One life lost is too many
A staggering 307 lives have been lost this year on Victorian and NSW roads.
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That is 307 families torn apart by this tragic statistic, just halfway through the year.
In Victoria alone, the first half of 2025 presented a grim reality.
Road fatalities are on par with the record-breaking statistics of 2023, making it the third deadliest period in the past 20 years.
Behind each statistic lies a story of heartache and loss, and a reminder of the urgent need to prioritise road safety.
What makes the situation even more alarming is that many of these fatalities occurred on rural and regional roads, where access to emergency services and specialised care can be limited and the impact can be felt deeper in small communities.
Regional and remote areas account for 65 per cent of deaths and 40 per cent of hospitalised injuries from road trauma.
More than two-thirds of regional fatalities occurred on 100-110km/h roads. Crashes on rural high-speed roads continue to be too frequent, where the combination of high speeds and motorists travelling longer distances mean consequences are often more severe when something goes wrong.
It’s time for communities to recognise that road safety is not solely the responsibility of law enforcement or policymakers, it is a shared burden that falls on everyone.
Each driver, passenger, pedestrian and cyclist has the power to make a difference by adhering to traffic rules, adopting safe practices, and being mindful of others on the road.
As the figures continue to rise, the stark reality becomes evident: road safety is a collective responsibility, and the buck stops with everyone.
Young drivers double the issue
New Transport Accident Commission (TAC) research shows young Victorian drivers’ acceptance of speeding is double that of all other drivers.
The TAC’s latest Community Engagement and Social Acceptability Research survey found that one in three young Victorian drivers, aged between 21-25, say they routinely speed five km/h or more over the limit.
The CESAR survey of 1,892 licence holders is conducted biennially by TAC and explores key road safety issues and the social acceptability of dangerous driving behaviours in Victoria.
The survey results are alarming given that speed is the biggest contributing factor to road trauma in Victoria. Speeding is found to be a major factor in around 30 per cent of deaths on Victoria’s roads in the past five years, and almost 80 per cent of speeding-related casualties involve drivers travelling less than 10 km/h over the speed limit.
TAC chief executive, Tracey Slatter said young drivers’ growing complacency towards speeding in Victoria was concerning.
“Speeding, even at a low level, is dangerous; it increases the likelihood of crashing and the severity of the crash outcome,” Ms Slatter said.
“Young drivers are by definition less experienced, so taking risks with speeding can have tragic consequences.”
“Drivers report to us that they usually speed because they are running late and want to make up time.
“Simple actions such as planning your journey ahead of time, ensuring you leave on time and allowing plenty of driving time can help you stick within the limit.
“Other actions such as setting cruise control and staying alert to changing speed zones, particularly in residential streets and built-up areas, can also contribute to safer driving behaviours.
“We’re calling on all Victorians to slow down and drive to the conditions.”
Other CESAR survey findings show that drink driving has gradually but consistently declined, and 38 per cent of Victorians would not consider driving after consuming any alcohol.
Victorians have become significantly more wary of self-driving cars. Only a quarter of Victorians would feel safe sharing the road with self-driving cars, down from a third in 2022.
Almost two thirds of Victorians support Passive Alcohol Sensor technology being introduced as a standard vehicle safety feature.
Last winter in Victoria, 72 people lost their lives on the roads, including 15 motorbike riders and 15 pedestrians.
Vulnerable road users are more at risk in winter months due to shorter days with less sunlight.
It is the responsibility of all motorists to slow down, take extra care and adjust to potential hazards like black ice, fog, rain and landslides.
Data reveals alarming trend
To midnight June 11, Victoria lost 141 motorists compared to 125 in 2024. NSW lost 149 compared to 133 at the same time in 2024.
• 23 pedestrians were killed, compared to 17 in 2024
• The numbers of rural fatalities is increasing with 75 lives lost in 2025 compared to 64 in 2024.
• People aged 70 and over are seeing the highest fatalities followed by the 30 – 39 age group.
• For a 12 months period to December 2024, of the 284 lives lost, 127 were drivers, 63 were motorcyclists, 48 were pedestrians, 30 were passengers and 12 were bicyclists.
• In Moira Shire in the last 12 months, there have been six fatalities.
Reducing numbers is $million question
Emergency services along the Murray River are increasingly alarmed by the rising number of road incidents in the region, putting pressure on resources.
Senior Sergeant Nathan Ratcliffe of Yarrawonga Police expressed alarm at the rising number of reckless behaviours, including drink driving, and emphasised the need for drivers to adapt their behaviour to the prevailing road conditions.
“We've had a massive road policing effort in the last six months,” Snr Sgt Ratcliffe said.
“Drugs and alcohol are obviously a big issue; we were hoping that once the festive season calmed down, it would drop off a bit, but it's gone the opposite.
“Some of our drink driving detections have been really, really high, and they're not particularly on Friday and Saturday nights.
“Another contributing factor is age; we've had an increase in elderly drivers having more and more collisions, which is not normally the case.
“Normally senior drivers don't really make up the numbers, but there's been a bit of an increase lately.
“A lot of the stuff we're seeing now is care and attention.”
Local police from Yarrawonga, Mulwala, Corowa and neighbouring council areas along the Murray are working closely together.
In small communities, attending road incidents can be difficult for emergency services due to the possibility of knowing the individuals involved.
“How authorities or other motorists get through to young drivers is probably the million-dollar question for police,” Snr Sgt Radcliffe said.
“We'd love to be sitting beside every probationary driver while they drive. But that’s obviously impossible.
“Parents need to have these conversations with their kids.
“A lot of the issues with young drivers is to do with the risk-taking behaviour, high speed, pushing the boundaries and not seeing the limitations of their vehicles.
“We know they're inexperienced drivers and they don't have the capability or even the brain function to be able to cope with that kind of risk taking.
“Look back at all the TAC ads we've had over the years. They have been horrific and graphic but unfortunately, I think that sometimes that's the only thing that's going to get through.
“First responders see the absolute carnage. We see the worst of what goes on in the road.
“If they could only look through our eyes, I think you'd get a different reaction, there'd be changes in behaviour.
Road fatalities surge in Victoria and NSW, urgent action needed
“It all comes down to people getting familiar with their environment,” Snr Sgt Ratcliffe said.
“Driving is a primary task. It's not a secondary task; it needs your full and utmost attention.
“You can't afford to have those distractions - know the roads, know the area.
“In Moira Shire, our road policing efforts have nearly tripled in the last three years.
“We're doing thousands of RBTs, and road policing is now our priority.
“We are frustrated daily by some of the things we see on the roads.
“You just think to yourself, ‘what were you thinking to get to this point and to end up like this?’
Journalist