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Australia’s nationwide street toll is rising sharply regardless of extra pace digital camera fines being handed out than ever earlier than, prompting recent requires a rethink of the nation’s street security technique.
In response to the Australian Vehicle Affiliation (AAA), 1353 folks died on the nation’s roads within the 12 months to 31 August 2025 – the best annual toll since 2010.
That determine is 4.3 per cent larger than the yr prior, and a staggering 18.5 per cent enhance since all state and territory governments signed the present Nationwide Street Security Technique in 2021.
The technique, which aimed to halve street deaths by 2030, is now monitoring in the other way. August 2025 alone noticed 118 deaths – 25.8 per cent above the month-to-month common since 2020.
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AAA managing director Michael Bradley mentioned the figures show Australia’s present method isn’t working.
“The numbers present Australia’s present method to street trauma discount is clearly not working and we will’t count on completely different outcomes by doing extra of the identical,” Mr Bradley mentioned.
“Australia’s Nationwide Street Security Technique is delivering robust will increase in street trauma, not the promised reductions and it’s time all governments got here to the desk to evaluate what’s gone so fallacious, and what corrective steps at the moment are wanted.”
The AAA needs the Commonwealth to provoke impartial, “no-blame” investigations into rising crash developments and set up a everlasting nationwide physique to interrogate security information, determine causes, and advocate corrective measures.
The will increase aren’t uniform. Some states and territories have managed to cut back fatalities, whereas others are experiencing sharp spikes.
| Jurisdiction | Deaths to Aug 2024 | Deaths to Aug 2025 | Change | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NSW | 323 | 375 | +52 | +16.1% |
| VIC | 296 | 290 | -6 | -2.0% |
| QLD | 290 | 311 | +21 | +7.2% |
| SA | 99 | 89 | -10 | -10.1% |
| WA | 182 | 196 | +14 | +7.7% |
| TAS | 32 | 42 | +10 | +31.3% |
| NT | 68 | 42 | -26 | -38.2% |
| ACT | 7 | 8 | +1 | +14.3% |
| Australia | 1297 | 1353 | +56 | +4.3% |
Regardless of recording the nation’s greatest proportion drop, the Northern Territory nonetheless has the best fatality price at 16 deaths per 100,000 residents – greater than 3 times the nationwide common of 4.9.
Probably the most alarming statistics is the sharp rise in pedestrian fatalities. 206 pedestrians had been killed previously 12 months, up almost 50 per cent for the reason that technique was adopted. That’s the best determine for this measure since 2007, with spikes in WA, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, and NSW.
Feminine street deaths additionally rose sharply – up 18 per cent year-on-year – whereas male deaths, which nonetheless account for almost all, edged up barely by 0.4 per cent.
The worsening toll comes as Australians are hit with extra rushing fines than ever earlier than. Knowledge from state governments present pace digital camera income is at report highs in NSW, Victoria, and Queensland.
For instance, Victoria’s street security digital camera program issued greater than 1.7 million fines within the final monetary yr, the best in its historical past.
Knowledge for 2024 reveals New South Wales issued greater than 900,000 rushing fines, of which about 80 per cent had been from cameras. Queensland tallied virtually 800,000 rushing fines in 2024, with an identical excessive proportion from cameras.
In 2024, nationally:
- 10.3 million random breath exams had been performed, with 57,801 optimistic outcomes (0.6 per cent optimistic price)
- 500,683 roadside drug exams had been performed, with 52,411 optimistic outcomes (10.5 per cent optimistic price)
- 3.3 million rushing fines had been issued: 544,087 by police (16.4 per cent) and 2,779,244 by cameras (83.6 per cent)
- 330,926 cell phone use fines had been issued: 40,931 by police (12.4 per cent) and 289,995 by cameras (87.6 per cent)
- 183,315 seatbelt non-compliance fines had been issued: 22,655 by police (12.4 per cent) and 160,659 by cameras (87.6 per cent)
- 51,150 fines had been issued for unlicensed driving, in addition to 56,502 expenses (offences which can require look in court docket) and 4351 arrests
But regardless of the unprecedented enforcement, fatalities proceed to climb. Street security advocates say the figures elevate questions on whether or not camera-based enforcement is focusing on the best dangers.
Critics argue governments have grow to be overly reliant on pace cameras as a security answer – and as a income – whereas neglecting different measures similar to street design enhancements, focused enforcement of high-risk behaviours (like distracted and drug-affected driving), and higher post-crash care.
For instance, whereas Queensland noticed its street toll enhance by greater than seven per cent, the police managed to cost motorists $465 million in site visitors fines for the monetary yr 2024, virtually 3 times the $171.2 million it racked up in monetary yr 2020.
NSW is not any higher with a 16 per cent enhance within the street toll, whereas in keeping with Income NSW, the variety of fines (site visitors, parking, seatbelt and cell) has considerably elevated.
The AAA says the state of affairs calls for pressing motion from the Commonwealth.
“The numbers present Australia’s present method to street trauma discount is clearly not working and we will’t count on completely different outcomes by doing extra of the identical,” Mr Bradley mentioned.
With Australia now recording its deadliest 12-month toll in 15 years, stress is mounting on policymakers to acknowledge that merely issuing extra fines isn’t driving the cultural and behavioural change the Nationwide Street Security Technique promised.
