Road Safety Crisis: Australia’s Top Motoring Body Condemns Government Inaction as Death Toll Climbs

The Australian Automobile Association (AAA) is calling on the Australian Government to revamp its road safety strategy in light of concerning new data on the national road toll. According to the peak motoring body, the national road toll has seen an increase each year for the past five years, a trend not seen since 1952.

Last year, there were 22 more road fatalities compared to 2024, marking a 1.7% increase. The number of road deaths per 100,000 residents remained unchanged at 4.8 from the previous year. The three most populated states all recorded rises in road fatalities, with Tasmania experiencing a significant 41.9% surge, resulting in 13 additional deaths and the second-highest fatality rate of 7.6 deaths per 100,000 residents.

While the Northern Territory saw a decline of 36.7% in the road toll, it still maintained the highest rate of crash fatalities per 100,000 residents at 14.4. The AAA criticizes the current National Road Safety Strategy 2021-30 for its failure to meet its targets of halving national road fatalities by 2030 and reducing serious injuries by 30%.

The AAA is urging the Australian Government to expand its authority to investigate transport fatalities beyond aviation, rail, and maritime incidents to also include road incidents. The organization stresses the importance of understanding the root causes behind the rising road toll to effectively address the issue. Initiatives such as increased road funding, regulatory adjustments, and public education campaigns are deemed essential and should be guided by findings from a national investigative body.

A breakdown of last year’s road death toll by jurisdiction reveals varying trends across states. While motorcyclist deaths decreased by 4.3% nationally, pedestrian deaths rose by 13.2%, with South Australia experiencing a staggering 54.5% increase. Cyclist deaths also surged by 32.4%, including a remarkable 200% rise in NSW.

In 2024, the Australian Government included a provision in its intergovernmental road funding agreement requiring states to provide more road safety data, a move championed by the AAA. This led to the release of road safety ratings by several state governments, visible on the Australian Road Assessment Program (AusRAP) Dashboard.

The AAA’s persistent advocacy for changes in the road safety strategy has resulted in positive outcomes, such as increased transparency regarding road safety ratings. This ongoing effort aims to address road safety challenges and enhance the overall safety of Australia’s roads.