AS part of efforts to lower the number of motorcycle fatalities in WA, Bunbury MLA John Castrilli and local police have banded together to push for legislative change.
South West Traffic officer-in-charge Sergeant Craig Clarke, in partnership with the Bunbury Region RoadWise Committee have written a letter to parliament in the hope of changing a loophole in the law.
When a driver is caught behind the wheel without a valid licence or with the incorrect class of licence they are arrested, charged and bailed to face a magistrate with their vehicle seized for 28 days.
But the current penalty for riding a motorcycle with the incorrect class of licence is a $100 on-the-spot infringement.
In a three week period in late 2014, four fatal motorcycle crashes occurred in Greater Bunbury with three riding a motorcycle more powerful than they were licenced to use.
The Bunbury Mail can reveal one of the four riders had been stopped by South West Traffic officers one week before he was killed and handed the $100 fine.
Sergeant Clarke said if the penalties were in line with other areas of the road safety act he would not have died on that day on that bike.
“We are not able to say if tougher legislation would have prevented his death but we can say that the current penalties failed to prevent his death,” Sergeant Clarke said.
Mr Castrilli said he recently met with members of the committee to discuss various road safety issues including the large amount of motorcycle riders riding with the wrong class of licence.
“There is no single, or simple, solution to the causes of motorbike crashes but I believe a combined approach of changes to legislation, along with increased rider training and motorist awareness, will help halt this unnecessary loss of lives,” he said.
“I’m concerned that current laws in WA do not reflect the seriousness of the situation with many riders using a bike bigger and more powerful than they’re qualified for.”
Mr Castrilli said he has put a proposal from the committee to Transport minister Dean Nalder to request he considers a legislative change.
“As a community we have a part to play and riders also have a responsibility to get the correct licence and know the capabilities of the machine they are in charge of.”
