Road safety is something most of us take for granted, but new developments have painted a troubling picture of what’s happening across the country.

Recent data has highlighted a growing issue that experts say demands immediate attention.

What lies beneath these numbers reveals a crisis that could impact every road user in Australia.

Governments in Australia faced growing pressure to implement decisive measures to curb road fatalities.

Data revealed a disturbing rise in deaths over recent years, with rates not seen since 1966.

The federal Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics (BITRE) reported that 1,300 people lost their lives on Australian roads in 2024, compared to 1,258 in 2023.

Rising road fatalities demand urgent government action. Image source: Pexel/Artyom Kulakov

This marked a four-year trend of increasing road deaths, a pattern last observed before seatbelts were made mandatory in the 1960s.

The final three months of 2024 alone saw 359 fatalities, underscoring the gravity of the situation.

The total made 2024 the deadliest year on Australian roads since 2012, which also recorded 1,300 deaths.

The data showed the 2024 road toll was 18.5 per cent higher than in 2021, the year Australia introduced a 10-year plan aiming to halve road fatalities by 2030.

Though driver and passenger deaths slightly decreased in 2024 compared to 2023, the roads became increasingly perilous for other groups, including pedestrians and cyclists.

Pedestrian fatalities rose by 7.1 per cent, climbing from 156 in 2023 to 167 in 2024.

Cyclist deaths jumped by 11.8 per cent, increasing from 34 in 2023 to 38 in 2024.

Motorcyclist fatalities surged by 10.3 per cent, from 252 in 2023 to 278 in 2024, marking the highest annual toll for motorbike deaths since 1989.

The Australian Automobile Association (AAA) labelled the federal strategy launched in 2021 to reduce fatalities by 2030 as ‘wildly off-track’.

The association urged the Albanese government to mandate state-level reporting on road safety scores to ensure federal road funding was used effectively.

Queensland’s road fatalities rose from 277 in 2023 to 302 in 2024, while Western Australia’s toll grew from 158 to 185.

The Northern Territory saw a dramatic increase in deaths, from 31 in 2023 to 58 in 2024, while the Australian Capital Territory’s fatalities rose from four to 11.

Some states and territories recorded improvements in 2024 compared to 2023, with Victoria’s toll falling from 296 to 281, Tasmania’s from 35 to 32, and South Australia’s from 117 to 91.

New South Wales, however, saw no change, with fatalities remaining at 340.

Despite mandatory seatbelt laws introduced in 1969 for front seats and extended to all seats by 1971, the rising road toll reflected the challenges of modern road safety.

Michael Bradley, managing director of the AAA, stated: ‘We must use data and evidence about crashes, the state of our roads and the effectiveness of police traffic enforcement to establish what is going wrong on our roads and create more effective interventions.’

He added: ‘Australia's rising road toll underscores the importance of using road condition data to direct road funding, and to prevent the politicisation of scarce public funds.’

Key Takeaways

• Road fatalities in Australia have risen sharply, with the number of deaths in 2024 reaching 1,300, the highest since 2012, marking a four-year trend of increasing road deaths.
• Fatalities have surged across various groups, including pedestrians (up by 7.1 per cent), cyclists (up by 11.8 per cent), and motorcyclists (up by 10.3 per cent), while driver and passenger deaths have slightly decreased.
• Some states saw significant increases in fatalities, such as Queensland, Western Australia, and the Northern Territory, while others, like Victoria and South Australia, saw improvements.
• The Australian Automobile Association (AAA) criticized the federal strategy to reduce road deaths by 2030 as ‘wildly off-track,’ urging more effective use of road condition data and funding.

What do you think is the key factor contributing to the growing toll on our roads? What changes would you like to see implemented?

Share your thoughts in the comments below.

