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Interesting Statistics

Car crashes – Serious injuries and deaths by road user, gender and age

Transport for NSW provides regular statistics on how many people are injured or die in road accidents throughout NSW.

We provide a claims guide for people involved in road accidents.

Having a crash and making a claim may also affect the price of your green slip.

Table 1 – Serious injuries by road user, year ending December 2023

  December 2023
December 2022
Change %
Driver  3,315 3,146 +5%
Passenger 1,170 1,031 +13%
Motorcyclist  2,765 2,426 +14%
Pedestrian  868 893 -3%
Cyclist  1,829 1,700 +8%
Other 608 515 +18%
Total  10,555 9,711 +9%

Table 1 shows only pedestrians saw a drop in serious injuries while passengers and motorcyclists had more injuries that year.

Table 2 – Serious injuries by gender, year ending December 2023

  December 2023
December 2022
Male  7,098 (67%)  6,572 (68%)
Female
 3,453 (33%)  3,138 (32%)
Total
10,555 9,711

Table 2 shows men consistently make up over two thirds of serious injuries in road accidents.

Table 3 – Serious injuries by age group, year ending December 2023

Age group  December 2023
December 2022  Change %
Under 16
854 781 +9%
17-25 1,961 1,689 +16%
26-39
2,297 2,038 +13%
40-49
1,315 1,280 +3%
50-69 1,373 1,333 +3%
Over 70 1,524 1,431 +6%
Total  10,555 9,711 +9%

Table 3 shows no drops in serious injuries during the year. The biggest increases in serious injuries were for 17-25s and 26-39s.

Note: The following statistics on road deaths are compared with the 3-year average, rather than the previous year.

Table 4 – Deaths by road user, year ending June 2024

  June 2024
3-Year average
 Change %
Driver  178 138.3 +29%
Passenger 60 42.0 +43%
Motorcyclist 64 54.0 +19%
Pedestrian 48 43.7 +10%
Cyclist  8 8.0 0%
Total  358 286.0 +25%

Table 4 shows big increases in deaths, compared to the Covid-affected 3-year average. Passengers suffered the highest increase by far followed by drivers.

Table 5 – Deaths by gender, year ending June 2024

  June 2024
3-Year average
Male  285 (80%) 212.3 (74%)
Female
72 (20%)  73.7 (26%)
Total
358 286.0

Table 5 shows 4 out of 5 deaths were men, and well above the 3-year average in NSW.

Table 6 – Deaths by age group, year ending June 2024

Age group June 2024
3-Year average  Change %
Under 16
20 18.3 +9%
17-25 74 53.6 +38%
26-39
72 56.0 +29%
40-49
39 34.0 +15%
50-69 40 35.3 +13%
Over 70 58 60.0 +8%
Total  351 280 +25%

Table 6 shows deaths increased most in 17-25s, then in 26-39 year olds. There were no decreases.

Summary of deaths and injuries

  • Rate of deaths per 100,000 population was 4.24 at June 2024, up since Covid-affected years from 3.8 at June 2023, 3.5 at June 2022 and 3.6 at June 2021. The rate in June 2016 was 5.0 per 100,000.
  • Rate of serious injuries per 100,000 population was 126.5 at December 2023, up from 117.7 at December 2022, similar to 126.2 at December 2021. Peak in December 2013 was 145.5 per 100,000.
  • Total deaths increased by 25% and total serious injuries increased by 9% from Covid-affected averages.
  • Men make up 4 out of 5 deaths and over 2 thirds of serious injuries.
  • Passengers had big increases in deaths and serious injuries during the year.

All information is taken from Transport for NSW bulletins:

 

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