Lives Lost - Year to Date

Calendar year to midnight 18 March 2024

2023 Lives lost 2024 Lives lost
71 59 (down 16.9%)
Fatalities (equivalent periods)
2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 5 year
average
68 61 50 55 71 61
Gender
Gender 2023 2024 Change % change 5 year
average
Female 21 16 -5 -24% 16
Male 50 41 -9 -18% 45
Unknown 0 1 1 100% 0
Road user
Road user 2023 2024 Change % change 5 year
average
Bicyclist 5 3 -2 -40% 4
Driver 33 24 -9 -27% 29
Motorcyclist* 12 13 1 8% 13
Passenger 16 12 -4 -25% 8
Pedestrian 5 7 2 40% 7
Unknown 0 0 0 0% 0
Location
Location 2023 2024 Change % change 5 year
average
Melbourne 31 27 -4 -13% 26
Rural vic 40 32 -8 -20% 35
Unknown 0 0 0 0% 0
Age Group
Age Group 2023 2024 Change % change 5 year
average
0 to 4 1 0 -1 -100% 1
5 to 15 0 5 5 500% 1
16 to 17 1 0 -1 -100% 1
18 to 20 7 5 -2 -29% 5
21 to 25 7 2 -5 -71% 5
26 to 29 7 5 -2 -29% 7
30 to 39 9 8 -1 -11% 9
40 to 49 6 10 4 67% 7
50 to 59 6 9 3 50% 7
60 to 69 10 4 -6 -60% 9
70 and over 17 9 -8 -47% 11
Unknown 0 2 2 200% 0
Level of urbanisation
Level of urbanisation 2023 2024 Change % change 5 year
average
Provincial cities/towns 2 3 1 50% 6
Rural roads 42 33 -9 -21% 35
Small towns/hamlets 0 0 0 0% 0
Urban Melbourne** 27 21 -6 -22% 20
Unknown 0 2 2 200% 0
* includes pillion riders
** Melbourne Statistical Division includes some rural roads
Note: Fatality data is compiled by the TAC from police reports supplied by Victoria Police. Fatality data is revised each day, with the exception of weekends and public holidays. Data is subject to revision as additional information about known accidents is received, and as new accident reports are received and processed.
5 year average rounded to nearest whole number

View data integrated on a map

Why the change from calling it 'Road Toll' to 'Lives Lost'?

The problem with talking about 'road toll' is that it implies that road trauma is an acceptable cost of having roads. A toll is the price we pay for using something - with toll roads, for example, it’s a few dollars.

Road toll wording also has the effect of dehumanising road trauma. By reducing people’s lives to a number, it makes it easier for the community to feel distanced from the issue.  These are not just numbers, they are people - someone’s child, mother, father, sister, brother, friend or colleague.

If we accept this 'road toll' as the price of a rural lifestyle or getting from A to B, another 2,500 people will die in the next 10 years and 50,000 people will be hospitalised with serious and life changing injuries.

The fact is we’re talking about people who have died. Instead of saying, “our road toll stands at 150", let’s say "150 lives lost on Victorian roads”.

The price we pay for using the road shouldn’t be death or serious injury.