Key figures for May 2025

  • 127
    Road deaths in May 2025
    36.9% higher than the average for May over the previous 5 years
  • 1,337
    Road deaths in past 12 months
    4.8% increase from the same time last year
  • 4.9
    Deaths per 100,000 people in the past 12 months
    3.0% increase from the same time last year
  • 501
    Vulnerable Road User deaths in the past 12 months
    5.9% increase from the same time last year

Latest 12 months

By road user

Latest 12 Months by Road User

By age group

Latest 12 Months by Age Group

Change on previous 12 months

Change on Previous 12 months by Jurisdiction

Monthly road deaths

last 5 years with trend

Monthly Road Deaths - Last Five Years with Trend

Monthly and annual deaths

Monthly fatalities over the last 5 years
YearJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecTotal
20208293102808282969683104102951,097
2021979510085791031077984104941021,129
20229311195101104937693120881031051,182
20231038811292103861071021271021111191,252
202497106111112969712299931131311201,297
202511285116122127562

 

Annual deaths - past 12 months
12 months end MayNSWVICQLDSAWATASNTACTTotal
2021280199297931693234101,114
2022289241297881524946151,177
2023278273269951803634111,176
202434928328696173305271,276
202535029930388194435191,337
Latest per cent change0.3%5.7%5.9%-8.3%12.1%43.3%-1.9%28.6%4.8%

 

Annual deaths - calendar year to date
Year to dateNSWVICQLDSAWATASNTACTTotal
Jan to May 202413611811536789255522
Jan to May 2025154133116358421163562
Latest per cent change13.2%12.7%0.9%-2.8%7.7%133.3%-36.0%-40.0%7.7%

National fatality rate

For the 12 months ending May 2025, the national road fatality rate was 4.9 deaths per 100,000 people. This rate is 3.0% higher than the same time last year.

The fatality rate was 4.8 for the 12 months ending December 2024 and was 1.5% higher compared to the previous calendar year.

Fatality rate - past 12 months
12 months end MayNSWVICQLDSAWATASNTACTTotal
20213.53.05.75.26.25.713.72.24.3
20223.63.75.74.95.58.618.53.34.6
20233.44.15.05.26.46.313.52.44.5
20244.14.15.25.15.95.220.51.54.7
20254.14.25.44.76.57.519.91.94.9
Latest per cent change-1.1%3.5%3.9%-9.4%9.5%42.9%-2.7%26.6%3.0%

 

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
20223.43.65.53.96.38.820.83.94.5
20234.14.35.06.35.55.812.20.94.7
20243.94.15.44.76.35.423.52.34.8
Latest per cent change-3.9%-6.0%7.8%-24.9%15.7%-6.3%92.0%170.5%1.5%

State comparison

Total deaths

For the 12 months ending May 2025, the states that experienced the most road deaths were New South Wales with 350 (0.3% increase on previous 12 months), followed by Queensland with 303 (5.9% increase). Australian Capital Territory had the lowest number of deaths in the past 12 months, with 9 (28.6% increase).

So far in 2025, the greatest number of deaths have occurred in New South Wales with 154 (13.2% increase), followed by Victoria with 133 deaths (12.7% increase).

Monthly deaths by state/territory
Current monthNSWVICQLDSAWATASNTACTTotal
May 202425261861415196
May 2025293728916170127
Latest per cent change16.0%42.3%55.6%50.0%14.3%0.0%40.0%-100.0%32.3%

 

Annual deaths by state/territory - past 12 months
12 months end MayNSWVICQLDSAWATASNTACTTotal
2021280199297931693234101,114
2022289241297881524946151,177
2023278273269951803634111,176
202434928328696173305271,276
202535029930388194435191,337
Latest per cent change0.3%5.7%5.9%-8.3%12.1%43.3%-1.9%28.6%4.8%

 

Annual deaths by state/territory - calendar year to date
Year to dateNSWVICQLDSAWATASNTACTTotal
Jan to May 202413611811536789255522
Jan to May 2025154133116358421163562
Latest per cent change13.2%12.7%0.9%-2.8%7.7%133.3%-36.0%-40.0%7.7%

Fatality rate

Fatality rates more accurately describe the risk of death within jurisdictions by adjusting for population. The fatality rate for Northern Territory reached 19.9 per 100,000 people for the 12 months ending May 2025 (2.7% decrease from the previous year). Tasmania had the second highest rate at 7.5 per 100,000 people (42.9% increase from the previous year), 2.67 times lower than that of Northern Territory. Australian Capital Territory reported the lowest fatality rate, at 1.9 deaths per 100,000 people (26.6% increase from the previous year).

