The national road trauma data for December last year was just released, which means we now have a full picture of Australia’s road safety outcomes for 2025.

The picture is concerning.

For the first time since 2010, total road deaths surpassed 1,300. This marks the fifth consecutive year of growth in road trauma.

But a closer look at how these deaths are distributed across different road users tells an important story.

Fatalities among drivers and passengers have largely plateaued. The rise is being driven mainly by the deaths of vulnerable road users: pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists.

In 2025, 197 pedestrians were killed on Australian roads, the highest number since 2007. Almost every state recorded a noticeable spike in pedestrian deaths compared to last year.

Cyclist deaths also climbed to 49, up 32% from last year – the highest since 2013.

This suggests the added risk on our roads is not being shared evenly. Vulnerable road users are absorbing most of it.

One key reason appears to be the growing size and weight of vehicles, which can increase the risk of death and injury.

Then there is the not-so-uncommon use of bull bars, especially on four-wheel........

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