Queensland Road Accident Statistics and Crash Trends [2025]

Queensland recorded 307 road fatalities in 2025, the highest annual toll in 16 years and a 40% increase from the record low of 219 in 2019. The 2025 figure marks the second consecutive year above 300 deaths, a level not reached since 2009. Queensland's fatality rate of 5.4 deaths per 100,000 population is 32% above the national average, and the state is 66.5% above its pro rata target under the National Road Safety Strategy 2021-2030, which no Australian jurisdiction is on track to meet.

This page consolidates Queensland's most important road safety and CTP compensation statistics into a single, citable reference. The data is drawn from six Queensland and Australian Government sources, including the Department of Transport and Main Roads, the Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics, the Australian Automobile Association, and the Motor Accident Insurance Commission. Individual source attributions appear under each table.

‍———THE HEADLINE NUMBERS———

Queensland recorded 307 road fatalities in 2025

307 people died on Queensland roads in 2025, the highest annual road toll in 16 years.

The 2025 fatality count is five deaths above the 2024 total of 302 and 40% above the record low of 219 recorded in 2019, according to the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads. Queensland has now recorded two consecutive years above 300 fatalities for motor vehicle accidents, a level not seen since 2009 when 331 people were killed.

The decade between 2010 and 2019 saw a sustained decline in Queensland road fatalities, reaching the lowest figure since accurate records began in 1952. That trend has reversed sharply. Five of the last six years have exceeded the 2015-2019 average of 241 fatalities, and the 2025 toll is 7.8% above the most recent five-year average of 285.

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Source: Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads, Weekly Road Crash Report (2025); BITRE Australian Road Deaths Database (2009-2024).

Key findings:

• Queensland has recorded two consecutive years above 300 road fatalities for the first time since 2008-2009
• The 2019 record low of 219 deaths has been followed by six years of escalation, with the toll rising 40% to 307 in 2025
• 2026 is tracking worse: 64 fatalities in the first 12 weeks, 31% above the same period in 2025

How does Queensland's road toll compare to other Australian states?

Queensland recorded the fourth-highest road fatality rate of any Australian state or territory in 2025 and the second-highest absolute number of deaths behind New South Wales.

Queensland's fatality rate of 5.4 deaths per 100,000 population is 32% above the national average of 4.1 (excluding the Australian Capital Territory, which the Australian Automobile Association excludes from state comparisons due to its unrepresentative geography and road mix). Only the Northern Territory (14.4), Tasmania (7.6), and Western Australia (6.0) recorded higher rates.

The absolute fatality count of 308 places Queensland second behind New South Wales (355), despite Queensland having a smaller population. Victoria, with a population comparable to Queensland, recorded 290 deaths and a rate of 4.1 per 100,000.

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Source: Australian Automobile Association, Benchmarking the Performance of the National Road Safety Strategy, December Quarter 2025.

Key findings:

• A Queenslander is 32% more likely to die on the road than the average Australian, and the gap has been widening since 2020
• 74 fewer people would die on Queensland roads each year if the state matched the Victorian and NSW fatality rate
• Queensland records more road deaths than Victoria despite having a smaller population - the difference is driven by regional road fatalities

Queensland is 67% above its National Road Safety Strategy target

Queensland's 2025 road toll is 66.5% above its National Road Safety Strategy pro rata target, with no realistic prospect of meeting the 2030 deadline.

The National Road Safety Strategy (NRSS) 2021-2030 commits Australian governments to halving road deaths by 2030 from a 2018-2020 baseline. Queensland's pro rata target is 185 fatalities for the 12-month period ending December 2025. The actual figure of 308 exceeds that ceiling by 123 deaths. Every Australian state and territory is rated RED by the Australian Automobile Association, and every road user group (drivers, passengers, pedestrians, motorcyclists, and cyclists) is also rated RED.

Australia has now recorded five consecutive calendar year increases in national road fatalities, the first time since 1952. The national toll of 1,314 in 2025 is 15.1% above the NRSS baseline and 457 deaths above the pro rata target. Reaching the 2030 target would require reducing annual fatalities from 1,314 to 571 within five years, a reduction no state is on track to achieve.

