Key figures for 2022

  • 35,815
    Hospitalisations
    8.4% lower than the previous year
  • 5.3
    Bed days per case
    5.9% higher than the previous year
  • 137.7
    Hospitalisations per 100,000 people
    9.6% decrease from the previous year
  • 17,288
    Hospitalisations of Vulnerable Road Users
    10.8% decrease from the previous year

Yearly hospitalisations

2017 to 2022

There has been a flat trend with some fluctuation month-to-month in hospitalisations. The 5-year average is 3,205 hospitalisations per month. 

A series of months of low hospitalised injuries have led to a significantly reduced total for 2022. However, each month within 2022 was within the range of variability experienced since 2017, with limited evidence of an enduring downward trend in hospitalised injuries

Yearly hospitalisations 2017 to 2022
YearMonthHospitalisations
2017January

3,081

2017February

3,139

2017March

3,614

2017April

3,350

2017May

3,359

2017June

3,122

2017July

3,180

2017August3,033
2017September3,138
2017October3,354
2017November3,375
2017December3,410
2018January3,063
2018February3,119
2018March3,529
2018April3,447
2018May3,357
2018June3,182
2018July3,128
2018August3,234
2018September3,185
2018October3,372
2018November3,376
2018December3,368
2019January3,219
2019February3,197
2019March3,554
2019April3,482
2019May3,342
2019June3,099
2019July3,236
2019August3,131
2019September3,176
2019October3,515
2019November3,365
2019December3,327
2020January3,018
2020February3,170
2020March3,181
2020April2,347
2020May2,885
2020June3,000
2020July3,203
2020August3,015
2020September3,278
2020October3,450
2020November3,536
2020December3,571
2021January3,414
2021February3,166
2021March3,821
2021April3,417
2021May3,487
2021June3,137
2021July2,974
2021August2,899
2021September2,975
2021October3,118
2021November3,203
2021December3,501
2022January2,712
2022February2,850
2022March3,305
2022April3,165
2022May3,026
2022June2,797
2022July2,686
2022August2,861
2022September2,972
2022October3,043
2022November3,057
2022December3,341

Number of hospitalisations and average days in hospital by age group

The 40 to 64-year-old age group had the largest number of hospitalisations in 2022 (33.4% of cases). This age group also had the highest hospitalisation rate (48.6 cases per 100,000 population).

The number of hospitalisations for both males and females are comparable in younger age groups. Males start to experience a marked increase in hospitalisations compared to females from the 8 to 16 age range onwards. This trend could be driven by riskier driving behaviours, increased exposure and occupational factors that tend to be more common among men. Males continue to comprise the majority of hospitalised cases up to the age of 65 (66.7% of hospitalisations in this age group). Hospitalisations of either gender converge considerably from the ages of 65 and over. This could be explained by demographic factors, such as more cautious driving behaviours and a larger female population in older age groups.  

Number of hospitalisations by age group, 2022
Age groupGenderHospitalisationsAverage days in hospital
0-7Female2453.6
8-16Female6759.1
17-25Female2,37212.5
26-39Female2,89514.8
40-64Female3,95024.0
65-74Female1,27123.0
75+Female1,15836.6
0-7Male3566.6
8-16Male1,7659.6
17-25Male4,63721.9
26-39Male5,59126.3
40-64Male7,92537.2
65-74Male1,69523.8
75+Male1,28025.5

Number of hospitalisations and average days in hospital by road user

In crashes involving a casualty, the person suffering trauma is categorised into a road user group, such as drivers, passengers, or pedestrians. Among broad road user categories: 

  • Drivers had the highest number of hospitalisations (12,664)
  • Motorcyclists spent the highest average number of days in hospital (35.6 days per case)
  • Pedestrians and cyclists account for a significant number of hospitalisations (8,713), but have shorter stays in comparison to drivers and motorcyclists (19.9 days per case).

While passengers have low hospitalisation numbers, and the shortest average stay, the data does not factor in the average vehicle occupancy rate (1.2 occupants). As a result of different rates of exposure, comparisons between road user types may be under or over-represented.

Number of hospitalisations and average bed days by road user, 2022
Road UserHospitalisationsAverage days in hospital
Driver12,66435.0
Pedestrian or Cyclist8,71319.9
Passenger6,75513.9
Motorcyclist6,6085.6
Other/Unknown1,07512.3

Number of hospitalisations and average days in hospital by remoteness area

Most hospitalisations occurred in Major City areas (67%). The average number of days in hospital was also the highest in Major City areas, at 1.4 times that of Regional areas and 3.9 times the average stay in Remote areas. Higher population in Major Cities (72.2% of total population) correlates with higher absolute numbers of incidents.

