Vehicle occupant fatalities by crash type and speed zone
In 2018, 131 drivers and passengers lost their lives, representing 62% of the total number of lives lost on our roads.
48% of drivers and passengers lost their lives in single vehicle crashes, with 81% of those occurring on roads with a speed zone of 80+ km/hr (57% on roads with a speed zone of 100+km/hr).
Vehicle occupant fatalities by crash type and speed zone*
40 | 50 | 60 | 70 | 80 | 100 | 110 | Total | |
Adjacent direction | 1 | 2 | 4 | 9 | 7 | 23 | ||
Opposing direction | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | ||||
Head on | 1 | 1 | 1 | 18 | 21 | |||
Same direction | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | ||
Manoeuvre/overtaking | 1 | 3 | 3 | 7 | ||||
Single vehicle | 1 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 15 | 33 | 2 | 62 |
Other (incl pedestrians) | 1 | 1 | 2 | |||||
Total | 1 | 9 | 13 | 7 | 32 | 63 | 3 | 128 |
*Crashes with unknown crash type and speed zone are excluded
Crash types are divided into seven categories:
 | Single vehicle crashes are crashes (includes on path crashes) where only one vehicle is involved, and hits a tree, telephone pole or other object, where the motorcyclist loses control and runs off the road, or is thrown from the motorcycle and hits the road surface. |
 | Vehicles from adjacent directions includes crashes between vehicles at intersections where one or both vehicles are turning, and cross traffic where vehicles approach each other from an angle. |
 | Head on crashes includes crashes where two vehicles strike from opposing directions. |
 | Manoeuvring/overtaking crashes include u-turns, parking crashes, and vehicles emerging from driveways or footpaths, and crashes where vehicles spin out of control, pull out and hit an oncoming vehicle, hit the front or rear end of the vehicle they're overtaking. |
 | Vehicles from opposing directions crashes are similar to head-on crashes, except in this instance one or both vehicles are turning at an intersection. |
 | Same direction crashes include crashes where vehicles are changing lanes, rear end crashes, and side swipes. |
Miscellaneous crashes include crashes where a vehicle strikes a pedestrian, train or tram, or where an object or person falls from a vehicle.