Source: Australian Automobile Association, Benchmarking the Performance of the National Road Safety Strategy, December Quarter 2025.

Key findings:

• Queensland is 66.5% above its NRSS pro rata target of 185 fatalities
• No Australian state, territory, or road user group is on track to meet the 2030 target
• Australia has recorded five consecutive annual increases in road fatalities, the first time since 1952
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———WHO IS DYING ON QUEENSLAND ROADS———

Motorcyclists and young drivers are the most overrepresented groups in Queensland road fatalities

Motorcycle riders account for 25% of all Queensland road fatalities despite making up just 4% of registered vehicles, and young drivers aged 16 to 24 are involved in approximately 30% of fatal crashes despite holding 13% of licences.

Drivers are the largest fatality group by count, representing 44% of all road deaths in Queensland between 2020 and 2025. Motorcycle riders are the second largest at 24%, followed by passengers at 17% and pedestrians at 10%. Pedal cyclists account for 3% of fatalities.

The standout finding is the scale of motorcycle overrepresentation. Motorcycles comprise approximately 4% of Queensland's registered vehicle fleet, according to the Queensland Government (January 2025), yet motorcycle riders and their pillion passengers account for one in four road fatalities. Pedestrian deaths have also risen sharply at a national level, reaching a 15-year high in the 12 months to September 2025, according to the Australian Automobile Association.

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Source: BITRE Australian Road Deaths Database (current to February 2026), Queensland fatalities 2020-2025.

Key findings:

• Motorcycle riders account for 25% of Queensland road fatalities despite comprising 4% of registered vehicles
• Young drivers aged 16-24 represent 13% of Queensland licence holders but are involved in approximately 30% of fatal crashes
• Pedestrian deaths nationally reached a 15-year high in 2025, with Queensland recording 176 pedestrian fatalities between 2020 and 2025

Motorcycle fatalities in Queensland have remained above 70 for four consecutive years

Queensland motorcycle fatalities peaked at 79 in 2023 and have remained at or above 73 for four consecutive years, representing a sustained increase from 43 deaths in 2018.

The 2018 figure of 43 motorcycle fatalities was the lowest in the 11-year dataset. Since then, motorcycle deaths have nearly doubled. The increase has not been a single spike but a sustained upward shift, with the annual count settling into a range of 73 to 79 between 2022 and 2025. Motorcyclists are approximately 30 times more likely to be killed per kilometre travelled than car occupants, according to the Centre for Accident Research and Road Safety Queensland (CARRS-Q).

The proportion of total road fatalities attributable to motorcyclists has also risen. In 2018, motorcyclists represented 17.6% of Queensland road deaths. In 2023, that figure reached 28.8%. The 2025 proportion of 24.4% remains well above the decade average.

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Sources:

• BITRE Australian Road Deaths Database (current to February 2026), Queensland motorcycle fatalities 2015-2025. Includes riders and pillion passengers.
• 30x fatality rate from CARRS-Q Motorcycle Safety Fact Sheet (May 2020).

Key findings:

• Motorcycle deaths have nearly doubled since 2018, rising from 43 to a sustained plateau above 70 per year
• One in four people killed on Queensland roads is a motorcycle rider, despite motorcycles making up just 4% of the vehicle fleet
• Per kilometre travelled, a motorcyclist in Queensland is 30 times more likely to be killed than a car occupant

Young drivers account for 30% of fatal crashes but 13% of licence holders

Young drivers and riders aged 16 to 24 represent approximately 13% of Queensland licence holders but are involved in approximately 30% of fatal crashes, according to the Queensland Government.

Approximately 100 fatalities occur each year as a result of crashes involving young drivers (including the drivers themselves, their passengers, and pedestrians), according to the Department of Transport and Main Roads. Young drivers and riders aged 16 to 24 are 60% more likely to be involved in a serious crash than licensed mature adult drivers and riders aged 25 to 59.

