Multiple crashes snarl Perth roads as morning peak hour turns to chaos across metropolitan freeways
A string of crashes on the Kwinana Freeway and Tonkin Highway has reduced lanes to single-file traffic, scattered debris and triggered major delays for Perth commuters during Tuesday morning peak hour.
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Multiple crashes have brought Perth’s metropolitan road network to a standstill during Tuesday morning peak hour, with debris-strewn lanes and single-file traffic on the Kwinana Freeway and Tonkin Highway triggering widespread delays and frustration among commuters.
A crash on the Kwinana Freeway northbound at Mortimer Road in Wellard has reduced traffic to a single lane, with debris scattered across multiple lanes and motorists seen standing outside their vehicles as emergency crews worked to clear the scene. Main Roads WA confirmed debris was spread across lanes and urged drivers to allow for a safe merge while incident response and towing crews attended the site.
The Wellard crash is one of several incidents causing disruption on Perth roads on Tuesday morning, with traffic also reduced to a single lane on the Tonkin Highway southbound exit to Roe Highway in Kewdale after another collision. Incident response and towing crews are on site at the Kewdale crash, with traffic slow on approach and motorists urged to exercise caution and expect delays through the area.
Further north, debris on the Tonkin Highway northbound exit to Beechboro Road North in Whiteman is affecting the left lane, though there are no traffic delays at that location, with motorists still urged to proceed with caution.
Commuters took to social media to vent frustration as the string of crashes turned what should have been a routine morning commute into a bumper-to-bumper crawl across the city’s busiest freeways. “Absolute carnage out there this morning,” one driver posted on X, sharing a photo of brake lights stretching into the distance on the Kwinana Freeway. Another motorist described the scene as “a car park” and said they were already 20 minutes late for work after sitting in stationary traffic for more than half an hour.
Main Roads WA issued repeated warnings for drivers to slow down, merge safely and allow extra travel time as the series of crashes compounded delays across the metropolitan area. “Debris across lanes, vehicles on the verge, towies on site – please be extra careful on approach,” a Main Roads post read, echoing advice given at each crash site.
The Tuesday morning chaos follows a pattern of wet-weather crashes that have plagued Perth roads in recent weeks, with fog and low visibility overnight adding to the hazard for early commuters. Road safety experts have warned that a combination of damp surfaces, reduced visibility and peak-hour volume creates a perfect storm for multi-vehicle incidents, urging drivers to increase following distances and avoid sudden lane changes.
Local radio traffic reporters described the situation as “one of the worst morning peaks we’ve seen in months,” with callers flooding hotlines to report gridlock on the Kwinana, Tonkin and Mitchell freeways. “I’ve been sitting here for 40 minutes and we’ve moved maybe two kilometres,” one caller told 6PR, while another said their GPS was showing red all the way from Wellard to the city.
Emergency services remained at multiple sites well into the morning rush, with St John WA and towing crews working to clear vehicles and debris before lanes could be fully reopened. Main Roads advised that while some lanes had been restored, residual congestion was expected to linger through the peak period as traffic banks up behind each incident.
Motorists are advised to check live traffic maps before departing and to consider alternative routes where possible, with Main Roads warning that further delays are likely as crews continue to manage the aftermath of Tuesday’s multi-crash morning.
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