Conversely, South Australia recorded a 22% decrease in road deaths, with 26 fewer fatalities compared to the previous year.

Notably, pedestrian deaths rose from 156 in 2023 to 167 in 2024, while cyclist and motorcyclist fatalities also increased significantly.

In 2024, Australia's road fatalities reached 1,300, marking the highest toll since 2012 and a significant increase from 1,258 in 2023.

The last three months of 2024 saw a sharp spike in fatalities, with 359 deaths contributing to an 18.5% rise compared to 2021.

A detailed breakdown of road deaths in 2024 reveals that drivers accounted for the highest fatalities at 596, alongside 167 pedestrian deaths.

The Australian Automobile Association (AAA) has called for better data on road fatalities and serious injuries, advocating for a standardized scoring system to prioritize funding for safety upgrades.

Academics attribute the rising road toll to factors such as deteriorating road conditions, high-speed limits on smaller roads, and poor driving habits developed during pandemic lockdowns.

Michael Bradley, managing director of the AAA, emphasized the importance of transparency in road funding to ensure investments target the most dangerous roads.

Despite some improvements in states like Victoria and South Australia, overall trends indicate that no state is on track to meet the National Road Safety Strategy's goal of halving road deaths by 2030.

The Road Safety Data Hub, launched in May 2024 with a $21.2 million investment, provides public access to critical road safety data.

This increase in fatalities is part of a troubling trend, with four consecutive years of rising deaths since a low of 1,097 in 2020.

In response to these alarming statistics, the federal government is funding a new initiative to analyze traffic collision data to inform transport policies aimed at reducing road deaths.