The 25-44 age group is the largest fatality cohort by absolute count, with 572 deaths between 2020 and 2025 (33.0% of the total). The 45-64 group accounts for 24.8%. At the other end of the age spectrum, road users aged 65 and above account for 20.4% of fatalities, a proportion that has been rising in recent years, with 98 lives lost involving senior drivers in 2024 alone - a 32% increase above the five-year average, according to the Queensland Government.

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Sources:

• BITRE Australian Road Deaths Database (current to February 2026), Queensland fatalities 2020-2025. Total excludes 9 fatalities where age was recorded as 0 (infants under 1) or unknown.
• Young driver overrepresentation (13%/30%) from Queensland Government media statement (1 January 2025).
• 60% higher crash risk and 80% male involvement from Department of Transport and Main Roads, Young Drivers - the facts.

Key findings:

• Young drivers aged 16-24 are involved in approximately 30% of fatal crashes despite holding 13% of Queensland licences
• The 25-44 age group is the largest fatality cohort by count, with 572 deaths between 2020 and 2025
• About 80% of young drivers involved in fatal crashes are male

Males are three times more likely to die on Queensland roads than females

Males account for 76% of all road fatalities in Queensland, a ratio of approximately 3 male deaths for every 1 female death.

Between 2020 and 2025, 1,316 males and 413 females died on Queensland roads. The 3.2:1 male-to-female ratio is consistent with both the national pattern (3.0:1 for the 12 months to February 2026, according to the Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics) and the long-term historical average.

The gender gap is even more pronounced in specific road user categories. Approximately 94% of motorcycle fatalities in Queensland involve male riders, according to the Centre for Accident Research and Road Safety Queensland. About 80% of young drivers involved in fatal crashes are male, according to the Department of Transport and Main Roads.

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Sources:

• BITRE Australian Road Deaths Database (current to February 2026), Queensland fatalities 2020-2025.
• National 3:1 ratio from BITRE Road Deaths Australia Monthly Bulletin (February 2026).
• 94% male motorcycle fatality figure from CARRS-Q Motorcycle Safety Fact Sheet (May 2020, Queensland data 2016-2018).

Key findings:

• Males account for 1,316 of the 1,733 road fatalities in Queensland between 2020 and 2025
• The male-to-female fatality ratio of 3.2:1 has remained consistent over the past decade and matches the national pattern
• For motorcycle fatalities specifically, approximately 94% involve male riders

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———WHERE FATAL CRASHES HAPPEN IN QUEENSLAND———

Two-thirds of Queensland road fatalities occur outside major cities

66% of all Queensland road fatalities between 2020 and 2025 occurred outside major city areas, despite regional and remote Queensland carrying a lower share of total traffic volume.

Inner regional areas account for 31% of Queensland road fatalities and outer regional areas for 26%, meaning these two categories combined (57%) produce more deaths than major cities (34%). Remote and very remote areas contribute a further 9% of fatalities despite their small populations. The Queensland Government confirmed in January 2025 that regional Queensland accounts for more than 60% of fatal crashes, with the Southern police region (Darling Downs, Ipswich, and South-West Queensland) recording the highest number of fatalities by police region.

The regional overrepresentation contrasts sharply with the CTP compensation claim data, where Brisbane generates 56% of all claims. Regional crashes are more likely to be fatal and less likely to result in a compensation claim.

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Sources:

• BITRE Australian Road Deaths Database (current to February 2026), Queensland fatalities 2020-2025. Remoteness classification follows the ABS Remoteness Areas 2021 framework.
• Queensland Government media statement (1 January 2025).

Key findings:

• Two in three people killed on Queensland roads die outside major cities
• Inner and outer regional areas combined produce more road fatalities than Brisbane and the Gold Coast combined
• Regional crashes are more likely to be fatal, yet Brisbane generates 56% of CTP compensation claims - indicating fewer regional crash survivors lodge claims

100 km/h speed zones account for 40% of all Queensland road fatalities

100 km/h speed zones account for 40% of all road fatalities in Queensland despite carrying a fraction of total road traffic, making them the single deadliest speed environment on Queensland roads.

