Monthly road deaths

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National fatality rate

For the 12 months ending January 2026, the national road fatality rate was 4.8 deaths per 100,000 people. This rate is 0.8% lower than the same time last year.

The fatality rate was 4.8 for the 12 months ending December 2025 and was 0.3% higher compared to the previous calendar year.

State comparison

Total deaths

For the 12 months ending January 2026, the states that experienced the most road deaths were New South Wales with 367 (17.3% increase on previous 12 months), followed by Queensland with 303 (1.6% decrease). Australian Capital Territory had the lowest number of deaths in the past 12 months, with with 12 (20.0% increase).

So far in 2026, the greatest number of deaths have occurred in New South Wales with 26 (52.9% increase), followed by Queensland with 22 deaths (15.4% decrease).

Fatality rate

Fatality rates more accurately describe the risk of death within jurisdictions by adjusting for population. The fatality rate for Northern Territory reached 13.2 per 100,000 people for the 12 months ending January 2026 (43.4% decrease from the previous year). Tasmania had the second highest rate at 7.8 per 100,000 people (36.1% increase from the previous year), 1.7 times lower than that of Northern Territory. Australian Capital Territory reported the lowest fatality rate, at 2.5 deaths per 100,000 people (18.4% 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 568 in the 12-month period ending January 2026 (a 2.6% decrease compared to the previous 12 months). Motorcyclists were the next most highly represented, with 269 deaths in the period (6.9% decrease).

Age group

In the 12-month period ending January 2026, 30.8% of road deaths were aged 25 to 44 years (404 deaths). This was followed by 24.1% of deaths for those aged 45 to 64 years (316 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 65 to 79 years, with 26 fewer deaths (11.7% decrease from 222 to 196 deaths).
• The cohort with the greatest increase in deaths was people aged 25 to 44 years, with 31 more deaths (8.3% increase from 373 to 404 deaths).

Gender

In the past year, around 3.1 times more males than females were involved in fatal crashes. In the 12 months to January 2026, 990 males died in crashes, compared to 323 females. The road death count for males increased from 978 to 990 in the past 12 months (1.2% increase) compared to female road deaths, which remained unchanged from 323 to 323 deaths (0.0% change).

Remoteness area

The majority of road deaths in the last 12 months (475 deaths, 36.2%) occurred in major cities areas. Very remote regions made up the smallest proportion of road deaths at 3.0%, reporting 39 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 680 crashes in the past 12 months ending January 2026 (55.5% of all fatal crashes). There were 542 fatal crashes involving multiple vehicles (4.7% decrease from previous year).

There has been a 9.0% increase for single-vehicle crashes, from 624 to 680 fatal crashes in the 12 months ending January 2026.

Speed limit

Of all fatal road crashes in the past 12 months, 25.6% (314) happened in 60 to 75 km/h zones (1.6% increase from previous year). This was followed by 311 fatal crashes in 100 km/h zones (16.4% decrease from previous year). Fatal crashes in 50 km/h zones had the greatest increase, with 21 more deaths (16.8% increase from 125 to 146 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, South Australia(Opens in a new tab/window)
• Western Australian Police(Opens in a new tab/window) and Road Safety Commission(Opens in a new tab/window)
• ​Department of State Growth, Tasmania(Opens in a new tab/window)
• Department of Logistics and Infrastructure, Northern Territory(Opens in a new tab/window)
• City and Environment Directorate, Australian Capital Territory(Opens in a new tab/window)
• Australian Bureau of Statistics(Opens in a new tab/window)

Download data

CKAN Data Catalogue:

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

Note: If CKAN is offline, refer to file downloads above.

Limitations

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