Unfortunately, each month, people are dying on our roads. The impact this has on so many loved ones and the broader community of each death is horrific. Each death on our road is not just a statistic, nor should each death be seen as just a consequence of using our roads. The only figure that is acceptable for the deaths on our roads is ZERO.
Year to date and August summary
Key findings from The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts Australian national road deaths report for August.
- 838 people died on Australian roads between the 1st of January 2023 and the 31st of August 2023. This is an increase of 10.7% compared to the five-year average of 757 deaths between these dates.
- 81 more people have died in the first eight months of 2023 compared to the national five-year average.
- Australia is on track to have its highest yearly road death total since 2016.
In August, 103 people died on our roads. The five-year August average is 94.6. This is an increase of 8.8%.
Of the eight months to date in 2023, the road death total has been higher in seven of the eight months compared to that month’s average over the last five years.
- January 8.6% increase.
- February 1.3% decrease.
- March 11.9% increase.
- April 4.9% increase.
- May 20.4% increase.
- June 5.6% increase.
- July 27.5% increase.
- August 8.8% increase.
Young road users aged 17-25 are still the most vulnerable road users on Australian roads.
Males, over the last four years, on average, accounted for 74.7% of all road deaths. From August 2022 to August 2023, males accounted for 73.6% of all road deaths.
The full report can be viewed here.