Key figures for September 2025

  • 93
    Road deaths in September 2025
    8.3% lower than the average for September over the previous 5 years
  • 1,350
    Road deaths in past 12 months
    6.8% higher than the same time last year
  • 4.9
    Deaths per 100,000 people in the past 12 months
    5.2% higher than the same time last year
  • 503
    Vulnerable road user deaths in the past 12 months
    5.0% higher than the same time last year

Monthly and annual deaths

Monthly fatalities over the last 5 years
YearJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecTotal
20208293102808282969683104102951,097
2021979510085791031077984104941021,129
20229311195101104937693120881031051,182
20231038811292102861071021271021111191,251
202497106111111969712299931111311181,292
20251108211611613310111812193990

 

Annual deaths - past 12 months
12 months ending SeptemberNSWVICQLDSAWATASNTACTTotal
20212582182891021763937111,130
2022290252293811584751141,186
2023322269285102168312991,215
202432029027892180356271,264
202536629431492194424081,350
Latest per cent change14.4%1.4%12.9%0.0%7.8%20.0%-35.5%14.3%6.8%

 

Annual deaths - calendar year to date
Year to dateNSWVICQLDSAWATASNTACTTotal
Jan to Sep 20242312102156113524506932
Jan to Sep 20252702202276414135303990
Latest per cent change16.9%4.8%5.6%4.9%4.4%45.8%-40.0%-50.0%6.2%

National fatality rate

For the 12 months ending September 2025, the national road fatality rate was 4.9 deaths per 100,000 people. This rate is 5.2% higher than the same time last year.

The fatality rate was 4.8 for the 12 months ending December 2024 and was 1.3% higher compared to the previous calendar year.

Fatality rate - past 12 months
12 months ending SeptemberNSWVICQLDSAWATASNTACTTotal
20213.23.35.65.76.46.914.92.44.4
20223.63.85.54.55.78.220.23.04.6
20233.94.05.35.55.95.411.31.94.6
20243.84.25.04.96.16.123.81.54.7
20254.34.25.64.86.47.315.21.74.9
Latest per cent change13.0%-0.4%11.0%-1.0%5.4%19.8%-36.3%12.8%5.2%

 

Fatality rate - calendar year
Calendar yearNSWVICQLDSAWATASNTACTTotal
20203.53.25.45.25.76.812.51.64.3
20213.43.55.35.56.06.214.12.44.4
20223.43.65.63.96.38.720.53.94.5
20234.14.35.06.35.55.612.00.84.7
20243.94.15.44.76.35.423.02.34.8
Latest per cent change-5.4%-5.9%7.8%-24.9%15.5%-3.3%91.1%170.8%1.3%

State comparison

Total deaths

For the 12 months ending September 2025, the states that experienced the most road deaths were New South Wales with 366 (14.4% increase on previous 12 months), followed by Queensland with 314 (12.9% increase). Australian Capital Territory had the lowest number of deaths in the past 12 months, with 8 (14.3% increase).

So far in 2025, the greatest number of deaths have occurred in New South Wales with 270 (16.9% increase), followed by Queensland with 227 deaths (5.6% increase).

Monthly deaths by state/territory
Current monthNSWVICQLDSAWATASNTACTTotal
September 202428201841454093
September 202523251971252093
Latest per cent change-17.9%25.0%5.6%75.0%-14.3%0.0%-50.0%0.0%0.0%

 

Annual deaths by state/territory - past 12 months
12 months ending SeptemberNSWVICQLDSAWATASNTACTTotal
20212582182891021763937111,130
2022290252293811584751141,186
2023322269285102168312991,215
202432029027892180356271,264
202536629431492194424081,350
Latest per cent change14.4%1.4%12.9%0.0%7.8%20.0%-35.5%14.3%6.8%

 

Annual deaths by state/territory - calendar year to date
Year to dateNSWVICQLDSAWATASNTACTTotal
Jan to Sep 20242312102156113524506932
Jan to Sep 20252702202276414135303990
Latest per cent change16.9%4.8%5.6%4.9%4.4%45.8%-40.0%-50.0%6.2%

Fatality rate

Fatality rates more accurately describe the risk of death within jurisdictions by adjusting for population. The fatality rate for Northern Territory reached 15.2 per 100,000 people for the 12 months ending September 2025 (36.3% decrease from the previous year). Tasmania had the second highest rate at 7.3 per 100,000 people (19.8% increase from the previous year), 2.08 times lower than that of Northern Territory. Australian Capital Territory reported the lowest fatality rate, at 1.7 deaths per 100,000 people (12.8% increase from the previous year).

