Australia, at 4.5 deaths per 100,000 people overall, sits 22 places from the bottom of a worldwide table of road tolls, bested by most European and all Scandinavian countries.
In 2022, there were 1,194 road crash deaths. This is an increase of 5.8 per cent from 2021. Over the decade national fatalities have remained largely flat. Fatality rates per population declined over the decade by a total of 10.4 per cent (from 5.1 to 4.6).
New data shows 1,202 people died on the nation's roads in the 12 months to 31 May 2023, which is 24 more deaths than in the previous corresponding 12-month period – a 2 per cent increase.
Road deaths in Australia peaked in 1970 at 30.4 deaths a year per 100,000 population and dropped to historic lows before the pandemic, before rising again in the past five years. They are now at 4.61 deaths a year per 100,000 population. This should be 3.94 deaths, if the country is to reach its 2030 target.
Compared to other States and Territories, Victoria ranked second lowest in fatalities per 100,000 population (3.64). NSW had fewer with 3.58 lives lost per 100,000 population.
At a glance. In terms of the fatality rate per 100,000 population in 2020: Australia's rate of 4.26 was ranked 20th out of the 36 nations. The nations with the three lowest rates were Norway (1.73), Sweden (1.98) and Iceland (2.20). Between 2011 and 2020 Australia's fatality rate declined by 25.4 per cent.
Queensland's road toll is set to top the nation as all states that reported figures recorded a rise from the pandemic years. There were 299 deaths in Queensland in 2022, compared with 288 in NSW, 240 in Victoria and 50 in Tasmania – the latter recorded the biggest proportional rise.
Speeding Accidents
Speeding is the number 1 cause of fatal road accidents in Australia.
The age group most likely to be in accidents involving vehicles, according to the data, is the 40-59 years group, which accounted for 10,980 cases from a total 39,755 hospitalisations in Australia in 2018-19.
Driver attitudes and behaviors have changed substantially, as has vehicle safety technology, which makes car travel safer. The population motor-vehicle death rate reached its peak in 1937 with 30.8 deaths per 100,000 population. The current rate is 14.3 per 100,000, representing a 54% improvement.
Each of these dots represents a person killed in a road crash in Australia. 48,592 people have died on Australia's roads since 1989. Traffic injury is the biggest killer of children under 15 and the second-biggest killer of Australians aged between 15 and 24.
In fact, last year's road toll (1,764 fatalities) was less than half that seen in 1970 (3,798 fatalities). The turnaround in Australia's road fatality record is especially notable when compared with the increase in vehicle ownership since 1970.
Alcohol and Driving Facts
According to BITRE, in 2018 there were 1146 road related deaths which equates to over three people a day. This means that 344 road related deaths, greater than one a day, were alcohol related. While alcohol is a legal drug, it is having a worse impact on Australian loss of life than cannabis.
In Australia in the the year ending July 2022, there were a total of 144 road deaths involving pedestrians. This represents an increase from the previous year.
Mortality from motor vehicle accidents is the leading cause of death among young men aged 15–24 in Australia. Road deaths also account for a large proportion of total injury deaths, second only behind suicide.
A general rule that helps many drivers maintain safe following distances is the “three-second rule.” It requires leaving three seconds of space between your vehicle and the vehicle driving in front of you.
» Frequently Asked Questions » What Age Group Has the Most Drunk Driving Accidents? The 21- to 24-year-old age group has the most drunk driving accidents in the United States, according to recent research from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, drivers between the ages of 16 and 17 are more likely to be involved in car accidents than drivers from any other age group. Additionally, teen drivers cause more injuries and deaths than other drivers, including injuries to themselves.
With Sydney earning the title of the world's most tolled city, the new review led by former competition watchdog chief Allan Fels will consider splitting Sydney's motorways into five geographic zones which consist of western, northern, central, harbour and eastern.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that men cause an average of 6.1 million accidents per year in the US, and women cause 4.4 million accidents per year. Males do 62% of the driving, but only cause 58% of the accidents. So women do cause slightly more accidents per capita than men.
Dangerous drivers in Queensland now face the strictest anti-hoon laws in Australia after state parliament passed new legislation that will allow police to charge anyone who takes part in – or is a spectator of – illegal street racing, drifting and burnout events.
Driving too fast is the single biggest contributor to death and injury on NSW roads. Each year, speeding contributes to about 41% of road fatalities and 24% of serious injuries.
Fatalities and serious injuries
Over the last ten years on average: 47 pedestrians were killed in Victoria each year. more than 690 pedestrians were seriously injured in Victoria each year.