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  4. Lives Lost - Rolling 12 Month

Lives Lost - Rolling 12 Month

12 months to midnight 31 May 2023

2021-2022 Lives lost 2022-2023 Lives lost
244 279 (up 14.3%)
Fatalities (equivalent periods)
2017-2018 2018-2019 2019-2020 2020-2021 2021-2022 5 year
average
241 257 233 199 244 235
Gender
Gender 2021-2022 2022-2023 Change % change 5 year
average
Female 73 75 2 3% 63
Male 171 202 31 18% 171
Unknown 0 1 1 100% 0
Road user
Road user 2021-2022 2022-2023 Change % change 5 year
average
Bicyclist 15 11 -4 -27% 11
Driver 104 127 23 22% 109
Motorcyclist* 46 49 3 7% 41
Passenger 40 51 11 27% 38
Pedestrian 38 38 0 0% 36
Unknown 1 2 1 100% 0
Location
Location 2021-2022 2022-2023 Change % change 5 year
average
Melbourne 110 125 15 14% 105
Rural vic 134 154 20 15% 130
Unknown 0 0 0 0% 0
Age Group
Age Group 2021-2022 2022-2023 Change % change 5 year
average
0 to 4 3 4 1 33% 2
5 to 15 6 2 -4 -67% 5
16 to 17 9 4 -5 -56% 5
18 to 20 22 23 1 5% 16
21 to 25 19 27 8 42% 22
26 to 29 16 25 9 56% 18
30 to 39 28 43 15 54% 36
40 to 49 30 32 2 7% 28
50 to 59 24 36 12 50% 27
60 to 69 39 28 -11 -28% 30
70 and over 46 49 3 7% 45
Unknown 2 6 4 200% 1
Level of urbanisation
Level of urbanisation 2021-2022 2022-2023 Change % change 5 year
average
Provincial cities/towns 26 22 -4 -15% 28
Rural roads 127 150 23 18% 124
Small towns/hamlets 1 2 1 100% 1
Urban Melbourne** 90 105 15 17% 81
Unknown 0 0 0 0% 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.