Skip to player
Skip to main content
Skip to footer
Search
Connect
Watch fullscreen
Like
Comments
Bookmark
Share
Add to Playlist
Report
Authorities in WA urge swimmers, motorists to take care over Australia Day long weekend
ABC NEWS (Australia)
Follow
1/24/2025
Water users and motorists have been urged to take extra care this Australia Day long weekend. It comes after a spate of drownings and fatal road crashes across WA over the summer.
Category
📺
TV
Transcript
Display full video transcript
00:00
A plea to keep safe on the water this long weekend.
00:06
What we know on Australia Day weekend is that you're four times more likely to drown than
00:10
any other weekend.
00:11
So it's important that people do stop, assess the conditions before they go into the water.
00:17
The warning comes after 11 drownings in Western Australia so far this summer, including two
00:22
deaths in one day at Lake Leshenaltia and Bremer Bay.
00:26
Hundreds have also been rescued from the water, a massive increase compared to the same time
00:31
last year.
00:32
Well, 222 rescues last weekend really does paint the picture of the sort of conditions
00:37
we've been experiencing and how it can cause rips to form at beaches, which is one of the
00:42
most dangerous things that people encounter.
00:44
The safety message extending to road users.
00:47
We're urging all motorists to drive to the conditions, to take their time getting where
00:52
they're going, to not speed and just be generally courteous to other motorists out there on
00:58
the road.
00:59
And skippers over the long weekend.
01:01
We want people out on Australia Day enjoying themselves, but more importantly, coming home
01:06
safely.
01:07
I'm just going to require a sample of your breath for analysis.
01:10
It's the first Australia Day Department of Transport officers will have the power to
01:14
conduct drug and alcohol testing on the water.
01:17
Tragically, this has been a particularly busy summer.
01:20
We have already had a number of fatalities on our waterways, and even over the last two
01:24
years, those incidents have increased compared to previous, and many of them have actually
01:29
involved drugs and or alcohol.
01:32
Authorities working together to help keep everyone safe.
Recommended
0:24
|
Up next
Crystal Papali'i strip and score
The Canberra Times
3 days ago
0:52
NSW Police remind Aussies about the importance of water safety
Australian Community Media
1/5/2023
1:24
Deadly Easter long weekend with multiple drownings
Australian Community Media
4/21/2025
1:00
BOM issues severe weather warning as storm causes flooding in Perth's north.
Australian Community Media
4/12/2024
0:56
Emergency crews work in flood waters as outback Australia drenched
AFP English
4/1/2025
1:45
Police urge jetskiers to take caution after surge in potentially deadly on-water incidents
ABC NEWS (Australia)
1/9/2025
1:26
‘If it’s flooded, forget it': never drive through floodwaters
Australian Community Media
3/11/2025
1:41
One dead, thousands of Australians urged to evacuate as Queensland battles floods
The Star
2/2/2025
1:51
Flood rescues and blackouts after 24 hours of heavy rain in Adelaide
ABC NEWS (Australia)
6/23/2023
1:47
Australia urges people to flee as fires set to surge at weekend
KiniTV
1/3/2020
1:00
Police implore QLD kids to not play in floodwater after teen gets sucked into drain
Australian Community Media
12/19/2024
0:55
Sailor rescued off Aussie coastline after battering by wild weather
Australian Community Media
7/10/2023
0:48
Crocodile caught lurking in floodwater in Queensland town
The Independent
12/18/2023
1:00
Wrecked Car Washes Away While Road Floods in Australian Town
Jukin Media
3/23/2021
2:18
NSW Police find man’s body in flooded car in Glenorie
ABC NEWS (Australia)
3/24/2021
1:42
Australia floods: Death toll rises to 4, tens of thousands stranded
The Star
5/23/2025
3:19
Thousands of residents on standby to evacuate homes
ABC NEWS (Australia)
3/23/2021
2:19
Flood rescues and blackouts after 24 hours of heavy rain
ABC NEWS (Australia)
6/23/2023
1:09
Torrential flooding in Sydney prompts thousands to evacuate
AccuWeather
7/5/2022
0:59
Rescued Aussies from capsized Indonesian boat share ‘thank you’ message
Australian Community Media
8/18/2023
3:16
Severe warnings for southern NSW, Northeast Victoria and Tasmania
ABC NEWS (Australia)
1/17/2024
2:54
NSW SES & BoM update as heavy rain and winds batter NSW
Australian Community Media
today
6:28
Victorian childcare employee charged
Australian Community Media
today
0:37
AFP extradition at Canberra Airport
The Canberra Times
today
9:32
PROFILES | Sa Profiles, kilalanin natin si Joy Dacoron ang Middle Blocker ng Petro Gazz Angel
PTVPhilippines
today