Monthly road deaths

Download data

Key statistics

• During the 12 months ending March 2025 there were 1,284 road deaths. This is an increase of 1.2% compared to the same time last year.
• There were 105 road deaths during March 2025. This is 6 less deaths (5.4%) than the same month last year (111 deaths). The current month is 0.6% higher than the average for March over the previous 5 years.
• The fatality rate for the 12 months to March 2025 stands at 4.7 deaths per 100,000 people, a 0.6% decrease compared to the same time last year.
• So far in 2025 there have been 301 road deaths, a 5.3% decrease from the 2024 January to March period, when there were 318 deaths.
   

Latest 12 months

By road user

By age group

Change on previous 12 months

Monthly road deaths

last 5 years with trend

National fatality rate

For the 12 months ending March 2025, the national road fatality rate was 4.7 deaths per 100,000 people. This rate is 0.6% lower than the same time last year.

The fatality rate was 4.8 for the 12 months ending December 2024 and was 1.4% higher compared to the previous calendar year.

State comparison

Total deaths

For the 12 months ending March 2025, the states which experienced the most road deaths were New South Wales with 342 (0.6% decrease on previous 12 months), followed by Queensland with 286 (1.0% decrease). Australian Capital Territory had the lowest number of deaths in the past 12 months, with 11 (175.0% increase).

So far in 2025, the greatest number of deaths have occurred in New South Wales with 84 (7.7% higher compared to the same period last year), followed by Victoria and Queensland with 74 and 57 deaths, (1.3% decrease and 19.7% decrease, respectively).

State fatality rate

Fatality rates more accurately describe the risk of death within jurisdictions by adjusting for population. The fatality rate for Northern Territory reached 18.8 deaths per 100,000 people for the 12 months ending March 2025 (3.6% increase from the previous year). Western Australia had the second highest rate at 6.3 deaths per 100,000 people (9.2% increase from the previous year), although still 3.0 times lower than that of Northern Territory. The fatality rates of Tasmania and Queensland were 6.3 and 5.1 deaths per 100,000 (15.7% increase and 3.0% decrease from the previous year respectively). Australian Capital Territory reported the lowest fatality rate, at 2.3 deaths per 100,000 population (171.0% increase from the previous year).

Deaths by demographics and circumstances

Road users

Road deaths are grouped by vehicle type and position to describe deaths by road user type. By this measure, deaths were most frequently drivers, with 585 in the 12-month period ending March 2025 (1.2% higher than the previous 12 months). Motorcyclists were the next most highly represented, with 272 deaths in the period (5.4% increase). 199 passenger road deaths occurred in the period.

Age group

In the 12-month period ending March 2025, 30.8% of road deaths were aged 40-64 years (396 deaths). This was followed by 21.2% of deaths for those aged 26-39 years (272 deaths).

Comparing the change in deaths by age group for the most recent 12 months compared to previous:

• The cohort with the greatest decrease in deaths was people aged 17-25 years, with 24 fewer deaths (decrease of 9.9% from 242 to 218 deaths).
• The cohort with the greatest increase in deaths was people aged 75 years and over, with 39 more deaths (increase of 26.9% from 145 to 184 deaths).

Gender

In the past year, around 3.1 times more males than females were involved in fatal crashes. In the 12 months to March 2025, 968 males died in crashes, compared with 309 females. This imbalance has decreased recently, as the road death count for males fell to 968 deaths in the past 12 months, from 971 in the previous (0.3% decrease), compared to female road deaths which increased from 298 to 309 deaths (3.7% increase).

Remoteness area

The majority of road deaths in the last 12 months (963 deaths, 75.0%) occurred in major city and regional areas. Remote and very remote regions made up the smallest proportion of road deaths at 5.5%, reporting a total of 70 deaths.

In recent years, remoteness area has not been routinely provided, resulting in a significant increase in Unknown remoteness area. We suggest caution interpreting findings from this chart, as total deaths in all other regions may be underreported.

Fatal crashes

Road crashes are a leading cause of death and hospitalised injuries in Australia. It’s important to understand their underlying factors, especially crashes that result in at least one fatality.

Single and multiple vehicle crashes

Most fatal crashes involve a single vehicle, totalling 616 crashes in the 12 months ending March 2025, 52.1% of all fatal crashes. There were 551 fatal crashes involving multiple vehicles (9.1% increase from previous year).

There have been 34 fewer fatal single-vehicle crashes (5.2% decrease) compared to the 12 months ending March 2024.

Speed limit

Of all fatal road crashes in the past 12 months, 28.5% (337) happened in 100 km/h zones (2.0% decrease from previous year). This was followed by 296 fatal crashes in 60-75 km/h zones (5.7% higher than the previous year). Fatal crashes in 60-75 km/h zones had the greatest increase, with 16 more deaths (increase of 5.7% from 280 to 296 deaths).

Definitions

Road death

A person who dies within 30 days as a result of injuries received in an unintended crash on a public road.

Fatal injuries are coded using the World Health Organisation (WHO) International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-10) system. For more details, see ICD-10 Version 2010(Opens in a new tab/window)

Fatality rate

The fatality rate allows for easier like-for-like comparison between states and territories and other sub-groups as it is not affected by differences in the sizes of the populations. In particular, it refers to the count of road deaths in the last 12 months divided by the 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.

Fatal crash

A crash reported to police resulting from the movement of at least one road vehicle on a public road and involving at least one death that is not the result of a pre-meditated act.

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.

About the data

We collect the data from each state and territory and collate them in the Australian Road Deaths Database.

The raw data are obtained from:

• Transport for NSW(Opens in a new tab/window)
• Department of Transport and Planning, Victoria(Opens in a new tab/window)
• Department of Transport and Main Roads, Queensland(Opens in a new tab/window)
• Department for Infrastructure and Transport, SA(Opens in a new tab/window)
• Western Australia Police Force(Opens in a new tab/window)
• Department of State Growth, Tasmania(Opens in a new tab/window)
• Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics, NT(Opens in a new tab/window)
• Transport Canberra and City Services, ACT(Opens in a new tab/window)
• Australian Bureau of Statistics(Opens in a new tab/window)

Download data

• Road deaths Australia tables(Opens in a new tab/window)
• Australian Road Deaths Database(Opens in a new tab/window)

Limitations

Road deaths from recent months are preliminary and are subject to revision.