Fatality rate by state/territory - past 12 months
12 months ending SeptemberNSWVICQLDSAWATASNTACTTotal
20213.23.35.65.76.46.914.92.44.4
20223.63.85.54.55.78.220.23.04.6
20233.94.05.35.55.95.411.31.94.6
20243.84.25.04.96.16.123.81.54.7
20254.34.25.64.86.47.315.21.74.9
Latest per cent change13.0%-0.4%11.0%-1.0%5.4%19.8%-36.3%12.8%5.2%

 

Fatality rate by state/territory - calendar year
Calendar yearNSWVICQLDSAWATASNTACTTotal
20203.53.25.45.25.76.812.51.64.3
20213.43.55.35.56.06.214.12.44.4
20223.43.65.63.96.38.720.53.94.5
20234.14.35.06.35.55.612.00.84.7
20243.94.15.44.76.35.423.02.34.8
Latest per cent change-5.4%-5.9%7.8%-24.9%15.5%-3.3%91.1%170.8%1.3%

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 621 in the 12-month period ending September 2025 (a 11.3% increase compared to the previous 12 months). Motorcyclists were the next most highly represented, with 259 deaths in the period (6.2% decrease).

Road user
12 months ending SeptemberDriverPassengerPedestrianMotorcyclistPedal cyclistTotal
2021539185133229371,130
2022564184149247331,186
2023565198164240411,215
2024558209167276361,264
2025621205206259381,350
Latest per cent change11.3%-1.9%23.4%-6.2%5.6%6.8%

Motorcyclist and Pedal cyclist categories include pillion passengers

Totals may include unknown values

Age group

In the 12-month period ending September 2025, 30.9% of road deaths were aged 40 to 64 years (417 deaths). This was followed by 22.2% of deaths for those aged 26 to 39 years (300 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 to 25 years, with 24 fewer deaths (10.0% decrease from 239 to 215 deaths).
  • The cohort with the greatest increase in deaths was people aged 26 to 39 years, with 37 more deaths (14.1% increase from 263 to 300 deaths).
Age group (years)
12 months ending September0 to 78 to 1617 to 2526 to 3940 to 6465 to 74≥ 75Total
20212047215266349971351,130
202219452302523701251401,186
202312472392773611251541,215
202420432392634001371591,264
202520432153004171551961,350
Latest per cent change0.0%0.0%-10.0%14.1%4.2%13.1%23.3%6.8%

Totals may include unknown values

Gender

In the past year, around 2.9 times more males than females were involved in fatal crashes. In the 12 months to September 2025, 999 males died in crashes, compared to 350 females. The road death count for males increased from 977 to 999 in the past 12 months (2.3% increase) compared to female road deaths, which increased from 285 to 350 deaths (22.8% increase).

Gender
12 months ending SeptemberMaleFemaleTotal
20218372931,130
20229012841,186
20238963181,215
20249772851,264
20259993501,350
Latest per cent change2.3%22.8%6.8%

Totals may include unknown values

Remoteness area

The majority of road deaths in the last 12 months (387 deaths, 28.7%) occurred in major cities areas. Very remote regions made up the smallest proportion of road deaths at 1.8%, reporting 24 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.

Remoteness area
12 months ending SeptemberMajor citiesInner regionalOuter regionalRemoteVery remoteUnknownTotal
20213793492635367191,130
2022395397254706371,186
2023449415251484481,215
202439037026657391421,264
202538737825934242681,350
Latest per cent change-0.8%2.2%-2.6%-40.4%-38.5%88.7%6.8%

Totals may include unknown values

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 681 crashes in the past 12 months ending September 2025 (54.3% of all fatal crashes). There were 569 fatal crashes involving multiple vehicles (9.8% increase from previous year).

There has been a 8.3% increase for single-vehicle crashes, from 629 to 681 fatal crashes in the 12 months ending September 2025.

Crash type (number of vehicles involved in crash)
12 months ending SeptemberSingleMultipleTotal
20215904571,047
20226744381,112
20236125021,117
20246295181,150
20256815691,253
Latest per cent change8.3%9.8%9.0%

Totals may include unknown values

Speed limit

Of all fatal road crashes in the past 12 months, 27.9% (350) happened in 100 km/h zones (5.4% increase from previous year). This was followed by 298 fatal crashes in 60 to 75 km/h zones (2.3% decrease from previous year). Fatal crashes in 100 km/h zones had the greatest increase, with 18 more deaths (5.4% increase from 332 to 350 deaths).

Speed limit (km/h)
12 months ending September≤ 405060 to 7580 to 90100≥ 110Total
2021131292371653391511,047
2022211162821943581351,112
2023381392981803211361,117
2024271373052033321361,150
2025291492982053501411,253
Latest per cent change7.4%8.8%-2.3%1.0%5.4%3.7%9.0%

Totals may include unknown values

Explore the data

Explore the monthly deaths data in dashboard format. The dashboard allows further drilling down by categories such as age group, jurisdiction and road user. 

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:

Download data

CKAN Data Catalogue:

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

Limitations

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

Have a question or feedback?

Contact the Road Safety Data Hub team