Australia’s road safety challenge has sharpened, with preliminary April data showing road deaths were 20 per cent above the five-year monthly average as 121 people were killed on Australian roads.
The April result reinforces a longer-term trend: road deaths in Australia have increased over the past five years, placing the nation significantly off track to meet the National Road Safety Strategy target of halving fatalities by 2030.
At the start of National Road Safety Week 2026, Ehssan Veiszadeh, CEO of Transport Australia, Peter Frazer OAM, President of the Safer Australian Roads and Highways Group, and Dr Ingrid Johnston, CEO of the Australasian College of Road Safety, have called for a renewed national focus on practical, proven road safety measures, including safer speeds, better infrastructure, and safer vehicles.
In 2025, 1,314 people died on Australian roads, up from 1,292 in 2024, with both the number and rate of deaths increasing over the five-year period. Preliminary data released by the Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics shows 443 people have died since 1 January 2026, and 121 people died last month, up 20.3 per cent on the five-year monthly average.
“April’s figures are a stark reminder that Australia is not on track to meet its 2030 road safety target,” Transport Australia CEO Ehssan Veiszadeh said.
“Behind every number is a person who did not make it home from an ordinary trip to work, school, the shops or their community.
“The National Road Safety Strategy is clear about where we need to be by 2030, but the latest data shows we are moving further away from that goal.
“We need renewed national focus on measures we know save lives: safer speeds, better maintained roads, safer vehicles, improved infrastructure and stronger protection for people walking, riding and driving.”
Peter Frazer OAM said too many roads did not meet the required minimum level of safety, meaning three stars or better under the Australian Road Assessment Program.
“Each additional star halves the risk of a fatal or serious injury crash occurring on that road, so improving a road from one or two stars up to 3 stars or better will save lives. Everyone has a right to get home safe, every day, without exception. When a road is high‑risk, there are two proven ways to improve safety,” he said.
“Firstly, invest in upgrading the infrastructure. That means more than just repairing potholes. It requires real safety improvements, starting with laying rumble strips and removing roadside hazards, then moving to more significant safety measures such as installing barriers, widening shoulders, smoothing hazardous corners, and providing lane separation to prevent head-on collisions. Each of these measures is highly effective but requires increased funding and long-term planning.
“However, there is a second approach that is both fast and low-cost. We know that crashes at speeds above 80 km/h are often fatal and yet default speed limits are often set at 100 km/h… far too high for the road’s design. So, if a road lacks those highly effective safety features, especially our regional and remote roads, simply lowering the speed limit will immediately improve its safety star rating, and in doing so, reduce the risk of serious injuries and, most importantly, save lives.”
Dr Ingrid Johnston said road trauma costs the Australian economy more than $40 billion a year. “The costs fall on business, the health system, communities and the families and loved ones impacted. Road crashes also negatively impact travel time reliability and congestion levels across the country. With almost 1 million km of road in Australia, we need to invest in both the high-return infrastructure upgrades and the speed limit reductions to reduce the number of people being killed and seriously injured.” said Dr Johnston, “It will be win-win for all”.
Transport Australia’s polling shows eight in 10 Australians use roads every or most days, and two-thirds say the transport network is essential or very important to everyday life.
“That tells us roads are not just infrastructure, they are an essential part of how Australians get to work, school, health care and community every day,” Mr Veiszadeh said.
“We have an opportunity right now to make our roads and streets safer for every person who walks, rides, drives or moves through our communities. The solutions are well researched, low cost and globally proven.”
“Even modest changes to speed environments can dramatically improve safety and help everyone get home safely.”
ENDS
Media contacts:
SARAH Group: President, Peter Frazer, OAM,
E: president@sarahgroup.org
ACRS: Lesley Tipping, ACRS Senior Communications Manager
E: lesley.tipping@acrs.org.au
Transport Australia: Lulu Shen, Media and Communications Manager,
E: media@transportaustralia.org.au
About SARAH Group
The SARAH Group campaigns for changes to policy and legislation to ensure that lives are not lost in preventable and clearly foreseeable situations by lobbying for a commitment to renewing poor infrastructure and asking drivers to take responsibility for their actions on our roads and highways. https://sarahgroup.org/
About the Australasian College of Road Safety (ACRS)
The Australasian College of Road Safety (ACRS) is the region’s peak membership association for road safety professionals, advocates, and members of the public who are focused on saving lives and serious injuries on our roads. The College provides an inclusive, collaborative environment promoting communication, networking, professionalism, and advocacy across all spheres of road safety including policy, advocacy, research, innovation, technologies, and management. ACRS membership includes experts from all areas of road safety including policy makers, academics, community organisations, researchers, federal, state, and local government agencies, private companies, and members of the public. Learn more about the ACRS here: acrs.org.au.
About Transport Australia
Transport Australia champions an integrated and sustainable integrated transport network as the enabler for a prosperous Australia. We are focused on safety, system outcomes and the end user now and into the future. Learn more here: transportaustralia.org.au