Fatality rate by state/territory - past 12 months
12 months end MayNSWVICQLDSAWATASNTACTTotal
20213.53.05.75.26.25.713.72.24.3
20223.63.75.74.95.58.618.53.34.6
20233.44.15.05.26.46.313.52.44.5
20244.14.15.25.15.95.220.51.54.7
20254.14.25.44.76.57.519.91.94.9
Latest per cent change-1.1%3.5%3.9%-9.4%9.5%42.9%-2.7%26.6%3.0%

 

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
20223.43.65.53.96.38.820.83.94.5
20234.14.35.06.35.55.812.20.94.7
20243.94.15.44.76.35.423.52.34.8
Latest per cent change-3.9%-6.0%7.8%-24.9%15.7%-6.3%92.0%170.5%1.5%

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 608 in the 12-month period ending May 2025 (a 5.2% increase compared to the previous 12 months). Motorcyclists were the next most highly represented, with 268 deaths in the period (3.2% decrease).

Road user
12 months end MayDriverPassengerPedestrianMotorcyclistPedal cyclistTotal
2021552177121225351,114
2022562189147229391,177
2023540199158236391,176
2024578207166277301,276
2025608207192268411,337
Latest per cent change5.2%0.0%15.7%-3.2%36.7%4.8%

Motorcyclist and Pedal cyclist categories include pillion passengers

Totals may include unknown values

Age group

In the 12-month period ending May 2025, 32.2% of road deaths were aged 40 to 64 years (430 deaths). This was followed by 21.7% of deaths for those aged 26 to 39 years (290 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 18 fewer deaths (7.6% decrease from 237 to 219 deaths).
  • The cohort with the greatest increase in deaths was people aged 40 to 64 years, with 45 more deaths (11.7% increase from 385 to 430 deaths).
Age group (years)
12 months end May0 to 78 to 1617 to 2526 to 3940 to 6465 to 74≥ 75Total
20212245218279335931211,114
202218452262483621221521,177
202315492272583651141471,176
202417472372843851431611,276
202523382192904301471841,337
Latest per cent change35.3%-19.1%-7.6%2.1%11.7%2.8%14.3%4.8%

Totals may include unknown values

Gender

In the past year, around 3.1 times more males than females were involved in fatal crashes. In the 12 months to May 2025, 1,004 males died in crashes, compared to 329 females. This imbalance has increased recently, as the road death count for males increased from 979 to 1,004 in the past 12 months (2.6% increase) compared to female road deaths, which increased from 296 to 329 deaths (11.1% increase).

Gender
12 months end MayMaleFemaleTotal
20218242901,114
20228892871,177
20238513241,176
20249792961,276
20251,0043291,337
Latest per cent change2.6%11.1%4.8%

Totals may include unknown values

Remoteness area

The majority of road deaths in the last 12 months (369 deaths, 27.6%) occurred in inner regional areas. Very remote regions made up the smallest proportion of road deaths at 1.9%, reporting 26 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 MayMajor citiesInner regionalOuter regionalRemoteVery remoteUnknownTotal
20213623672485765151,114
20223983822646854111,177
20234443792474254101,176
20244024192626347831,276
202536236925739262841,337
Latest per cent change-10.0%-11.9%-1.9%-38.1%-44.7%242.2%4.8%

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 676 crashes in the past 12 months ending May 2025 (54.7% of all fatal crashes). There were 553 fatal crashes involving multiple vehicles (6.3% increase from previous year).

There has been a 4.8% increase for single-vehicle crashes, from 645 to 676 fatal crashes in the 12 months ending May 2025.

Crash type (number of vehicles involved in crash)
12 months end MaySingleMultipleTotal
20215844501,034
20226614301,091
20236204641,086
20246455201,169
20256765531,235
Latest per cent change4.8%6.3%5.6%

Totals may include unknown values

Speed limit

Of all fatal road crashes in the past 12 months, 27.5% (340) happened in 100 km/h zones (2.0% decrease from previous year). This was followed by 305 fatal crashes in 60 to 75 km/h zones (5.2% increase from previous year). Fatal crashes in 60 to 75 km/h zones had the greatest increase, with 15 more deaths (5.2% increase from 290 to 305 deaths).

Speed limit (km/h)
12 months end May≤ 405060 to 7580 to 90100≥ 110Total
2021141132371823451321,034
2022211302711693541361,091
2023301172951783171441,086
2024321492902013471401,169
2025281283052083401321,235
Latest per cent change-12.5%-14.1%5.2%3.5%-2.0%-5.7%5.6%

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