Thursday 20 February 2024: Fatalities among young people in Australia and New Zealand have halved over the past 25 years, a major shift in road safety trends revealed in a new analysis by Road Safety Education Limited (RSE). The decline, of more than double the rate of other age groups, highlights the long-term impact of road safety education.

However, the data also exposes emerging risks, with older drivers now the most overrepresented in fatal crashes, and regional roads continuing to be the deadliest.

Education is Saving Young Lives

Head of program delivery at RSE, John Elliott, says the figures confirm the power of early intervention.

“Education works. Young drivers are making safer choices, and it’s saving lives. But we can’t take our foot off the pedal. Road trauma remains a leading cause of death for young people, and sustained investment in prevention is critical to ensuring this progress isn’t reversed.”

Despite overall road fatalities remaining steady in the past 12 months (2023–2024), youth fatalities fell another 6% (from 321 to 302). For the fourth consecutive year, young drivers have accounted for less than 20% of road deaths, down from 28% in 2004.

Overrepresented Young Men and Older Drivers

While overall youth fatalities have declined, young male drivers remain significantly overrepresented in road trauma. In 2024, male drivers aged 18–20 were more than 2.6 times more likely to be involved in a fatal crash than the general population.

At the same time, older drivers aged 85 and over are now the most overrepresented demographic in fatal crashes.

“For the first time, older drivers have the highest fatality rate on our roads,” says Elliott. “This highlights the need for all drivers—young and old—to remain vigilant behind the wheel. Road safety is a lifelong responsibility, with risks evolving at different stages of life. Education and tailored support are essential to helping drivers adapt to changing abilities, ensuring safer roads for everyone.”

Regional Roads Remain the Deadliest

The RSE data highlights the ongoing danger of high-speed roads, with more than 50% of vehicle occupant fatalities occurring on roads with speed limits of 100km/h or higher.

Young drivers in regional and remote areas are still up to eight times more likely to be involved in fatal crashes than their metropolitan counterparts.

“All drivers deserve to reach their destination safely, every time,” says Elliott. “This is why best-practice road safety education, like Ryda, must be accessible in every region.”

In 2024, over 62,000 students from 718 schools in Australia and New Zealand participated in Ryda, RSE’s youth road safety education program and the Southern Hemisphere’s largest and longest-running road safety education program.

Strengthening Road Safety Where It’s Needed Most

RSE says sustained investment in road safety education, particularly in high-risk regional and disadvantaged communities, is critical to keeping young drivers safe.

“Our focus is ensuring road safety education reaches the communities that need it most, including regional and socioeconomically disadvantaged areas, which account for more than half of all Ryda schools,” says Elliott.

To sustain and build on the progress achieved in reducing youth road fatalities, RSE say policymakers and industry leaders should consider:

Expanding access to best-practice road safety education for all high school students to instill lifelong safe driving habits, especially those in disadvantaged, regional and remote communities.

Enhancing licensing policies and enforcement to maintain strong graduated licensing systems and deter high-risk behaviours.

Developing tailored interventions for older drivers, who now represent the most overrepresented demographic in road fatalities.

Investing in continuous evaluation and data-driven improvements to ensure road safety strategies remain adaptive and effective.

Encouraging industry and government partnerships to support community-driven education initiatives like Ryda.

“Every life lost on the road is preventable. As governments, educators, and industry leaders, we must stay committed to empowering young drivers and adapting to emerging challenges.”

For more information on road safety education in your community, visit rse.org.au or rse.org.nz.

Data sources:
https://www.bitre.gov.au/statistics/safety/fatal_road_crash_database 
https://www.transport.govt.nz/statistics-and-insights/safety-road-deaths/sheet/provisional-road-deaths 

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