Deadly road accidents up 20 per cent—why Aussie drivers need to act now!
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The rise in crashes involving bikes and scooters has become a serious concern across Australia, especially during the school holidays.
While the statistics are worrying, the real question remains: how can we make our roads safer for everyone?
What followed was a deep dive into the risks and rising numbers, revealing unsettling trends across the nation.
A worrying trend has emerged across Australia, with a noticeable spike in crashes involving bikes and scooters, especially during the school holidays.
The Royal Automobile Club of Queensland (RACQ) reported a 20 per cent rise in accidents involving two-wheeled devices in Queensland over the last year.
Joshua Cooney, RACQ’s General Manager of Advocacy, said that ‘everyone has a role to play to stay safe’ on the roads, stressing the importance of awareness among all road users.
In the past 12 months, RACQ Insurance received 186 claims related to bike and scooter collisions, a sharp increase from the previous year’s 153 claims.
This comes at a time when Australian road fatalities reached alarming levels, with 1,300 deaths recorded in 2024, marking a significant rise from 2023.
The figures are part of a broader increase in pedestrian, cyclist, and motorcyclist fatalities, with pedestrian deaths rising by 7.1 per cent and cyclist deaths by 11.8 per cent compared to the previous year.
Motorcyclist deaths also spiked, increasing by 10.3 per cent in 2024, making it the deadliest year for motorbike fatalities since 1989.
While the number of deaths among drivers and passengers slightly decreased, the figures for vulnerable road users, including pedestrians and cyclists, grew sharply.
Cooney highlighted that there was an even split in fault between motorists and cyclists, pointing out that ‘we’re seeing a fairly even split between motorists and riders being at fault’.
He further explained that ‘collisions peaked between 3:00 pm and 5:00 pm’, when drivers are often more fatigued and visibility is reduced due to the setting sun.
As the holiday period approaches, Cooney urged all road users to ‘slow down, follow the road rules and exercise an extra level of caution to prevent crashes on shared roads and pathways’.
A recent RACQ study found that while 75 per cent of Queensland drivers regularly encountered cyclists, only 10 per cent knew all the road rules for sharing the road.
12 per cent of those surveyed admitted to having had a near-miss with a cyclist, and 25 per cent did not know many of the road rules for cyclists.
When the speed limit is 60km/h or less, drivers are required to leave at least one metre of space between their car and cyclists, and at least 1.5 metres if the speed limit exceeds 60km/h.
In response to the surge in incidents, Sunshine Coast police, along with various community groups, launched an initiative to promote safer e-scooter and e-bike use.
Acting Superintendent Chris Toohey of the Sunshine Coast District Police emphasised the dangers of illegal and unsafe riding, which often resulted in serious crashes.
The growing concern over e-bike and scooter safety has prompted calls for more awareness and better understanding of the road rules among both drivers and riders.
In a previous story, we explored the growing popularity of a new transportation trend that's quickly gaining traction across the country.
However, this shift could have serious safety implications if proper precautions aren’t taken.
To learn more about why it's crucial to stay informed, check out the full story here.
With such a sharp rise in crashes involving bikes and scooters, what do you think could be done to improve safety on the roads? Share your thoughts in the comments.
While the statistics are worrying, the real question remains: how can we make our roads safer for everyone?
What followed was a deep dive into the risks and rising numbers, revealing unsettling trends across the nation.
A worrying trend has emerged across Australia, with a noticeable spike in crashes involving bikes and scooters, especially during the school holidays.
The Royal Automobile Club of Queensland (RACQ) reported a 20 per cent rise in accidents involving two-wheeled devices in Queensland over the last year.
Joshua Cooney, RACQ’s General Manager of Advocacy, said that ‘everyone has a role to play to stay safe’ on the roads, stressing the importance of awareness among all road users.
Surge in bike and scooter crashes across Australia. Image source: RACV
In the past 12 months, RACQ Insurance received 186 claims related to bike and scooter collisions, a sharp increase from the previous year’s 153 claims.
This comes at a time when Australian road fatalities reached alarming levels, with 1,300 deaths recorded in 2024, marking a significant rise from 2023.
The figures are part of a broader increase in pedestrian, cyclist, and motorcyclist fatalities, with pedestrian deaths rising by 7.1 per cent and cyclist deaths by 11.8 per cent compared to the previous year.
Motorcyclist deaths also spiked, increasing by 10.3 per cent in 2024, making it the deadliest year for motorbike fatalities since 1989.
While the number of deaths among drivers and passengers slightly decreased, the figures for vulnerable road users, including pedestrians and cyclists, grew sharply.
Cooney highlighted that there was an even split in fault between motorists and cyclists, pointing out that ‘we’re seeing a fairly even split between motorists and riders being at fault’.
He further explained that ‘collisions peaked between 3:00 pm and 5:00 pm’, when drivers are often more fatigued and visibility is reduced due to the setting sun.
As the holiday period approaches, Cooney urged all road users to ‘slow down, follow the road rules and exercise an extra level of caution to prevent crashes on shared roads and pathways’.
A recent RACQ study found that while 75 per cent of Queensland drivers regularly encountered cyclists, only 10 per cent knew all the road rules for sharing the road.
12 per cent of those surveyed admitted to having had a near-miss with a cyclist, and 25 per cent did not know many of the road rules for cyclists.
When the speed limit is 60km/h or less, drivers are required to leave at least one metre of space between their car and cyclists, and at least 1.5 metres if the speed limit exceeds 60km/h.
In response to the surge in incidents, Sunshine Coast police, along with various community groups, launched an initiative to promote safer e-scooter and e-bike use.
Acting Superintendent Chris Toohey of the Sunshine Coast District Police emphasised the dangers of illegal and unsafe riding, which often resulted in serious crashes.
The growing concern over e-bike and scooter safety has prompted calls for more awareness and better understanding of the road rules among both drivers and riders.
In a previous story, we explored the growing popularity of a new transportation trend that's quickly gaining traction across the country.
However, this shift could have serious safety implications if proper precautions aren’t taken.
To learn more about why it's crucial to stay informed, check out the full story here.
With such a sharp rise in crashes involving bikes and scooters, what do you think could be done to improve safety on the roads? Share your thoughts in the comments.
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