WA Police and Edith Cowan University are joining forces to solve a traffic problem that seemingly occurs every other day in Perth - the car versus house crash.
The research project, led by ECU Associate Professor Pamela Henry along with officers from the WA Police State Traffic Operation Unit, will investigate the full range of factors that contributed to car versus house crashes from 2004 to 2014 in a study that is believe to be the first of its kind in Australia.
Traffic Enforcement Commander Alf Fordham said the research was an important part of preventing serious and sometimes fatal crashes.
"If we are going to be effective in the way in which we target causal factors of crashes it is important to have a thorough understanding of what causal factors were involved in similar crashes in the past," he said.
"By working closely with research professionals at Edith Cowan University we will gain an insight into these crashes by a fresh set of eyes.
"Some of the research outcomes may influence road safety education strategies, others may influence the way in which police enforcement activities are undertaken.
"It may even be the case that road design, markings, or signage are identified as re-occurring factors.
"It is vital that we go into this research with an open mind, and look at each recommendation on a case by case basis."
Ms Henry said a preliminary investigation into the issue would take six months but the research project would be ongoing.
"That six-month preliminary investigation, I would imagine that will raise as many questions as answers," she said.
"We know there has been a perceived increase in car versus house crashes, so we are going through police case files to see if that is actually the case or just a perception, if there has been a real increase."
"We are hoping to collaborate with other policing jurisdictions so we can compare the WA experience to an area such as Queensland.
"Obviously WA Police have their own statistics; what we want to do is go through case files and actually build a database that allows us to look in greater detail at a range of factors such as age and gender.
"It's a complex issue, causes might be speed, drink and drug driving or distraction, but underneath that there are risky behaviours underpinned by a poor attitude to safe driving."
