1338.1.55.001 - Statistical Trends, NSW, 2007  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 19/09/2007  First Issue
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ROAD DEATHS


The rate of road transport related deaths, injuries and accidents per 100,000 persons in NSW has been declining since the 1970s. Between 2000 and 2005, transport fatalities declined from 9.3 per 100,000 persons to 7.5 per 100,000 (-19%). Injury (-16%) and accident (-18%) rates have also declined.

Road Traffic Casualties and Crashes – 1990, 2000–05

Persons killed
Persons injured
All recorded crashes(a)
Contributing factor in recorded crashes
no.
rate per 100,000 population(b)
no.
rate per 100,000 population(b)
no.
rate per 100,000 population(b)
Alcohol (c)
Fatigue
Speed
%
%
%

1990
797
13.7
32 153
551.1
59 407
1 018.3
7.1
7.3
13.4
2000
603
9.3
28 812
444.2
52 914
815.8
4.9
7.4
16.2
2001
524
8.0
29 913
454.9
51 814
788.0
4.7
6.6
17.0
2002
561
8.5
28 447
428.8
50 448
760.4
4.7
7.6
17.4
2003
539
8.1
27 208
407.2
49 266
737.3
4.2
7.5
17.0
2004
510
7.6
26 323
391.7
47 310
703.9
3.8
7.5
16.9
2005
508
7.5
25 209
372.4
45 554
673.0
4.0
7.7
17.3

(a) Based on 2005 revised estimated resident population.
(b) Recorded crashes are reported to the police and involved at least one fatality or injury or at least one vehicle towed away. Crashes of a lesser severity are not included in the RTA crash database.
(c) Data for Alcohol contributing factor involvement in crashes refers to the applicable legal limits at that time.
Source: Roads and Traffic Authority of NSW.


The contributing causes to accidents has also changed. Alcohol as a contributing cause to an accident has declined from 7.1% in 1990 to 4.0% in 2005. Speed as a contributing cause increased over the same period from 13.4% to 17.3%, while fatigue as a contributing cause has remained steady.

Contributing Cause to Accidents(a), Percentage change1990 to 2005
Graph: Contributing cause to accidents(a), Percentage change—1990 to 2005



Fatality rates and contributing causes to accidents varied considerably between regions during 2005. Sydney had the lowest fatality rate of the regions at 4.7 per 100,000 persons. The contributing causes of speed, alcohol and fatigue to accidents were lower in Sydney than the rest of the state.

The South Eastern Statistical Division had the highest fatality rate at 20.2 per 100,000 persons and the highest contribution of speed to accidents (36.5% of accidents). Alcohol as a contributing cause was highest on the mid north coast (7.9%).

In all, over 300 of the State's 508 road transport fatalities in 2005 occurred outside of Sydney.

Road Traffic Casualties and Crashes – 2005

Persons killed
Persons injured
All recorded crashes(a)
Contributing factor in recorded crashes
no.
rate per 100,000 population(b)
no.
rate per 100,000 population(b)
no.
rate per 100,000 population(b)
Alcohol(c)
Fatigue
Speed
%
%
%

Statistical Division
Sydney
198
4.7
15 861
372.8
30 290
711.9
3.1
6.2
12.6
Hunter
62
10.2
2 307
377.9
3 850
630.6
5.6
8.4
20.5
Illawarra
23
5.6
1 387
334.9
2 431
587.0
4.6
7.8
20.6
Richmond-Tweed
28
12.4
952
421.5
1 754
776.5
6.4
11.5
34.9
Mid-North Coast
36
12.2
1 009
341.9
1 562
529.2
7.9
11.1
30.9
Northern
30
16.8
619
345.6
945
527.6
5.9
11.5
28.1
North Western
20
16.8
454
381.9
622
523.2
6.3
15.3
23.5
Central West
28
15.6
667
370.4
1 049
582.6
5.1
11.2
33.3
South Eastern
41
20.2
1 004
495.2
1 585
781.7
4.5
14.1
36.5
Murrumbidgee
22
14.3
489
317.8
757
492.0
5.8
14.5
28.1
Murray
18
15.6
384
332.4
609
527.2
5.7
9.7
20.5
Far West
2
8.5
76
324.4
100
426.8
6.0
9.0
14.0
New South Wales
508
7.5
25 209
372.4
45 554
673.0
4.0
7.7
17.3

(a) Recorded crashes are reported to the police and involved at least one fatality or injury or at least one vehicle towed away. Crashes of a lesser severity are not included in the RTA crash database.
(b) Based on 2005 revised estimated resident population.
(c) Data for Alcohol contributing factor involvement in crashes refers to the applicable legal limits at that time.
Source: Roads and Traffic Authority of NSW.