Damon Mcknight
Road crashes are a leading cause of death and hospitalised injuries in Australia. In the 12 months ending June 2025, there were 31.5% of road deaths involving people aged 40 to 64 years, followed by 21.7% of deaths among those aged 26 to 39 years. Speeding has been ranked as the leading cause of car accidents by Australian respondents for the third year in a row, with nearly two-thirds expressing this view. This is followed by tailgating and aggressive driving, which 30% of Australians believe is the second leading cause of car accidents.
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Speeding as a cause
Speeding is the leading cause of car accidents in Australia. In 2022, there were 1,192 road fatalities in the country, a 5.6% increase from 2021. While the number of fatalities has generally decreased over the past decade, from about 1,300 to 1,100 per year, speeding continues to be a significant factor in many of these deaths.
In New South Wales, speeding is the biggest contributing factor to major injuries and fatalities on roads. Speeding consistently contributes to 41% of road fatalities and 24% of serious injuries annually in the state. This translates to approximately 150 deaths and 1,270 serious injuries each year. From 2015 to 2019, 743 people were killed and 6,372 seriously injured in speeding-related incidents in New South Wales.
Speeding is also a major concern in Western Australia, where it is the leading cause of fatal crashes. In 2020, 47% of fatal crashes in the state occurred in speed zones over 110 km/h. Similarly, in Victoria, 35% of motorcycle crashes happen on roads with speed limits of 100 km/h or higher. Across Australia, the number of fatal crashes in 70-80 km/h zones has been rising, with 315 deaths in 2022 compared to 241 in 2020.
The risk of being involved in a fatal accident increases with speed. Research from the Road Accident Research Unit of the University of Adelaide and the Victorian Government's Transport Accident Commission (TAC) reveals that the risk of a fatality doubles with each 5 km/h increase in speed above 60 km/h. This means that even small reductions in speed can have a significant impact on reducing crashes and preventing injuries. For example, lowering one's speed by just 5 km/h can lead to a minimum 15% reduction in accidents and significantly fewer injuries.
Young drivers, especially males aged 17 to 25, are the most vulnerable group affected by speeding. They are the most likely to break the legal speed limit and are overrepresented in fatal speeding accidents. In fact, 80% of young drivers killed in speeding-related incidents are male. This age group is also twice as likely to receive speeding fines compared to the rest of the Australian population.
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Regional variations
While road crashes are a leading cause of death and hospitalised injuries in Australia, the number of car accidents varies across the country's different regions and states.
For instance, in the 12 months ending June 2025, the states that experienced the most road deaths were New South Wales with 362, a 6.8% increase from the previous year, followed by Queensland with 296, a 0.3% increase. The Australian Capital Territory had the lowest number of road deaths, with 8 fatalities, unchanged from the previous year. However, when considering fatality rates, which more accurately describe the risk of death relative to population size, the Northern Territory had the highest rate, reaching 19.1 per 100,000 people, despite having a lower total number of deaths. Tasmania had the second-highest fatality rate at 8.3 per 100,000 people, an 84.1% increase from the previous year. The Australian Capital Territory reported the lowest fatality rate, at 1.7 deaths per 100,000 people, a 1.4% decrease from the previous year.
In addition to state-level variations, there are also differences in accident rates between regional areas within states. For example, in the last 12 months, the majority of road deaths (390 deaths, 29.3%) occurred in inner regional areas, while very remote regions accounted for the smallest proportion, with 2.0% of road deaths, totalling 26 fatalities. However, it is important to interpret these findings with caution, as remoteness data has not always been consistently reported, and underreporting may have occurred in some regions.
These regional variations in car accident rates can be influenced by various factors, including differences in road infrastructure, traffic congestion, driving speeds, and local road safety initiatives. Understanding these regional disparities is crucial for developing targeted strategies to improve road safety and reduce the number of accidents and fatalities on Australian roads.
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Vehicle type
Cars:
Cars are the most common type of vehicle on Australian roads, with 91% of households owning at least one car and over half owning two or more. Car accidents are prevalent, with speeding being a leading cause. The risk of fatality increases exponentially with speed, especially above 60 km/h. In 2021, speeding contributed to approximately one-third of fatal crashes, and drink driving caused about 30% of fatal crashes.
Motorcycles:
Motorcycles are a significant vehicle type in road accidents, particularly in terms of injuries and fatalities. In the 12-month period ending June 2025, 264 motorcyclists lost their lives on Australian roads, representing a 5.4% decrease from the previous year. However, in 2023-24, motorcycles were among the top three vehicle types associated with injury hospitalisations. Additionally, socioeconomically disadvantaged areas had higher rates of motorcycle-related hospitalisations.
