Calls for higher police presence in Western Australia, with motorists admitting flouting drink driving laws
September 9, 2009
The Western Australian Opposition has called for a higher police presence on the State’s roads after a survey into road safety revealed motorists were losing confidence in authorities to keep them safe.
Shadow Minister Margaret Quirk says a Government-commissioned survey, obtained under Freedom of Information laws, shows more must be done to curb drink driving.
“The road safety survey revealed that the number of people with confidence in authorities for responsibly managing WA road safety has dropped from 66 percent in September last year to 61 percent in May this year,” Quirk says.
“I am concerned that drink driving laws are not widely understood and what comprises a standard drink is not known by many motorists.
“The fact that a quarter of those surveyed admitted to driving over or close to the legal limit in the last six months is alarming.”
Quirk took a shot at WA Police Minster Rob Johnson, saying such a large number of people admitted to drink driving due to the fact they knew police would not be present to pull them over.
“The survey suggested that police presence is a successful deterrent and if greater police presence is required to curb the disturbing trends of drink driving than [sic] that is what must be done,” she says.
“If a lack of police presence on WA roads is linked to cuts to the police budget the Police Minister has a lot of explaining to do.”