THE nation’s road toll is rising at a higher rate than even before seatbelts were made mandatory.
Road fatalities have increased over each of the past four years – a situation last seen in 1966.
Last year, 1,300 people died on our nation’s roads, up from 1258 in 2023, the worst result since 2012.
The Australian Automobile Association (AAA) said the figures indicate that not a single Australian jurisdiction would meet agreed road safety targets.
Statistics published by the AAA show Australia’s road toll increased in Queensland (+9 percent), Western Australia (+17 percent), the Northern Territory (+87 percent), and in the Australian Capital Territory (+175 percent).
Fatal collisions in New South Wales remained identical to those in 2023, while those in Victoria (-5 percent), Tasmania (-9 percent), and South Australia (-22 percent) fell.
Australian government data showed most fatalities recorded in 2024 were by the vehicle driver (596 people or 45.8 percent), followed by motorcyclists (278 people or 21.4 percent), vehicle passengers (200 or 15.4 percent), pedestrians (167 people or 12.8 percent), cyclists (38 or 2.9 percent), and uncategorised (remainder).
Australians aged between 40 and 64 years were over-represented in 2024 road toll data, with 400 people losing their lives on our roads.
People aged between 26 and 39 followed (273), ahead of those aged 17 to 25 (240), over 75 years (163), aged 65 to 74 (144), and 8 to 16 (43). The remainder were aged less than seven years or unknown.
Males were 2.9 times more likely to die in a road accident than females. In total, 967 males died on our roads in 2024 against 328 females.
Data shows most road deaths in 2024 (966 people or 74.3 percent) occurred in metropolitan or regional areas, with remote and very remote areas making up the “smallest proportion of road deaths” (51 people or 3.9 percent).
Most fatal crashes involve a single vehicle (717 people or 60.2 percent), with 474 people dying in multiple vehicle collisions (+0.4 percent on 2023).
There have been 40 more fatal single-vehicle collisions (a 5.9 percent increase) since the 12 months ending December 2023.
Of the total road fatalities listed for 2024, 340 lives were lost in 100km/h zones (an increase of 0.9 percent on 2023), 282 in 60-70km/h zones (-1.1 percent), and 201 in 80-90km/h zone (+3.1 percent).
Road crashes are the leading cause of death and hospitalised injury in Australia.
Overall, the 2024 road fatality rate equates to 4.8 people per 100,000 head of population – or 1.2 percent higher than the same time last year.
Australia’s worst recorded year for road deaths was 1970 when 3,798 fatalities were recorded – or 80 in 100,000 people.
