Australia’s nationwide street toll is rising sharply regardless of extra velocity digital camera fines being handed out than ever earlier than, prompting contemporary requires a rethink of the nation’s street security technique.
In response to the Australian Vehicle Affiliation (AAA), 1353 individuals died on the nation’s roads within the 12 months to 31 August 2025 – the very best annual toll since 2010.
That determine is 4.3 per cent increased than the 12 months prior, and a staggering 18.5 per cent improve 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 wrong 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 stated 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 are able to’t count on completely different outcomes by doing extra of the identical,” Mr Bradley stated.
“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 are actually wanted.”
The AAA needs the Commonwealth to provoke unbiased, “no-blame” investigations into rising crash tendencies and set up a everlasting nationwide physique to interrogate security knowledge, determine causes, and suggest corrective measures.
The will increase aren’t uniform. Some states and territories have managed to scale 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 very best fatality fee 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 practically 50 per cent because the technique was adopted. That’s the very 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 dashing fines than ever earlier than. Knowledge from state governments present velocity digital camera income is at file 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 12 months, the very best in its historical past.
Knowledge for 2024 exhibits New South Wales issued greater than 900,000 dashing fines, of which about 80 per cent had been from cameras. Queensland tallied nearly 800,000 dashing fines in 2024, with the same excessive proportion from cameras.
In 2024, nationally:
- 10.3 million random breath checks had been carried out, with 57,801 optimistic outcomes (0.6 per cent optimistic fee)
- 500,683 roadside drug checks had been carried out, with 52,411 optimistic outcomes (10.5 per cent optimistic fee)
- 3.3 million dashing 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 costs (offences which can require look in courtroom) and 4351 arrests
But regardless of the unprecedented enforcement, fatalities proceed to climb. Street security advocates say the figures increase questions on whether or not camera-based enforcement is focusing on the proper dangers.
Critics argue governments have turn into overly reliant on velocity cameras as a security resolution – and as a income – whereas neglecting different measures corresponding 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 improve by greater than seven per cent, the police managed to cost motorists $465 million in visitors fines for the monetary 12 months 2024, nearly 3 times the $171.2 million it racked up in monetary 12 months 2020.
NSW isn’t any higher with a 16 per cent improve within the street toll, whereas in line with Income NSW, the variety of fines (visitors, parking, seatbelt and cellular) 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 are able to’t count on completely different outcomes by doing extra of the identical,” Mr Bradley stated.
With Australia now recording its deadliest 12-month toll in 15 years, strain 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.
