The state's Road Safety Commissioner has voiced shock at a split second of "roadway lunacy" captured on camera in the most dangerous possible time and place.
His comments come as WA's road toll, which rocketed to its highest in eight years in 2016, prompted further debate on where responsibility lies: with the state, the individual or somewhere in between.
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A WA family had a narrow escape after a ute thundered down the middle of a dual carriageway in the state's Wheatbelt.
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Dashcam captures close call
A WA family had a narrow escape after a ute thundered down the middle of a dual carriageway in the state's Wheatbelt.
Year's end is notoriously dangerous and this one was no different; WA police officers attended 11 fatal crashes from mid-December to January 3.
Two were in the Wheatbelt, where fatality rates are almost seven times higher than the state rate of 7.36 deaths per 10,000 drivers.
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It was on December 20 a WA father was driving from Perth to Esperance with his wife and children.
Headed up a rise, as their dashcam recorded, they saw a pilot vehicle for a large load and then, behind it, a private passenger ute going apparently well over the 110 km/h speed limit.
"The pilot vehicle had pulled off slightly ... to prevent being rear-ended," he said.
"Even so, the truck had veered into our path and onto the other side even though there was nowhere near enough room to perform the manoeuvre. I slowed and pulled into the shoulder ... it was still a near miss."
Road Safety Commissioner Kim Papalia had that very day publicly pleaded for drivers to take care.
He had just met with residents of another Wheatbelt town devastated to lose a 16-year-old boy in Bruce Rock's fifth fatality for 2016.
Mr Papalia said the actions of the other drivers in this instance prevented the "moment of motoring madness" causing further tragedy for the region.
"This vision typifies the best and worst of driver behaviour on our roads, the arrogance of the driver of the dual-cab ute endangering not only their own life but potentially the lives of the occupants of the two other cars on the road," he said.
"[It was] at odds with the calm judgement displayed by both other drivers in moving off the carriageway."
He pointed out the road was well marked, straight and had relatively good sealed shoulders and it was the driver's "roadway lunacy" creating the danger, a prime example of the limitations of efforts to educate people about risk and driver responsibility.
A recent $2.6 million contribution from the Road Trauma Trust Account paid for Operation Metaphor, additional patrols and cameras on the roads for the season, but police could not be everywhere.
"The type of bizarre behaviour we see in this vision is capable of creating the grief and suffering we have seen too often throughout regional WA," he said.
"If you recognise the vehicle involved speak out; as a community we can't remain silent."
Regional WA drivers are four times more likely to be killed or seriously injured in a crash than metropolitan drivers. Most of these regional crashes involve a single car and the same factors recur.
Seat belts not being worn is a factor in 14 per cent; speed in 19 per cent; alcohol in 23 per cent; and fatigue in up to one-third.
The Commission recently announced a major program of regional road works over 2017 and will also implement recommendations in March's Wheatbelt Highway Safety Review and install fixed and red light speed cameras.
The state opposition has said if it is elected in March, it will create a Regional Enforcement Unit that will travel around the State to target areas where the regional road toll is disproportionately high, targeting risk factors, and will significantly increase the number of alcohol and drug tests for drivers on WA roads, an initiative to cost $3.7 million.
But on New Year's Day, after two more road deaths, Premier Colin Barnett said while the government would continue to spend on improving the road system and road safety in all its forms there was not much it could do if people did not behave responsibly.
"If you are going to drive, don't drink at all. Don't speed. Do your seatbelt up and be responsible. That is what will reduce our road toll," he said.