Top cop pleads for road caution after horror 12 hours

Two people are now dead in separate crashes on the South Western Highway, with the region’s top cop pleading for caution after a horror 12 hours.

The carnage started last 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 – also on South Western Highway – in Glen Iris 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.

The male driver of the other car involved was taken to Bunbury Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and is under police guard.

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.”

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

Police are calling on anyone who saw a red 1978 Ford Transit van and 2007 Volvo Prime Mover before the Waterloo crash to come forward.

The crash occurred near Waterloo Road about 9.15pm yesterday.

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