The latest government data shows a steep increase in pedestrian fatalities – up more than a quarter year-on-year – is a leading factor behind the rising overall road toll.
Calls for greater focus on safety of vulnerable road users have been renewed as latest data shows pedestrian road deaths have increased 27 per cent over the past 12 month.
The Australian Automobile Association (AAA) says a sharp increase in pedestrian deaths – to 205 in the 12 months to July 31, 2025, up 44 – has driven the total road toll to a 15-year high.
Over the same time period, 1340 people lost their lives on Australian roads, up three per cent (38 lives) compared to the previous 12 months.
It is in contrast to the Federal Government's goal to halving road deaths by 2030 with the ambition of reaching zero by 2050.
Since these targets were announced in 2021 – as part of the National Road Safety Strategy – the road toll has increased by 22 per cent, and pedestrian fatalities have increased by 48.6 per cent.
The surge in pedestrian deaths was led by Western Australia, which saw 31 lives lost up to the end of July 2025, up from 14 the year before, followed by Queensland (37 deaths, up from 23), according to the data sourced from the Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics (BITRE).
The state with the highest overall road toll was Australia's most populous state, New South Wales (NSW), at 355 deaths up to July 31.
Following NSW is Victoria and Queensland with 299 each, Western Australia (204), South Australia (87), Tasmania and the Northern Territory (44), and the Australian Capital Territory (8).
In percentage terms, Tasmania saw the largest change, up 41.9 per cent (13 lives) in the 12 months to July 31, 2025, compared to 31 lives in the year prior.
Per capita, however, the Northern Territory topped the list at 16.8 per 100,000 residents, followed by Tasmania (7.6), Western Australia (6.8), Queensland (5.3), South Australia (4.6), Victoria (4.3), NSW (4.2) and the ACT (1.7).
AAA Managing Director, Michael Bradley, said in a media statement that the "National Road Safety Strategy is falling well short of its targets.”
“Governments must look closely at their road trauma data to find out why, then take corrective action to save lives.”
Ilana is a Melbourne-based journalist who was previously a copywriter in the Big Apple. Having moved to Melbourne for her Master of Journalism, she has written articles about food, farm machinery, fashion, and now the fast and furious. Her dream car has been a Mini Cooper since the fifth grade, eyeing its style and petite size.
