Every time we get behind the wheel, we trust that we’ll make it home safely. But for too many Australians, that’s not the case. Road trauma is a silent epidemic sweeping the nation, costing lives and leaving a staggering $30 billion hole in our economy every year.
Now, a new push is underway to tackle the root causes of dangerous driving—and it could mean big changes for every Australian driver.
Australia’s road toll is heading in the wrong direction. In the past four years, annual road deaths have jumped from around 1,140 to more than 1,300. That’s not just a statistic—it’s hundreds of families shattered, communities grieving, and a ripple effect that touches us all.
The financial cost? A jaw-dropping $30 billion a year, factoring in medical bills, lost productivity, emergency services, and the long-term care many survivors require.
But the true cost goes beyond dollars and cents. For every life lost, many more are left with life-changing injuries, trauma, and the ongoing burden of recovery.
Peter Frazer OAM, founder of National Road Safety Week and a leading voice for change, says we’re facing a ‘true epidemic’—and it’s one we can prevent. ‘We’ve got the vaccines to stop it.’
After losing his daughter to a distracted truck driver, Peter has dedicated his life to making our roads safer. He believes the answer lies in a complete rethink of how we approach road safety.
‘We need to flip everything on its head and start dealing with the reality of risk on our roads,’ Peter says. That means more than just blaming ‘bad drivers’—it’s about changing our culture, ramping up enforcement, and holding everyone accountable.
For years, experts have called for stronger enforcement, not just for heavy vehicles but for all drivers. Average speed cameras, random breath testing, and visible police patrols have all been shown to reduce risky behaviour. Yet, as Peter points out, some states are only now trialling measures that have been standard elsewhere for years.
‘We need to go back to the concept of ‘anywhere, anytime’ enforcement,’ he says. ‘We’re almost apologetic about trying to save lives. It’s time for governments to get serious.’
For older Australians, this could mean seeing more speed cameras, more random checks, and stricter penalties for dangerous driving. While some may see this as an inconvenience, the evidence is clear: consistent enforcement saves lives.
Speeding remains one of the most common—and deadly—offences on our roads. It’s a factor in around 40 per cent of all road fatalities, and the risks are even higher in vulnerable areas like school zones. Peter believes that if we could just get a handle on speeding, we could save up to 550 lives a year.
It’s not just about hoons or reckless young drivers, either. Many of us, especially those who’ve been driving for decades, can become complacent or underestimate the risks. Even a few kilometres over the limit can mean the difference between a near-miss and a tragedy.
Since the pandemic, authorities have noticed a worrying rise in erratic and aggressive driving. Whether it’s frustration, distraction, or simply bad habits picked up during lockdowns, the result is the same: more crashes, more injuries, and more lives lost.
In 2021, Australia’s governments set an ambitious goal: halve road deaths by 2030. That would mean reducing annual fatalities to around 570. But right now, we’re almost 50 per cent above that target. If we don’t act, we risk not only more heartbreak but also missing out on billions in savings for our health system and economy.
Have you noticed changes in driver behaviour since COVID? Do you support tougher enforcement, or do you think there’s a better way to make our roads safer? What do you think are the most effective ways to reduce road trauma? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below.
Also read: Roadside safety law tightened—slow down or cop a $960 fine
Why spend more money to try to reduce accidents after using outdated methods. Reducing speeds does not reduce accidents, it just reduces the severity of them. when I came to Australia 48 years ago you had to answer questions on Australian road rules and had to get a set number correct to get your Australian drivers license(if you had one from another country). It seems like the immigrants now can get their license no matter where they come from, even when their standards of driver training are much worse than ours. They appear to teach people how to pass their test, not to actually drive correctly and think about other road users. Now I do not feel confident enough to drive on our roads due to the lack of decent driver training. We need to educate the authorities to go back to basics, not just throw money at trying to fix what they have stuffed up.