Council & Politics
30 July, 2025
MP urges action to improve highway safety
LABOR MP Martha Haylett has called on her government to take urgent steps to improve safety on the Western Highway.
It follows another fatality on the highway between Ararat and Buangor last Friday.
Emergency services were called to an accident at Warrak just after 5pm.
A car and a truck collided on the highway killing the female driver of the car.
The male truck driver was treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
It’s the third death on the highway between Ararat and Buangor this year.
Ms Haylett this week wrote to the Minister for Transport Infrastructure Gabrielle Williams and the Minister for Road Safety Melissa Horne urging action.
“This stretch of road is considered one of the most dangerous in Australia, with three lives lost between Buangor and Ararat this year alone,” Ms Haylett wrote.
“The frequency of fatal collisions is having a profound impact on our emergency services, as well as the Ararat community more broadly.”
In her letter, Ms Haylett said until work to duplicate the highway commences, other measures need to be considered.
“While we await construction of the Western Highway Upgrade in this area to begin, the road remains extremely dangerous for motorists,” she wrote.
“I urge you to both consider any immediate road safety improvements that can be made whilst we await construction of the highway duplication to begin.
“We must do all we can to improve road safety between Buangor and Ararat so that no more lives are lost,” Ms Haylett wrote.
Nationals Member for Lowan Emma Kealy delays to the duplication of the highway are clearly costing lives.
“The Labor Government need to come out and see first hand why this road is so dangerous and needs to be duplicated.
“They should meet with families who have lost loved ones on this highway, they should meet with the first responders who have to provide support to people who’ve been in these horrendous accidents, to the people who are pulling over after seeing these accidents occur and holding onto the hand of and being the last person who looks them in the eye as they die in another fatality on our roads.
“It must be addressed, it can’t be ignored and treated as a political football, this highway should have been duplicated a decade ago. It’s up to the government to fund it, finish it and start saving Victorian lives on our roads,” Ms Kealy said.
Investigations are ongoing into the circumstances of last Friday’s collision.
Anyone who witnessed the incident, has dashcam/CCTV footage or information
is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.