Heavy Vehicles:
Heavy vehicles, such as trucks and buses, are involved in a notable number of accidents. In 2021, heavy vehicle crashes resulted in 163 fatalities. These vehicles are particularly susceptible to single-vehicle crashes, which often go unreported. Additionally, heavy transport vehicles contribute to a significant number of head and neck injuries among occupants and other road users.
Pedal Cycles:
Pedal cycles, including bicycles, are a vehicle type that experiences a high rate of accidents. In 2023-24, pedal cycles were among the top three vehicle types associated with injury hospitalisations. Shoulder and upper limb injuries are the most common in bicycle-related accidents.
Other Vehicles:
The National Road Safety Data Hub includes data on road users not in a car, bus, or truck, such as pedestrians, motorcyclists, and pedal cyclists. This category also covers children under seven, the elderly, and users of mobility devices. Remote areas tend to have higher rates of hospitalisations and fatalities from transport accidents, and certain vehicle types are more prevalent in these regions. For example, animal or animal-drawn vehicles and special all-terrain or off-road vehicles are more commonly involved in accidents in socioeconomically disadvantaged areas.
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Age demographics
In Australia, road crashes are a leading cause of death and hospitalised injuries. In 2022, there were 1,192 road fatalities, and in 2023, this number rose to 1,266. The number of road deaths has been steadily increasing over the last few years, with 2023 seeing the highest number of fatalities since 2018.
Age is a significant factor when it comes to road accidents and fatalities in Australia. People aged 15–24 were most likely to be hospitalised due to a transport injury, with a crude rate of 378.7 hospitalisations per 100,000. This age group also had the highest rate of transport injury hospitalisations for both First Nations people and non-Indigenous Australians. The annual road fatality rate for 15–24-year-olds is 50% higher than for other age groups. Young drivers between the ages of 17 and 25 are the most likely group to break the legal limit, and 80% of young drivers killed are male. A third of all drivers and passengers in fatal speeding accidents are in this age bracket.
The risk of being involved in a road accident also varies with age. For example, more than 65% of respondents aged 48–57 were involved in a nose-to-tail collision, while nearly 37% of 18–27-year-olds were involved in a collision with a stationary vehicle. The most statistically probable fatality is a male driver aged between 40 and 64. In the 12-month period ending June 2025, 31.5% of road deaths were in this age group, followed by 21.7% of deaths for those aged 26 to 39 years.
In recent years, there has been an increased risk for the 17–25 age group, which has become the highest-risk fatality group on Australian roads, surpassing the 75+ age group. This is a concerning trend, as it indicates that younger drivers are now at a higher risk of fatal road accidents than older drivers.
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Annual trends
Road crashes are a leading cause of death and hospitalised injuries in Australia. In the 12 months ending June 2025, there were 661 single-vehicle crashes (53.8% of all fatal crashes) and 564 fatal crashes involving multiple vehicles (a 7.8% increase from the previous year).
For the 12 months ending December 2024, the fatality rate was 4.8, 1.5% higher than the previous calendar year. The fatality rate for the 12 months ending June 2025 was highest in the Northern Territory, at 19.1 per 100,000 people (an 11.8% decrease from the previous year). Tasmania had the second-highest rate at 8.3 per 100,000 people (an 84.1% increase from the previous year), followed by the Australian Capital Territory, which reported the lowest fatality rate of 1.7 deaths per 100,000 people (a 1.4% decrease from the previous year).
For the 12 months ending June 2025, the states that experienced the most road deaths were New South Wales with 362 (a 6.8% increase on the previous 12 months), followed by Queensland with 296 (a 0.3% increase). The majority of road deaths in this period (390 deaths, 29.3%) occurred in inner regional areas, while very remote regions made up the smallest proportion of road deaths at 2.0%, reporting 26 deaths.
In the 12 months to June 2024, there was an 11.7% increase in road fatalities across Australia, with significant increases in the Northern Territory (107.7%) and New South Wales (23.0%). During this period, there were 1,200 road fatalities, most of which occurred in the 100km/h speed zone. The speed limit linked to the second-highest number of fatalities was 60-70 km/h.
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Frequently asked questions
In the 12 months to June 2024, there were 1200 road fatalities in Australia, with the majority happening in the 100km/h speed zone.
Speeding has been ranked as the leading cause of car accidents by nearly two-thirds of Australian respondents in multiple surveys.
Australians feel safest driving on motorways and freeways and least safe driving on suburban streets.
