Key figures for March 2025

  • 105
    Road deaths in March 2025
    0.6% higher than the average for March over the previous 5 years
  • 1,284
    Road deaths in past 12 months
    1.2% increase from the same time last year
  • 4.7
    Deaths per 100,000 people in the past 12 months
    0.6% decrease from the same time last year
  • 483
    Vulnerable Road User deaths in the past 12 months
    3.9% increase from the same time last year

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

Deaths by road user

By age group

Deaths by age group

Change on previous 12 months

Change on previous 12 months

Monthly road deaths

last 5 years with trend

Monthly road deaths with trend

Monthly and annual deaths

Monthly deaths
Current month

Australia

March 2024

111

March 2025

105

Latest per cent change

-5.4%

 
Annual deaths - past 12 months
12 months end March

Australia

2021

1,112

2022

1,137

2023

1,190

2024

1,269

2025

1,284

Latest per cent change

1.2%

Average trend change per year

4.1%

 

Annual deaths – calendar year to date
Year to date

Australia

January - March 2024

318

January - March 2025

301

Latest per cent change

-5.3%

 

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.

Fatality rate - Last 12 months

12 months end March

Australia

2021

4.3

2022

4.4

2023

4.5

2024

4.7

2025

4.7

Latest per cent change

-0.6%

Average trend change per year

2.3%

 

Fatality rate - calendar year
Calendar year

Australia

2020

4.3

2021

4.4

2022

4.5

2023

4.7

2024

4.8

Latest per cent change

1.4%

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).

Monthly deaths by state/territory
Current month

NSW

VIC

QLD

SA

WA

TAS

NT

ACT

March 2024

21

30

22

7

20

3

7

1

March 2025

40

20

16

4

19

2

2

2

Latest per cent change

90.5%

-33.3%

-27.3%

-42.9%

-5.0%

-33.3%

-71.4%

100.0%

 
Annual deaths by state/territory - past 12 months
12 months end March

NSW

VIC

QLD

SA

WA

TAS

NT

ACT

2021

277

203

306

94

165

26

30

11

2022

287

236

277

85

154

45

43

10

2023

273

256

278

95

181

48

42

17

2024

344

290

289

98

167

31

46

4

2025

342

283

286

91

187

36

48

11

Latest per cent change

-0.6%

-2.4%

-1.0%

-7.1%

12.0%

16.1%

4.3%

175.0%

Average trend change per year

6.2%

9.1%

-0.9%

0.8%

3.4%

2.8%

10.6%

-8.8%

 

Annual deaths by state/territory – calendar year to date
Year to date

NSW

VIC

QLD

SA

WA

TAS

NT

ACT

January to March 2024

78

75

71

22

47

5

18

2

January to March 2025

84

74

57

23

46

9

6

2

Latest per cent change

7.7%

-1.3%

-19.7%

4.5%

-2.1%

80.0%

-66.7%

0.0%

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).

State fatality rate - past 12 months
12 months end March

NSW

VIC

QLD

SA

WA

TAS

NT

ACT

2021

3.4

3.1

5.9

5.2

6.1

4.6

12.1

2.5

2022

3.5

3.6

5.3

4.7

5.6

7.9

17.3

2.2

2023

3.3

3.8

5.2

5.2

6.4

8.4

16.8

3.7

2024

4.1

4.2

5.3

5.3

5.7

5.4

18.1

0.9

2025

4.0

4.0

5.1

4.8

6.3

6.3

18.8

2.3

Latest per cent change

-2.0%

-4.5%

-3.0%

-8.2%

9.2%

15.7%

3.6%

171.0%

Average trend change per year

4.8%

7.2%

-3.0%

-0.5%

0.9%

2.1%

9.7%

-10.3%

 

State fatality rate - calendar year
Calendar year

NSW

VIC

QLD

SA

WA

TAS

NT

ACT

2020

3.5

3.2

5.4

5.2

5.7

6.8

12.5

1.6

2021

3.4

3.5

5.3

5.5

6.0

6.3

14.1

2.4

2022

3.4

3.6

5.5

3.9

6.3

8.9

20.8

3.9

2023

4.1

4.3

5.1

6.3

5.5

6.1

12.2

0.9

2024

4.0

4.1

5.4

4.8

6.3

5.6

23.5

2.3

Latest per cent change

-2.8%

-6.0%

5.9%

-24.1%

15.7%

-8.9%

92.0%

170.6%


 

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.

Road user
12 months end March

Driver

Passenger

Pedestrian

Motorcyclista

Pedal cyclista

Totalb

2021

547

180

126

217

38

1,112

2022

542

184

134

229

40

1,137

2023

549

191

157

246

40

1,190

2024

578

210

176

258

31

1,269

2025

585

199

167

272

44

1,284

Latest per cent change

1.2%

-5.2%

-5.1%

5.4%

41.9%

1.2%

Average trend change per year

2.0%

3.4%

8.7%

5.9%

0.4%

4.1%

a Includes pillion passengers.

b Includes unknown or not specified.

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).
Age group (years)
12 months end March

0 to 7

8 to 16

17 to 25

26 to 39

40 to 64

65 to 74

≥ 75

Totalb

2021

21

39

205

293

343

86

120

1,112

2022

18

43

223

236

355

115

143

1,137

2023

17

49

225

264

365

118

151

1,190

2024

16

48

242

291

392

134

145

1,269

2025

16

40

218

272

396

151

184

1,284

Latest per cent change

0.0%

-16.7%

-9.9%

-6.5%

1.0%

12.7%

26.9%

1.2%

Average trend change per year

-6.4%

1.6%

2.1%

0.6%

3.9%

13.6%

9.1%

4.1%

b Includes unknown or not specified.

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).

Gender
12 months end March

Male

Female

Totalb

2021

814

294

1,112

2022

854

282

1,137

2023

874

315

1,190

2024

971

298

1,269

2025

968

309

1,284

Latest per cent change

-0.3%

3.7%

1.2%

Average trend change per year

4.9%

1.6%

4.1%

b Includes unknown or not specified.

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.

Remoteness area
12 months end March

Major Cities of Australia

Inner Regional Australia

Outer Regional Australia

Remote Australia

Very Remote Australia

Unknown

Total

2021

388

363

235

50

62

14

1,112

2022

370

374

262

65

54

12

1,137

2023

442

369

259

52

58

10

1,190

2024

413

439

256

62

48

51

1,269

2025

364

345

254

40

30

251

1,284

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.

Crash type
12 months end March

Single

Multiple

Totalb

2021

570

450

1,020

2022

630

427

1,057

2023

648

458

1,108

2024

650

505

1,159

2025

616

551

1,183

Latest per cent change

-5.2%

9.1%

2.1%

Average trend change per year

1.9%

5.9%

4.0%

b Includes unknown or not specified.

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).

Speed limit (km/h)
12 months end March

≤ 40

50

60 to 75

80 to 90

100

≥ 110

Totalb

2021

14

116

236

191

338

115

1,020

2022

20

129

253

156

345

142

1,057

2023

27

115

305

186

322

148

1,108

2024

32

159

280

206

344

132

1,159

2025

28

129

296

192

337

129

1,183

Latest per cent change

-12.5%

-18.9%

5.7%

-6.8%

-2.0%

-2.3%

2.1%

Average trend change per year

20.4%

4.3%

5.7%

2.9%

-0.1%

1.6%

4.0%

b Includes unknown or not specified.

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

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