High-speed zones (100 km/h and above) account for 44% of all fatalities when 110 km/h zones are included. The 60 km/h suburban zone is the second-deadliest category at 23%, reflecting the high volume of traffic in urban areas rather than a higher per-vehicle risk. Together, 80 km/h and 90 km/h zones contribute a further 16%.

Low-speed zones (50 km/h and below) account for 11% of fatalities with 186 deaths over six years, reflecting the vulnerability of pedestrians and cyclists in urban environments. 87% of fatal crashes involving young drivers on rural roads happened in high-speed zones, according to the Queensland Government StreetSmarts road safety campaign.

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Sources:

• BITRE Australian Road Deaths Database (current to February 2026), Queensland fatalities 2020-2025. Speed zones reflect the posted limit at the crash location. The 40 km/h and below row combines 40, 30, 20, 10, and 5 km/h zones.
• Young driver/high-speed statistic from Queensland Government StreetSmarts campaign.

Key findings:

• Four in ten Queensland road fatalities occur in 100 km/h zones, which carry a small fraction of the state's total vehicle kilometres
• Combined, roads posted at 100 km/h or above account for 755 deaths over six years - 44% of the total
• 87% of fatal crashes involving young drivers on rural roads happen in high-speed zones

Wide Bay is the deadliest region in Queensland relative to population

The Wide Bay Statistical Area Level 4 (SA4) region recorded 257 road fatalities between 2020 and 2025, more than any other statistical region in Queensland and nearly double the next highest region.

Wide Bay's fatality concentration is driven by three local government areas (LGAs): Bundaberg (73 deaths), Fraser Coast (65), and Gympie (60), which together account for 198 of the region's 257 deaths. The Wide Bay region has a combined population of approximately 310,000, giving it a fatality rate of roughly 14 deaths per 100,000 per year - nearly three times the Queensland state average.

Brisbane has the highest absolute LGA count at 175 fatalities, but this figure is substantially underrepresented relative to Brisbane's population of approximately 1.3 million (equivalent to roughly 2.2 deaths per 100,000 per year). Regional LGAs including Toowoomba (76), Scenic Rim (48), and South Burnett (41) record fatality counts that are disproportionately high for their populations. The Darling Downs - Maranoa SA4 region (131 fatalities) and Central Queensland (127) are the second and third deadliest statistical regions.

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Source: BITRE Australian Road Deaths Database, Queensland fatalities 2020-2025; Queensland Government media statement (January 2025).

Key findings:

• Wide Bay recorded 257 road fatalities between 2020 and 2025 - a rate of roughly 14 deaths per 100,000 per year, nearly three times the state average
• Three Wide Bay LGAs - Bundaberg (73), Fraser Coast (65), and Gympie (60) - account for 77% of the region's fatalities
• Brisbane records 2.2 deaths per 100,000 per year despite having the highest absolute count (175), less than half the state average rate

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———WHEN AND WHY FATAL CRASHES HAPPEN———

Sunday is the deadliest day on Queensland roads

Sunday recorded 306 road fatalities in Queensland between 2020 and 2025, 65% more than Tuesday (185), which recorded the fewest fatal crashes of any day.

Queensland road fatality patterns by day of week show a pronounced weekend concentration. Friday (292 fatalities), Saturday (268), and Sunday (306) together account for 50% of all road deaths despite representing three of seven days. Weekend crashes (Saturday and Sunday combined) account for 33% of Queensland road fatalities.

The Sunday peak likely reflects a combination of recreational travel, fatigue from weekend activities, and alcohol and drug impairment from the previous night. Nationally, night-time fatal crashes increased 14.2% year-on-year in the 12 months to February 2026, according to the Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics, suggesting that low-visibility conditions remain a significant contributing factor across Australia.

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Sources:

• BITRE Australian Road Deaths Database (current to February 2026), Queensland fatalities 2020-2025.
• National night-time crash trend from BITRE Road Deaths Australia Monthly Bulletin (February 2026).