 

[ozieagle]

OK, my two bob's worth. First I have 50 years driving experience, and, yes, I've managed to bend a mudguard or two in that time.
I think there are several causes, mostly due to driver inattention.
Mobile phone use. Illegal, except using hands free. I think even hands free is dangerous, because you are concentrating on the conversation, not the road.
Driving tuition focuses on getting your licence, without much emphasis on safe driving.
The Volvo effect, where safer cars cause a laxing of attention.
Highway hypnosis, where the driver just stares at the car in front, and doesn't notice what is happening elsewhere.
Ignoring road rules, also happens in general, showing a total lack of respect for others.

 

[darylfoxcroft]

More police out on the roads might be a start. Too many are either in roadside van operating roadside speed cameras or standing on the side of the road holding handheld speed cameras. Yes, they catch lots of speeding drivers. But they also do not see tailgating drivers, or drivers weaving in and out in traffic at speed or people driving while on their phones. Plus a lot of other things most drivers see on a daily basis that the police do not because you rarely see them actually patrolling anymore.

 

[Dennise Cook]

Better roads, more overtaking lanes.
Because you will never stop idiots doing the wrong thing.

 

[Leeshia]

Another problem is people driving under the speed limit. If you are not confident doing the speed limit then you shouldn't be driving.

 

[Greg350]

Another problem is people driving under the speed limit. If you are not confident doing the speed limit then you shouldn't be driving.

A good driver can easily manage to drive with all types of drivers, going too slow should not be a problem.

Numerous vehicles are limited to 90, 100, others like caravans and larger boats shouldn't drive to the higher speed limits.

We share the road, that includes managing our driving around others.

 

[Greg350]

Better roads, more overtaking lanes.
Because you will never stop idiots doing the wrong thing.

The vast majority of road length is in metro areas, nothing to do with overtaking lanes being available.

 

[Loewenthal]

Complacency and a lack of visible police presence on our roads. I Rarely see police on our roads these days, especially on country roads.
A few days ago the woman behind me was driving dangerously. As it happened there was a police car and motorcycle a short distance ahead. I tried to get their attention by flashing my lights, to no avail.

 

[Choff5]

People going 50 in an 80 zone is not good.

 

[Marvin Kombi]

All drivers should be made to undertake an advanced driving course before being entitled to their red Ps. This should include watching footage of the injuries accident victims suffer as a result of bad driving.
All learners should also be forced to be taught by a professional driving instructor and not by mum, dad or other nonprofessional drivers (the blind leading the blind syndrome).
Finally, all vehicles should be mechanically speed limited to 100km/h.
Is the government really serious about lowering the death toll? Then why weren’t such strict measures introduced long ago?

 

[Col@45]

For a start it should be made harder for young people to get a driver's licence.....just handing a licence to a 17 year old to be put in charge of a powerful and dangerous machine is absolutely ludicrous!
At that age they are too immature to realise the danger of speeding in a car, inattention or on a mobile phone.
Have extra courses that they have to participate in b4 giving them a licence.....also would be good for them to see film of tragic car accidents.
Some drivers are a danger to themselves as well as other drivers on the road.

 

[HelenFB]

2 major problems I can see that would help reduce the number of incidents & accidents are:

No.1: Government & Councils to spend money on fixing up the roads. Most roads are in such poor states due to not being repaired. It’s no wonder that accidents happen.

No.2: There needs to be more Police to catch the idiots on the roads who speed & weave in & out of traffic. Also, the immature “P” plate drivers using their phones whilst driving. “P” does not stand for professional….. it means PROBATIONARY!!!!!

I just fume when a “P” plater speeds past me with music that vibrates my car. NEVER a police car around!!!

I only laugh at the huge signs along the roads advertising Speeding. If you speed, you will get caught. YEAH,…. SURE…
What a joke !!!

 

[Towing]

OK, my two bob's worth. First I have 50 years driving experience, and, yes, I've managed to bend a mudguard or two in that time.
I think there are several causes, mostly due to driver inattention.
Mobile phone use. Illegal, except using hands free. I think even hands free is dangerous, because you are concentrating on the conversation, not the road.
Driving tuition focuses on getting your licence, without much emphasis on safe driving.
The Volvo effect, where safer cars cause a laxing of attention.
Highway hypnosis, where the driver just stares at the car in front, and doesn't notice what is happening elsewhere.
Ignoring road rules, also happens in general, showing a total lack of respect for others.

