WA Motorcyclists Face Hefty Fines for Ignoring Safety

By Rhiannon Lise-Lisseman Motorcyclists will face increased fines starting this Queen’s Birthday long weekend after new penalties are put into place for WA drivers. The modified penalties include increased fines for speeding, not wearing seatbelts and using mobile phones while driving. Other new penalties will see motorcyclists fined $550 and lose 4 demerit points if they’re caught not wearing helmets. Motorcyclists Adam Edwards and Adam Diminic said the fines are huge but motorcyclists’ safety should be a priority without law enforcement. “It should be common sense to be safe, not have safety enforced by fines and penalties,” said Mr Diminic. “Riding without a helmet is a sure way to die,” said Mr Edwards. Mr Diminic doesn’t think the new penalties coming into effect during the double demerits period will encourage motor cyclists to be safer. “It’s just going to make people more angry and aggressive if they get caught,” he said. The law states that a person cannot drive a motor cycle unless the person wears a protective helmet and this includes any other person riding or being carried on the motor cycle. The Office of Road Safety’s instructions to motorcyclists are clear: “Pillion passengers should be as well protected as you are, as their needs are the same.” From 2003 to 2012 there were more than 3,500 motorcyclists killed or seriously injured on WA roads, as reported by the Office of Road Safety. Double demerits are in place this long weekend from Friday 26^th through to 11.59pm Monday 29^th of September. The 14 page list of modified penalties can be found on the Office of Road Safety website.