The Road Safety Council says tourists have “no idea” about issues of driver fatigue and the importance of seatbelts.

A growing number of foreign tourists have lost their lives on WA roads this year, and authorities say simple things like seatbelts and sleeping could prevent the unnecessary deaths.

The WA Road Safety Council is working with hire car companies and tourism groups to raise awareness about the unique conditions of country roads for visitors to the state.

New kits are being provided to car hire groups, which include stickers that are placed on the inside of windscreens to remind drivers to travel on the left side of the road, take regular breaks, and wear their seatbelts.

WA Road Safety Council chairman Professor Murray Lampard says he hopes such measures will combat the rate of fatalities.

“It's beyond belief to me,” Professor Lampard told the ABC.

“People that visit Western Australia just don't have any idea of the enormous distances that Western Australians travel and the types of roads that they travel on.

“Just a year or so ago approximately one third of all deaths that we had in regional Western Australia... the police could tell us that the people that died weren't wearing their seatbelts.

“They were either thrown out of the car and crushed as the car rolled over them or certainly thrown out of the car and hit something solid.”

“The issue of fatigue and wildlife on our roads... you've really got to be on your mettle to drive on our country roads.”