Monthly road deaths

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Key statistics

• During the 12 months ending November 2024 there were 1,318 road deaths, an increase of 6.1% compared to the same time last year.
• There were 129 road deaths during November 2024. This is 16 more deaths (14.2%) than the same month last year (113 deaths). The current month is 30.3% higher than the average for November over the previous 5 years.
• The fatality rate for the 12 months to November 2024 stands at 4.8 deaths per 100,000 people, a 3.8% increase compared to the same time last year.
• So far in 2024 there have been 1,199 road deaths, a 5.3% increase from the 2023 January to November period, when there were 1,139 deaths.
   

Latest 12 months

By road user

By age group

Change on previous 12 months

Monthly road deaths

last 5 years with trend and error bounds

National fatality rate

In the 12 months ending November 2024, the national road fatality rate was 4.8 deaths per 100,000 people. This rate is 3.8% higher than the same time last year. 

The fatality rate was 4.7 for the 12 months ending December 2023 and was 4.1% higher compared to the previous calendar year.

State comparison

Total deaths

For the 12 months ending November 2024, the states which experienced the most road deaths were NSW, with 350 (4.5% increase on previous 12 months), followed by Queensland with 303 (8.6% increase). ACT had the lowest number of deaths in the past 12 months, with 11 (266.7% increase).

So far in 2024 the greatest number of deaths have occurred in NSW with 318 (3% higher compared to the same period last year), followed by Queensland and Victoria with 278 deaths and 265 deaths, (10% increase and 2% decrease, respectively).

State fatality rate

Fatality rates more accurately describe the risk of death within jurisdictions by adjusting for population. The Northern Territory consistently had the highest fatality rate over the past 5 years, reaching 23.2 deaths per 100,000 people for the 12 months ending November 2024 (102.1% increase from the previous year). Western Australia had the second highest at 6.1 deaths per 100,000 people (4.7% increase from the previous year), although notably 3 times lower than that of Northern Territory. NSW and Victoria shared similar fatality rates with 4.1 deaths per 100,000 (2.5% increase and 1.2% decrease from the previous year respectively). ACT continued to report the lowest fatality rate, at 2.3 deaths per 100,000 population (260.3% 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 600 in the 12-month period ending November 2024 (2% higher than the previous 12 months). Motorcyclists were the next most highly represented, with 284 deaths in the period (17% increase). 212 passenger road deaths occurred in the period. 

Age group

In the 12-month period ending November 2024, 31.2% of road deaths were aged 40-64 years (411 deaths). This was followed by 20.9% of deaths for those aged 26-39 years (276 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 26-39 years, with 8 fewer deaths (decrease of 3%, from 284 to 276 deaths).
• The cohort with the greatest increase in deaths was aged 40-64 years, with 45 more deaths (increase of 12% from 366 to 411 deaths).

Gender

In the past year, around 3.1 times more males than females were involved in fatal crashes. In the 12 months to November 2024, 997 males died in crashes, compared with 317 females. This imbalance has increased recently, as the road death count for males steeply rose to 997 deaths in the past 12 months, from 928 in the previous (7% increase). Female road deaths increased slightly from 314 to 317 deaths (1% increase).

Remoteness area

Three-quarters of road deaths in the last 12 months (982 deaths, 75%) occurred in Major city and regional areas. Remote and Very Remote regions made up the smallest proportion of road deaths at 4%, reporting a total of 50 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 729 crashes in the 12 months ending November 2024 (10% increase), 60% of all fatal crashes. There were 479 fatal crashes involving multiple vehicles (2% increase from previous year).

There have been 65 more fatal single-vehicle crashes (10% increase) since the 12 months ending November 2023.

Speed limit

Of all the fatal road crashes in the past 12 months, 28% (335) happened in 100 km/h zones (3% increase from the previous year). This was followed by 289 fatal crashes in 60-70 km zones (flat compared to the previous year). Fatal crashes in 80-90 km/h zones had the highest increase at 6% from the previous year.

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.