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  4. Lives Lost - Year to Date

Lives Lost - Year to Date

Calendar year to midnight 21 September 2023

2022 Lives lost 2023 Lives lost
180 207 (up 15.0%)
Fatalities (equivalent periods)
2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 5 year
average
147 197 153 158 180 167
Gender
Gender 2022 2023 Change % change 5 year
average
Female 47 68 21 45% 44
Male 133 139 6 5% 123
Unknown 0 0 0 0% 0
Road user
Road user 2022 2023 Change % change 5 year
average
Bicyclist 8 6 -2 -25% 8
Driver 77 100 23 30% 77
Motorcyclist* 39 32 -7 -18% 30
Passenger 21 44 23 110% 25
Pedestrian 33 24 -9 -27% 28
Unknown 1 1 0 0% 0
Location
Location 2022 2023 Change % change 5 year
average
Melbourne 81 86 5 6% 77
Rural vic 99 121 22 22% 90
Unknown 0 0 0 0% 0
Age Group
Age Group 2022 2023 Change % change 5 year
average
0 to 4 1 1 0 0% 2
5 to 15 3 2 -1 -33% 3
16 to 17 3 6 3 100% 3
18 to 20 20 18 -2 -10% 12
21 to 25 12 17 5 42% 14
26 to 29 15 20 5 33% 13
30 to 39 24 29 5 21% 26
40 to 49 24 19 -5 -21% 20
50 to 59 25 21 -4 -16% 22
60 to 69 24 27 3 12% 21
70 and over 29 42 13 45% 33
Unknown 0 5 5 500% 0
Level of urbanisation
Level of urbanisation 2022 2023 Change % change 5 year
average
Provincial cities/towns 12 15 3 25% 19
Rural roads 97 117 20 21% 87
Small towns/hamlets 3 0 -3 -300% 2
Urban Melbourne** 68 75 7 10% 59
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.