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Australia's rising road toll reverses hard-won safety improvements

The number of fatal crashes caused by drink-driving has reduced, with drugs now a more common contributing factor.  (ABC News: Sarah Richards)

Australia is on track to record the highest number of road deaths in 15 years, despite a national target to halve fatalities by 2030.

The road toll has increased since 2020, reversing a decades-long trend towards safer roads.

After decades of a declining death toll, the number of people being killed on Australian roads is once again rising.

"Something is changing, and not for the better," said Australian Automobile Association managing director Michael Bradley.

"Cars have never been safer, we're spending a huge amount of money on roads, yet more people are dying.

SA records largest increase in road deaths in Australia

South Australia’s road deaths have already passed the target set for the whole year, with RAA’s latest crash report counting 84 lives lost in 2026.

South Australia has recorded the largest increase in road deaths of any Australian state over the past 12 months, with new figures revealing 88 lives have been lost on SA roads so far in 2026.

RAA’s latest quarterly crash report has revealed the state has already exceeded its annual road safety targets, with 84 fatalities and 681 serious injuries recorded between January and September.

Under South Australia’s Road Safety Strategy, the state is aiming to reduce annual fatalities to no more than 70 and serious injuries to 591. Both targets were surpassed before the end of September, with more than three months of the year remaining at that point.

National Road Safety Strategy Review exposes major failings

The Australian Automobile Association (AAA) has called for a coordinated national response, warning that the country's approach to reducing road trauma is failing to deliver the improvements needed to meet its 2030 targets.

The National Road Safety Strategy 2021–2030 aims to halve road deaths and reduce serious injuries by 30 per cent by the end of the decade.

However, the latest AAA figures show 1,334 people died on Australian roads during the 12 months to September 30, 2026, representing a 0.2 per cent increase over the previous corresponding period.

The national road toll is now 21.6 per cent higher than when the strategy commenced in January 2021.

AAA managing director Michael Bradley said the review highlighted the need for fundamental changes to Australia's road safety management.

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