Police see red over ‘rollers’

Traffic police have condemned the behaviour of drivers who continue to flout stop signs across Albany, putting their safety and that of others at risk.

TheAlbany Advertiser surveyed three busy stop signs which were identified by readers as some of the worst junctions for driver behaviour in Albany, with one in two drivers failing to stop.

The three troublesome stop sign intersections identified were the T-junction of Hardie Road and Angove Road, the Collie-Grey Street intersection, and the notorious Albany Highway-South Coast Highway crossing.

TheAdvertiser observed 100 cars passing through each of the intersections.

The Albany Highway-South Coast Highway crossing was last year ranked as the riskiest in regional WA and ninth in WA last year following the RAC Risky Roads survey.

Police have regularly said the number of crashes at the junction were down to drivers not taking due care.

Last year, close to 250 crashes had occurred at the intersection in the previous five years. In a 30-minute period, 19 out of 100 drivers were observed failing to stop at the sign.

Startling figures were recorded at Angove Road in Spencer Park, where 54 drivers on Hardie Road failed to stop appropriately in 30 minutes during a busy school time.

In the same period at the Collie Street-Grey Street intersection the following day, 56 drivers out of 100 failed to stop and rolled past the sign.

Great Southern police traffic enforcement Sergeant Andrew Norton said drivers were required by law to come to a complete stop or risk facing a $300 fine and loss of three demerit points.

He said too many drivers had the tendency to roll through the intersection if no traffic was visible, or continue with other cars when traffic became banked up.

Sgt Norton said that was an accident waiting to happen.

“It’s a very dangerous act, the stop sign is there for a reason,” he said.

“It is a trend, without doubt.

“Usually their defence is not understanding what they have actually done is against the law.

“That’s what catches most people out.”

Sgt Norton said the major focus of traffic officers was on offences which led to fatal crashes such as speeding, drink-driving, seatbelts and inattention.

But police would issue infringement notices if the act was witnessed, he said.

Angove Road/Hardie Road, Spencer Park: 54 out of 100 drivers failed to stop.

Collie Street/Grey Street, Albany: 56 out of 100 drivers failed to stop.

South Coast Hwy/Albany Hwy, Orana: 19 out of 100 drivers failed to stop.