It used to be said that if you dented a Volvo it was a pretty hard "hit".

 

[Ceej]

My family and I spend a lot of the time on the road driving in the city and country. The one thing we see is plain and simple stupidity. The speed limit signs are seen as speed minimum advice, double unbroken lines ignored. But mostly it is people psychologically unsuited to EVER be in charge of a vehicle. Don’t know if testing for mental suitability to drive can be part of licensing. Probably not - the woke would have a fit.

 

[Pierre-Poppi]

It seems that you all have missed the underlying cause, driver’s attitude towards other road users. I recently retired after spending over 40 years in the heavy vehicle industry. The main reason road safety. I can’t count how many times I’ve been cut off and brake checked by some idiotic driver who doesn’t realise that there is no way I could stop if they decided to do a full stop. Even now, while I’m driving my car, there are still idiots who want to be somewhere yesterday.

 

[Towing]

I have seen cyclists weave their way through past stationery vehicles while the lights are on stop of caution. Also a car can start to turn left and a cyclist goes through past the side of them and the driver's indicator had been for the length of lights sequence. It was not a cycle lane either. Motor bikes go through between 2 rows of vehicles then "cut them off". The early model vehicles didn't have blind spots like the more recent ones. If you have to turn your head to check and the vehicle in front of you suddenly stops or changes lane and moves in front of you there is a huge risk of accident. You can watch both ways at the same time. The change of the shape of windscreens and rear windows combine with body shape has caused issues in so many ways.

 

[Pierre-Poppi]

All drivers should be made to undertake an advanced driving course before being entitled to their red Ps. This should include watching footage of the injuries accident victims suffer as a result of bad driving.
All learners should also be forced to be taught by a professional driving instructor and not by mum, dad or other nonprofessional drivers (the blind leading the blind syndrome).
Finally, all vehicles should be mechanically speed limited to 100km/h.
Is the government really serious about lowering the death toll? Then why weren’t such strict measures introduced long ago?

I totally agree, mum or dad teaching their children to drive is only teaching them the bad habits they have developed over the years. Most drivers don’t realise that they have these bad habits,but they are there and their children pick up on them while they are watching mum or dad driving.

 

[Pierre-Poppi]

OK, my two bob's worth. First I have 50 years driving experience, and, yes, I've managed to bend a mudguard or two in that time.
I think there are several causes, mostly due to driver inattention.
Mobile phone use. Illegal, except using hands free. I think even hands free is dangerous, because you are concentrating on the conversation, not the road.
Driving tuition focuses on getting your licence, without much emphasis on safe driving.
The Volvo effect, where safer cars cause a laxing of attention.
Highway hypnosis, where the driver just stares at the car in front, and doesn't notice what is happening elsewhere.
Ignoring road rules, also happens in general, showing a total lack of respect for others.

Our Victorian government is broke. They cannot afford to put on the required cadets to fill every position in the force so we have to put up with no police

 

[Gunpark]

All drivers should be made to undertake an advanced driving course before being entitled to their red Ps. This should include watching footage of the injuries accident victims suffer as a result of bad driving.
All learners should also be forced to be taught by a professional driving instructor and not by mum, dad or other nonprofessional drivers (the blind leading the blind syndrome).
Finally, all vehicles should be mechanically speed limited to 100km/h.
Is the government really serious about lowering the death toll? Then why weren’t such strict measures introduced long ago?

I agree with you all the way down to speed limiting vehicles. I taught driving in the Sydney area for twenty years after leaving the Army. I also taught up to and including articulated vehicles. Governing a vehicle's speed is dangerous, as hitting the accelerator can get you, and other road users, out of trouble just as often as jumping on the brakes. Experience and lots of driving is the only way to learn.

 

[Jest]

speed, arrogance and know alls.