As the level of remoteness increases, the number of hospitalisations and the length of stay decreases:

Major Cities to Regional:
•    In Regional areas, there are 57% fewer hospitalisations than in Major City areas (10,226 compared to 23,818), and average days in hospital are 31% lower (20.7 in Regional areas, 30.1 in Major Cities).

Major Cities to Remote:
•    In Remote areas, there are 95.8% fewer hospitalisations than in Major City areas (1,011 compared to 23,818), and average days in hospital are 74.4% lower (7.7 in Remote areas, 30.1 in Major Cities).
 

Number of hospitalisations and average bed days by remoteness area, 2022
Remoteness areaHospitalisationsAverage days in hospital
Major Cities23,81829.3
Regional10,22620.7
Remote1,0117.3
Unknown7608.3

Hospitalisation rate per 100,000 people by remoteness area

Across remoteness areas, there is an inverse relationship between hospitalisation rates and the average number of days in hospital:

•    Remote areas had the highest hospitalisation rate (203 per 100,000 people) but the shortest average stay (7.7 days)
•    In contrast, Major City areas had the lowest hospitalisation rate (126.8 per 100,000 people) but the longest average stay (30.1 days).

While many factors contribute to these findings, factors likely contributing to the differences include:
•    Disparities in healthcare access, such as limited medical facilities or long transport times
•    Ambulance response time
•    Road condition and speed limit
•    Access to driver training and education
•    Vehicle safety features.
 

Hospitalisation rate per 100,000 people by remoteness area, 2022
Remoteness areaHospitalisation rate
Major Cities

126.8

Regional

152.1

Remote

203

Number of hospitalisations by road user, by counterparty

Counterparty describes the other party or object involved in a fatal crash. This may include other vehicles, persons or infrastructure. In the majority of hospitalised injury crashes, the counterparties were light vehicles, accounting for 15,275 of the 35,055 total hospitalisations (43.6% of cases). 

More than a third of cases had an unspecified or no counterparty involved (‘Other/Unknown’ counterparty) with 12,769 hospitalisations (36.4% of cases), which are typically single-vehicle accidents, such as run-off-road crashes. 

Number of hospitalisations by road user and counterparty, 2022
Road User
Counterparty
Number of hospitalisations
DriverFixed or stationary object2,963
Heavy vehicle5,50
Light vehicle7,107
Motorcycle22
Other or none1,946
Pedestrian or cyclist76
Motorcyclist Fixed or stationary object802
Heavy vehicle67
Light vehicle2,061
Motorcycle170
Other or none3,317
Pedestrian or cyclist191
Other/UnknownFixed or stationary object36
Heavy vehicle12
Light vehicle146
Motorcycle1
Other or none872
Pedestrian or cyclist8
PassengerFixed or stationary object1,036
Heavy vehicle216
Light vehicle2,752
Motorcycle18
Other or none2,695
Pedestrian or cyclist38
Pedestrian or CyclistFixed or stationary object382
Heavy vehicle146
Light vehicle3,564
Motorcycle79
Other or none4,190
Pedestrian or cyclist352

 

Definitions

Hospitalisations

Injuries resulting in confirmed admission to hospital excluding in-hospital death from road traffic crashes. Traffic areas exclude off-road and unknown locations.

Bed days

The total number of patient days where admitted care has been provided.

Vulnerable Road User

Road users not in a car, bus or truck, generally including pedestrians, motorcyclists and pedal cyclists. Can also include children 7 years and under, the elderly and users of mobility devices.

Hospitalisation rate

The hospitalisation rate allows comparisons to be made between groups as it is not influenced by differences in changes in population. It is calculated by dividing the count of road deaths in the last 12 months by the estimated resident population at the midpoint of that period, multiplied by 100,000. Population estimates are sourced from ABS' national, state and territory population statistics. The midpoint population may be interpolated if necessary.

Remoteness Area

Remoteness areas are defined using the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS).

The classes of remoteness have been aggregated to: 
• Major cities 
• Regional (including Inner Regional and Outer Regional areas)
• Remote (including Remote and Very Remote areas)
• Other or unknown refers to when a person’s residence was unrecorded or migratory/offshore

About the data

We have sourced and prepared hospitalisations data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW). 

Further information about the data can be found in the Hospitalised Injury Data Dictionary - September 2023. 
 

Download data

Limitations

The data presented here is sourced from hospital admissions and separations. Occasionally patients are transferred between wards and hospitals, and in these cases protocols are in use to minimise double-counting.

Location data refers to location of hospital, not location of crash. Similarly, 'year' refers to year of separation, not year of crash.

Have a question or feedback?

Contact the Road Safety Data Hub team