Tragedy Strikes Western Australia Over Easter Weekend
Western Australia has been hit by a series of tragic road accidents over the Easter long weekend, with three people, including a 14-year-old boy, losing their lives in separate crashes. The incidents have raised urgent concerns about road safety and prompted strong warnings from authorities.
The first incident occurred on Thursday afternoon when a silver Ford F-150 utility vehicle collided with an off-road motorbike on Albany Highway between Admiral and Narbethong roads in Bedfordale. The rider, a 14-year-old boy, died at the scene. The 19-year-old driver of the ute was not injured.
Just five minutes later and 20 kilometres north, a 30-year-old man crashed his Harley Davidson motorcycle while travelling south along Kingsbury Drive in Jarrahdale. He also died at the scene.
Later that evening, at 9:45 pm, an 18-year-old woman died after the white Nissan Patrol she was a passenger in rolled on the mudflats alongside Rowan Street in Derby. The 4WD had four occupants at the time. Two 17-year-old male passengers and the 19-year-old male driver escaped injury. The driver is assisting police with their investigation.
Anyone with dash-cam or vision relating to the Derby crash can upload it here, the Bedfordale crash here and Jarrahdale crash here.
Road Toll Rises as Authorities Urge Caution
These latest fatalities bring the state’s road toll to 48 for the year. Despite a week of intensive pleas from authorities ahead of Easter, the tragic events have highlighted the ongoing risks of unsafe driving.
Road Policing Commander Mike Peters expressed his deep concern over the loss of life. “Behind every statistic is a person who should still be here, and a family whose lives have been changed forever,” he said. “While we recognise the profound loss being experienced this weekend, we are also very clear about our expectations of drivers.”
Peters outlined several well-known risks that continue to cost lives on Western Australian roads. These include speeding, drink and drug driving, distraction, and failure to wear seatbelts. “Police are out in force across the state. We are highly visible, highly targeted, and we are actively enforcing the law. If you choose to take risks, you should expect to be detected and dealt with,” he added.
He also highlighted the importance of the long weekend double demerits period, which is in place to save lives. “They exist because the consequences of unsafe driving are severe and irreversible. Enforcement saves lives, and we will not apologise for holding people to account,” he said.
Government Commitment to Zero Road Toll
Road Safety Minister Reece Whitby has set a clear goal of achieving a “zero Easter road toll” this year. This follows five fatalities in 2025 and six in 2024. “We’re going all out to achieve that; every available police officer will be on the road,” he said. “There will be that concentration in the so-called ‘arc of influence’ around Perth into the regions where people are going to be on the roads.”
WA Police have also reported encountering significant bad behaviour on the roads in the lead-up to Easter. On Wednesday morning, they caught a 17-year-old boy driving 177 kilometres an hour in a 70 km/h zone in Connolly. His vehicle was impounded. On Thursday evening, they caught a High Wycombe man riding his motorbike at 166 km/h in a 60 km/h zone on Beechboro Road North.
