Preliminary data for 2025 indicates an overall increase in road fatalities across Australia, with 1,332 deaths recorded nationally by November, marking the highest toll in a decade. While several states and territories experienced rises, notably New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, and Tasmania, Western Australia, South Australia, and the Northern Territory reported a decrease in their annual road tolls. Factors such as speeding, vehicle types, and driver behavior have been cited by authorities and experts as contributors to the national trend.
National Road Toll Overview
Australia recorded 1,332 road fatalities in the 12 months leading up to November 2025. This figure represents an increase from 1,300 deaths in 2024 and 1,258 in 2023. The 2025 national toll is the highest since 2010, when 1,353 lives were lost on Australian roads.
The national road toll had reached its lowest point in 75 years during 2020. However, the subsequent rate of increase in fatalities since 2020 is a trend not observed since the mid-1960s, prior to the introduction of mandatory seatbelt laws.
State and Territory Figures for 2025
Road fatality statistics varied across Australian states and territories in 2025:
- New South Wales (NSW): Recorded 355 road deaths, an increase of 28 from 2024, and the highest annual toll since 2017 (392 deaths). Speeding was identified as a contributing factor in 134 NSW fatalities, with many instances involving speeds less than 10km/h over the limit.
- Queensland: Registered 306 deaths by the end of 2025, including four fatalities during the Christmas period, marking a 16-year high for the state.
- Victoria: Experienced 288 road deaths, an increase of four from the previous year. Victorian road policing assistant commissioner Glenn Weir identified preventable errors as a factor in road trauma.
- Western Australia (WA): Reported 181 deaths as of December 22, a decrease from 188 deaths in 2024. The 2025 figure exceeded the average for the current decade. Of these fatalities, 98 occurred in regional areas and 83 in metropolitan areas. The 20-29 age group accounted for the highest proportion of deaths, followed by those aged 30-39. Seven children under 16 also died. Fatalities by vehicle type included 114 in cars, 33 pedestrians, 27 motorcyclists, and 7 cyclists. The death of AFLW player Halle Cameron-Phillips in a Busselton crash on December 28 was not included in the official 2025 WA statistics.
- South Australia: Accounted for 87 deaths, a decrease from the prior year.
- Tasmania: Reported 44 road deaths, a 42% increase from 31 deaths in 2024. Authorities observed over 1,130 speeding infractions in an 11-day period in the state.
- Northern Territory: Recorded 38 deaths, a reduction compared to the previous year.
- Australian Capital Territory (ACT): Registered nine deaths.
Identified Contributing Factors and Expert Commentary
Experts are examining several potential factors for the recent increase in road fatalities:
- Vehicle Types: A significant rise in the use of Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) has been noted. Mathew Hounsell, a transport expert from the University of Technology Sydney, suggested that the introduction of "heavier vehicles, with larger fronts" and enhanced acceleration capabilities may have offset previous safety advancements in vehicle design.
- Driver Behavior: Increased prevalence of mobile phones and other devices within vehicles, distracted driving, impaired driving, and exceeding speed limits have been cited.
- Infrastructure: Potential deterioration of road infrastructure and current speed limit settings, particularly on rural and smaller roads, are under consideration.
Road Safety Initiatives and Recommendations
In response to the trends, various road safety initiatives and calls for action have been made:
- New South Wales: Roads Minister Jenny Aitchison noted that driver behavior, including distracted or impaired driving and adherence to speed limits, were contributing factors.
- Western Australia: WA Police implemented a zero-tolerance policy for drivers during the holiday period from December 19 to January 4, which included double demerits and increased police presence, particularly within a 400km 'arc of influence' around Perth. New smart cameras introduced in WA during 2025 detected over 380,000 offenses within eight months. These AI-powered cameras, deployed in Perth and regional WA, including fixed cameras on the Kwinana Freeway, identified offenses such as incorrect seatbelt use, mobile phone use, speeding, suspected drug or alcohol consumption, and unrestrained children.
- National Recommendations: The Australian Automobile Association (AAA) called for a reassessment by the federal government of its overall approach to road safety. Michael Bradley of the AAA stated that no-blame investigations into the causes of the rising road toll are crucial for identifying targeted solutions to reduce road trauma.