For a second consecutive year, road deaths have remained at a level not seen since the 1920s.
Provisional figures stand at 272 fatalities in 2025, or 5.1 road deaths per 100,000 people. This is down from 292 deaths in 2024, or 5.4 deaths per capita. AA road safety spokesperson Dylan Thomsen says when you factor in the size of the population you have to look back to the 1920s to see a lower fatality rate.
“2025 has improved from 2024 - recording the lowest road death rate we’ve had in a century. The 1920s was the last time these figures were lower and that was really the dawn for the age of the car in New Zealand.”
Year | Road Deaths | Population | Deaths per 100,000 population |
2025 | 272 | 5.32m | 5.1 |
2024 | 292 | 5.31m | 5.5 |
2023 | 342 | 5.18m | 6.6 |
2022 | 371 | 5.08m | 7.3 |
2021 | 319 | 5.06m | 6.3 |
2020 | 319 | 5.06m | 6.3 |
2019 | 350 | 5m | 7.0 |
In 1923 the population was under 1.4 million and the road toll was 59. That was less than 4.5 deaths per capita but there was also less than 150,000 registered vehicles in New Zealand, meaning very few of the population were driving compared to modern times.
“The AA is hopeful New Zealand is entering a new era and leaving behind some of the highest rates of road deaths in the developed world,” Dylan says.
It is always difficult to say for sure what is behind drops in road deaths but the AA believes two things have been a big part of the recent record-breaking years.
“Some of our riskiest highways have been made safer over a sustained period of time through significant upgrades or being replaced with new high-quality roads. AA Research Foundation data shows we are now having 20 fewer fatal crashes every year on average across our highest risk highways compared to the early 2000s.”
“Police have also greatly increased alcohol enforcement and this appears to be making a real difference. 2024 had the lowest number of drunk driving deaths since records began and people are seeing more frequent alcohol testing on the roads over the last couple of years.”
New Zealand’s road toll has routinely been above 300 since the 1950s and peaked in 1973 with 843 deaths. Since then it has trended downwards and settled in the 300s again in the last 10 years, occasionally dropping into the 200s.
“I’m cautious of calling this the new normal after only two years, but it is very encouraging to have reached the lowest rate of road deaths ever in modern New Zealand history. We can still keep improving and the AA hopes that we are going to see fatalities continue falling further.
“Deaths on New Zealand’s roads are tragic and we can all give ourselves the best chance of getting home safely by being focussed and alert, driving to the conditions, sticking to the rules and looking out for each other.
“If everyone did this more then we can look forward to seeing the road toll fall even further as we move into the future.”