A 37-year-old man has died in a single-vehicle crash in rural Western Australia, adding to a road toll that has reached its highest level in more than a decade.
The man was driving an orange Kia Rio sedan on Fisheries Rd in Merivale, near Esperance on the state's south coast, when the car left the road and hit a tree at about 6.05am on Wednesday. He was the sole occupant and died at the scene near Savage Rd.
Investigation underway
Major Crash officers are investigating the incident. Police have urged anyone with information or dashcam footage from the area at the time to contact Crime Stoppers.
The Road Safety Commission has recorded 135 fatalities on WA roads in 2026, the highest number for this point of the year in more than a decade.
Recent tragedies
This latest death follows a head-on crash in Hamelin Pool near Shark Bay on Monday morning, which killed two drivers aged 45 and 60. A 12-year-old boy and a woman in her 50s were seriously injured in that collision, which involved a RAM utility towing a caravan and a Toyota LandCruiser. Both remain in hospital in a stable condition.
WA Police Commissioner Col Blanch said Major Crash is investigating whether one of the vehicles drifted into the wrong lane.
Government response
Premier Roger Cook said on Tuesday that the government is investing in road infrastructure upgrades and education programs to reduce the toll. "We've got significant investment in new technology to make sure that we can impress upon people the importance of abiding by the road rules and as I've always said we need the community to play its part as well," he said.
