The road toll’s regional problem
Regional roads have Australia's largest share of road deaths but drivers rate them as safe“Country people die on country roads.”
As someone who grew up in regional Victoria, this 90s TAC road safety campaign has stuck with me over the years... so much so that I still remember it when driving on country roads.
Unfortunately, many people who call regional or rural Australia home or travel there believe these roads are safer than city roads, even though the data paints a very different picture.
Despite housing far fewer Australians than our cities, regional, rural and remote roads accounted for 69 per cent of the nation’s road toll in 2025 – more than two in every three deaths, according to Australian Government data.
That’s 906 (out of 1314 total) lives lost on country roads in a single year, up from 820 in 2024 - a 10.5 per cent hike.
Men accounted for three in four regional road deaths (75 per cent) and the road users affected included 472 drivers (52 per cent), 163 passengers (18 per cent), 160 motorcyclists (18 per cent), 73 pedestrians (8 per cent) and 23 cyclists (3 per cent). Fifteen deaths (2 per cent) were not recorded.
Despite the shocking statistics, new Australian Road Safety Foundation (ARSF) research suggests that rising road trauma stems from a dangerous false sense of safety behind the wheel, with more than a quarter of drivers (27 per cent) believing rural roads are safer than city streets.
“I think there can be a sense of overconfidence or complacency when people are driving on regional roads, particularly when there’s less traffic around, and the drive might feel more relaxed,” says ARSF Founder and Chair Russell White.
“The concern is that this perception simply isn’t reflected in the road toll,” explained White.
“More than two in every three road deaths [69 per cent] occur in regional areas, so there is a real disconnect between how safe people may feel and the reality of the risk.”
According to research, overconfidence on regional and rural roads is leading to complacency, further contributing to the high road toll in these areas.
ARSF’s research places the responsibility squarely on human behaviour and the choices made on and around the road. The data shows that more than half of Australian drivers [53 per cent] admit to breaking a road rule on a country road.
“There is a real sense of apathy out there. Of those drivers who admitted to breaking a road rule on a country road, the number one reason they gave was simply that they believed it was safe to do so,” said White.
“Feeling safe doesn’t make speeding, driving tired or using your phone any less dangerous.”
Perhaps surprisingly, it is the everyday drive that is proving most deadly, with the majority of fatal country crashes occurring in daylight hours (65 per cent), on an ordinary weekday (66 per cent), and involving just a single vehicle (57 per cent).
NSW woman Renee Ernst knows the personal impact of the road toll.
Her husband, Troy, was killed in a car accident in December 2024 after a truck allegedly veered onto the wrong side of the road and collided with Troy’s car, killing him instantly.
“He was on his way to Gunnedah for his work. I received a phone call from the passenger in the vehicle with Troy, shortly before 2:00pm, and the words “he didn’t make it” will haunt me until I take my last breath,” Renee tells carsales.
The impact of Troy’s death has been profound, not only on Renee but also on others.
“My life is sad. I struggle with brain fog, hypervigilance, worrying that something is going to happen to our children. I struggle to sleep and have isolated myself, as home is now my safe space,” Renee says.
“Troy was a great father to his children and a very faithful friend to many. Troy’s death had a ripple effect that has devastated not only his closest family and friends, but also his work colleagues.”
Renee says that, along with grief, she has also felt anger because the accident could have been avoided, and she is turning her pain into advocacy, campaigning to Transport NSW to install audio-tactile strips (rumble strips) at the crash site and to promote safe driving.
“Your actions and driving behaviours affect others. It’s easy: slow down, be vigilant, don’t drive fatigued or affected by drugs and alcohol. Every journey matters. Every road user has a family waiting for their loved one to return home safe.”
The biggest thing for drivers on regional and rural roads, White adds, is not to let familiarity, the scenic environment, or a sense of confidence turn into complacency.
“The same road rules apply wherever you’re driving, so don’t speed, don’t use your phone behind the wheel and don’t drive fatigued,” he explains.
“And, above all, stay focused on the task of driving.”
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