January 2026 was the most deadly January for motorcyclists since at least 1989

Last month was the deadliest January since at least 1989 for motorcycle riders with 27 fatalities recorded on Australian roads.

The 27 fatalities recorded in January 2026 surpass the previous January high of 26 fatalities recorded in 2021 and 2015, according to the latest road fatality data from the Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics (BITRE).

The monthly highest motorcyclist road toll on record is 34, recorded in both October of 2025 and 2024.

BITRE's records attributing road deaths to specific road user categories only date back to 1989.

Motorcyclists are the only road users with deaths that remain on par with those of the late 1980s. Meanwhile, deaths of drivers, passengers, and pedestrians have plummeted since 1989.

It is not known if recent motorcyclist fatality data potentially includes high-powered e-bikes. BITRE has been contacted for clarification.

The road toll's incremental rise over the past five years is significant, as overall road deaths have generally experienced a steady decline for the past half-century despite increases in both population and the number of vehicles registered. 

You can read more about the road toll's recent rise here.

Australia's national road fatality data is regularly published online by the Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics (BITRE). The fatality data is updated on or around the 14th day of each month.

Max is the News Publishing Coordinator for Drive. He enjoys creating engaging digital content, including videos, podcasts, interactive maps, and graphs. Prior to Drive, he studied at Monash University and gained experience working for various publications. He grew up playing Burnout 3: Takedown on the PS2 and was disappointed when real life car races didn’t have the same physics.

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