Deaths prompt simple message from top cop

A horror week on South West roads has prompted a candid and emotional plea from the region’s top cop ahead of Christmas.

The carnage started on Thursday night when a 35-year-old man was killed after the van he was driving collided with a truck on South Western Highway in Waterloo.

Tragedy struck again on Friday morning when a head-on collision in Glen Iris – also on South Western Highway – killed a man in his 50s.

A second person in the vehicle, a woman aged in her 50s, was rushed to Bunbury Hospital with serious injuries before she was transferred to Royal Perth Hospital.

Major Crash officers are investigating both incidents and calling on information from the public.

South West Supt Mick Sutherland said the message was still not getting through to drivers and the flow-on effects from both crashes would be felt into the holiday period.

“That’s two people who won’t be at the Christmas table next week,” Supt Sutherland said.

“Two fatalities in 24 hours is unacceptable.”

Supt Sutherland said the lessons to be learnt were still around driver behaviour – such as speeding, distraction, mobile phones and drink driving – but people were also under a false sense of security while behind the wheel.

“It comes back to the fact that cars are lethal weapons,” he said.

“Unfortunately people get a sense of security in a car, they think they’re always safe and their personal behaviour to act safely and be vigilant seems to drop off.

“The flow-on effects of these crashes are life-altering for families and the community.”

Police are calling on anyone who saw the vehicles involved in the Waterloo crash – a red 1978 Ford Transit van and 2007 Volvo Prime Mover – to contact them.

The crash occurred near Waterloo Road about 9.15pm Thursday.

A male driver of the other car involved in the Glen Iris crash was taken to Bunbury Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and yesterday remained under police guard.

Police on Sunday put out another call for information after an 86-year-old man died as a result of a crash four days earlier in Bridgetown.

The man’s car collided with a truck near the intersection of Hester Road and Great Southern Highway about 3.30pm on Wednesday. The man was taken to hospital where he later died.

Anyone with information can contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.