Lives Lost - Year to Date

Calendar year to midnight 17 June 2025

2024 Lives lost 2025 Lives lost
131 143 (up 9.2%)
Fatalities (equivalent periods)
2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 5 year
average
107 95 110 138 131 116
Sex
Sex 2024 2025 Change % change 5 year
average
Female 39 34 -5 -13% 33
Male 92 108 16 17% 83
Unknown 0 0 0 0% 0
Road user
Road user 2024 2025 Change % change 5 year
average
Bicyclist 5 3 -2 -40% 6
Driver 54 58 4 7% 55
Motorcyclist* 32 34 2 6% 22
Passenger 15 21 6 40% 16
Pedestrian 24 26 2 8% 16
Unknown 0 0 0 0% 0
Location
Location 2024 2025 Change % change 5 year
average
Melbourne 62 57 -5 -8% 52
Rural vic 69 85 16 23% 64
Unknown 0 1 1 100% 0
Age Group
Age Group 2024 2025 Change % change 5 year
average
0 to 4 0 1 1 100% 1
5 to 15 6 4 -2 -33% 3
16 to 17 1 3 2 200% 1
18 to 20 11 7 -4 -36% 9
21 to 25 8 8 0 0% 10
26 to 29 6 8 2 33% 11
30 to 39 16 27 11 69% 19
40 to 49 17 19 2 12% 14
50 to 59 23 17 -6 -26% 15
60 to 69 12 14 2 17% 13
70 and over 31 33 2 6% 22
Unknown 0 2 2 200% 0
Level of urbanisation
Level of urbanisation 2024 2025 Change % change 5 year
average
Provincial cities/towns 14 11 -3 -21% 12
Rural roads 62 82 20 32% 61
Small towns/hamlets 2 0 -2 -200% 1
Urban Melbourne** 53 49 -4 -8% 42
Unknown 0 1 1 100% 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.