Tragedy Strikes During Easter Long Weekend
An 11-year-old boy has died after being hit while riding his push scooter in Mandurah, marking a tragic end to a series of fatalities across the Easter long weekend. The incident has left the community in shock and raised concerns about road safety.
Emergency services responded to reports of a collision between a scooter and a blue Mazda station wagon on Mandurah Terrace near Stewart Street at around 5:10 pm on Monday. The young scooter rider sustained critical injuries and was taken to Peel Health Campus, where he later passed away.
The 46-year-old driver of the Mazda stopped at the scene and assisted police with their investigation. This incident is part of a grim tally of five deaths that occurred over the long-weekend period, from Thursday evening to Monday night.
A Week of Tragic Incidents
On April 2, two deadly incidents occurred in the Perth Hills region just five minutes apart, while a third happened later that night in Derby in the state’s north. At about 4:25 pm, a silver Ford F-150 utility vehicle collided with an off-road motorbike on Albany Highway, between Admiral and Narbethong roads in Bedfordale. The motorbike rider, a 14-year-old boy, died at the scene, while the 19-year-old ute driver was not injured.
Only five minutes later and 20 kilometres north, a 30-year-old man crashed his Harley Davidson motorcycle while traveling south along Kingsbury Drive in Jarrahdale. He also died at the scene.
Five hours later in Derby, an 18-year-old woman died after the 4WD she was a passenger in with three other people rolled. At 9:45 pm, their white Nissan Patrol rolled on the mudflats alongside Rowan Street. Two 17-year-old male passengers and the 19-year-old male driver escaped injury. The driver helped police with their investigation.
Additional Fatalities
Just after midnight on Monday, emergency services attended a crash scene in Como just after midnight on Monday, after a red Ford Falcon sedan hit a tree. The sedan was driving on Hayman Road when the driver lost control of the vehicle, left the road, and crashed into a tree. The 35-year-old male passenger was taken to Royal Perth Hospital with critical injuries, where he later died. The 45-year-old male driver was also taken to RPH with serious injuries.
These latest fatalities bring the state’s road toll to 50 for the year. Opposition road safety minister Julie Freeman expressed deep concern over the Easter long-weekend, calling it “marked by tragedy.” She emphasized that every life lost on our roads is one too many, and behind every statistic is a devastated family and a community changed forever.
Freeman highlighted that Easter should be a time for reflection and connection, but for too many Western Australians, it has become a time marked by tragedy. She pointed out the growing number of motorcycle-related deaths and injuries as particularly concerning.
Vulnerable Road Users
“Motorcyclists are among our most vulnerable road users, and we are seeing them increasingly represented in serious crashes, especially on regional roads and in recreational settings,” she said. “The rise in trail bikes and e-motorbikes, particularly among younger riders, adds another layer of risk that cannot be ignored.”
Ongoing Concerns
The incidents have sparked discussions about road safety measures and the need for increased awareness, especially during holidays when more people are on the roads. As the community mourns the loss of lives, there is a growing call for action to prevent further tragedies.
