Road safety will remain a key focus for Victoria Police in 2026 following another tragic year on the state's roads.
There were 288 lives lost in 2025 compared with 284 in 2024.
While the provisional number of lives lost is higher than last year it came in slightly below 2023 when 295 lives lost were recorded.
2023 recorded a 15-year high for road fatalities. The previous high was 303 lives lost in 2008.
While single vehicle fatal collisions deceased slightly in 2025, concerningly the number of multiple fatality collisions increased.
2025 saw 14 double fatalities, three triple fatalities and one quadruple fatality resulting in the deaths of 41 people, compared to 13 double fatalities in 2024 resulting in 26 deaths.
Vulnerable road users, including pedestrians, motorcyclists, pillion passengers, bicyclists and e-riders made up more than 40 per cent of all lives lost on Victorian roads in 2025.
There were 52 pedestrians killed, which is the highest number of pedestrian deaths in 17-years since 59 in 2008.
The number of motorcyclists killed decreased from 66 in 2024 to 59 in 2025.
Driver fatalities made up 42 per cent of all lives lost during 2025, with 121 driver deaths compared to 127 in 2024.
Around half of lives lost occurred on regional roads, with 147 fatalities recorded. This was similar in 2024 with 146 fatalities recorded.
There were 141 lives lost on metropolitan roads, slightly up from 138 in 2024.
May was the deadliest month on Victoria's roads with 38 lives lost, followed closely by 36 in January.
Police have identified single acts of non-compliance or people making basic driving errors contributed to more than half of fatalities in 2025.
These are behaviours such as low-range speeding, lower-level drink driving, failing to obey road signs and distraction like using a mobile phone while driving.
There has been an increase in lives lost as a result of head-on collisions with another vehicle, with failing to keep left the most common factor in head-on fatalities.
This indicates that drivers are drifting out of their lane into oncoming traffic, most likely due to inattention, distraction, or fatigue.
At least 10 per cent of people killed in vehicle collisions weren't wearing a seatbelt.
Speed has been a factor in at least 30 per cent of fatal collisions in 2025 and remains the highest contributing factor in road trauma.
Police are determined to drive down road trauma in 2026 and are urging all road users to consider their actions and behaviours when getting behind the wheel this year.
Victoria Police will continue to work closely with its road safety partners to reduce the number of fatal and serious injury collisions.
Police will continue to prioritise road policing enforcement with a number of statewide operations to be conducted throughout the year.
Roadside alcohol and drug testing will be a major focus with motorists warned to expect to be tested anywhere, any time.
Victoria Police conducts three million preliminary breath tests every year and has been recently funded by the Transport Accident Commission to uplift roadside drug testing by an extra 25,000 tests to 175,000 annually.
The 2025 figures released today are provisional only.
Victoria Police is now counting the Geelong police service area in metropolitan lives lost figures with the Surf Coast counted in regional lives lost.
All figures released today, including historical numbers, reflect this change.
For more information and tips for staying safe on the roads, visit the Road Safety page on the Victoria Police website.
Quotes attributable to Road Policing Assistant Commissioner, Glenn Weir:
"It's been another challenging year on Victoria's roads - the numbers are devastating, but let's not forget that behind every number is a human life.
"Again in 2025, we have seen so many examples of the most simple and avoidable mistakes that have resulted in catastrophic road trauma.
"As we head into a New Year, it's a chance for everyone to reflect on our behaviour behind that wheel and consider what we can all do to contribute to making the roads a safer place.
"Road safety is everyone's responsibility - whether that be slowing down and travelling at the speed limit, not driving after consuming alcohol or drugs, avoiding distractions like mobile phones and ensuring everyone is wearing a properly fitted seatbelt.
"In 2026, Victoria Police will continue to work with our road safety partners to drive down road trauma, and our focus will be on remaining highly visible across the state's roads to detect and deter offending.
"It's up to all of us to prioritise road safety and ensure it remains a focus in the year ahead."
