Australia has just recorded its worst year for road deaths in over a decade, with 1,300 people losing their lives in 2024. This is the same number as in 2012, and it marks the fourth year in a row where road deaths have gone up.
Why Are Road Deaths Rising?
Even though cars are getting safer with new technology, more people are dying on our roads. The numbers have gone up by 3.3% compared to 2023, when 1,258 people died. This is a big jump from 2020, when 1,097 people died during COVID lockdowns.
Which States Were Most Affected?
Some parts of Australia saw bigger increases than others:
- The ACT had the biggest jump, with 11 deaths (up from just 4 in 2023)
- The Northern Territory saw deaths nearly double, going from 31 to 58
- Western Australia's numbers went up by 17%
- Queensland had a 9% increase
South Australia was one bright spot, with deaths dropping by 22%.
Who Is Most at Risk?
The numbers show some clear patterns about who is most in danger on our roads:
Age Groups Most Affected
- People aged 40-64 had the most deaths (400)
- Young adults aged 17-25 saw 240 deaths
- Children under 7 had 19 deaths
Where Deaths Happen Most
Most deaths happened on roads with higher speed limits:
- 378 deaths on 100km/h roads
- 296 deaths on 60-70km/h roads
- 224 deaths on 80-90km/h roads
What's Being Done to Help?
The Australian Government has started a new project called the Road Safety Data Hub. They're spending $21.2 million to collect information about crashes and road safety. This will help them:
- Find out why crashes happen
- Fix dangerous roads
- Make better safety rules
- Share information with the public
Are We Meeting Safety Goals?
In 2021, Australia set some big goals for 2030, including:
- Cutting road deaths in half
- Having zero deaths of children under 7
- No deaths in city centers
- No deaths on highways
Right now, we're not on track to meet any of these goals.
What Can Drivers Do?
While the government works on solutions, drivers can help by:
- Following speed limits
- Being extra careful on high-speed roads
- Watching out for motorcyclists (278 died in 2024)
- Taking care around pedestrians (167 died in 2024)
The rising number of deaths shows we all need to work harder to make our roads safer.
Dylan Anderson
