparking a small scrub fire.

A 64-year-old man died a day later near Denmark on December 8 after his motorcycle crashed into a wall and tree on Scotsdale Road.

And a woman in her 50s died after her Holden Captiva collided with a blue Scania truck about 11.40am on December 8 in Nippering, between Wagin and Dumbleyung.

The driver of the Scania truck, a man in his 30s, was unharmed.

The three road fatalities have contributed to a State total of 178 — 30 more than in 2023.

In regional WA alone, there have been 101 road fatalities in 2024.

Double demerits come into force on December 20 at 12.01am until 11.59pm on January 5, 2025.

Road Trauma Support WA 1800 004 814