Key findings:

• Sunday produces 65% more road fatalities than Tuesday in Queensland - the equivalent of 20 additional deaths per year
• Half of all Queensland road fatalities occur on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday
• Night-time fatal crashes have increased 14.2% nationally year-on-year, with the Sunday peak likely reflecting late-night impairment and fatigue from the weekend

Speed and drink driving remain the leading causes of fatal crashes in Queensland

Speed was the leading contributing factor in Queensland fatal crashes in 2024, present in 20% of all fatalities, followed by failure to wear a seatbelt (19%), drink driving (16%), fatigue (14%), and distraction (9%).

The Queensland Government tracks five behavioural factors - known as the Fatal Five - that contribute to the majority of serious and fatal crashes on Queensland roads. The Fatal Five are speeding, drink and drug driving, driver fatigue, failure to wear a seatbelt, and driver distraction (including mobile phone use). Speeding has continued to climb year-on-year as a factor in fatal crashes, according to the Queensland Government.

Drug driving fatality rates have now overtaken drink driving as a contributing factor in Queensland road fatalities, according to the RACQ. In 2023, substance impairment (alcohol and drugs combined) was a factor in approximately 110 fatalities, accounting for nearly 40% of the total road toll, according to the Department of Transport and Main Roads data cited by the RACQ.

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Sources:

• Fatal Five percentages from Queensland Government media statement (1 January 2025), citing Department of Transport and Main Roads data, January to August 2024.
• Drug driving trend from RACQ, "Horror 2025 road toll can't be repeated" (January 2026).
• Substance impairment totals from RACQ, citing Department of Transport and Main Roads data (March 2025).

Key findings:

• Speed is the leading contributing factor in Queensland fatal crashes, present in 20% of all fatalities in 2024
• Drug driving fatality rates have now overtaken drink driving as a cause of fatal crashes in Queensland
• Substance impairment (alcohol and drugs combined) contributed to approximately 40% of Queensland road fatalities in 2023

Single vehicle crashes outnumber multi-vehicle crashes in Queensland

Single vehicle crashes account for 52% of all fatal crashes in Queensland between 2020 and 2025, outnumbering multi-vehicle fatal crashes in every year of the six-year period.

The consistent dominance of single vehicle fatal crashes points to behavioural factors - particularly speed, fatigue, and impairment - as more significant contributors to fatal road trauma in Queensland than multi-vehicle collision scenarios. A single vehicle crash typically involves a vehicle leaving the road and striking a fixed object such as a tree, pole, or barrier, or rolling over. The pattern is consistent nationally, where single vehicle crashes accounted for 56% of all fatal crashes in the 12 months to February 2026, according to the Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics.

Heavy vehicles are also overrepresented in Queensland road fatalities. Heavy vehicles (excluding buses) comprise approximately 2% of registered vehicles but are involved in approximately 15% of fatal crashes, according to the Queensland Government (January 2025). Between 2020 and 2025, 309 Queensland road fatalities (17.8%) involved a heavy rigid truck, articulated truck, or bus, according to the Australian Road Deaths Database.

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Sources:

• BITRE Australian Road Deaths Database (current to February 2026), Queensland fatal crashes 2020-2025. Crash counts represent unique incidents, not individual fatalities.
• National single vehicle proportion (56%) from BITRE Road Deaths Australia Monthly Bulletin (February 2026).
• Heavy vehicle proportions from Queensland Government media statement (1 January 2025).

Key findings:

• Single vehicle crashes account for 52% of all fatal crashes in Queensland, outnumbering multi-vehicle crashes in every year since 2020
• The dominance of single vehicle crashes points to speed, fatigue, and impairment as the primary behavioural drivers of fatal road trauma
• Heavy vehicles make up 2% of registered vehicles but are involved in 15% of Queensland fatal crashes

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———INJURIES AND HOSPITALISATION———

More than 8,500 people are hospitalised from road crashes in Queensland each year

8,573 people were hospitalised as a result of road crashes in Queensland in 2024, a 4% increase from 8,254 in 2023 and 13.2% above the previous five-year average.

Queensland road crash hospitalisations have risen faster than road fatalities in recent years, indicating that more people are surviving serious crashes but sustaining injuries significant enough to require hospital treatment. The 2024 hospitalisation figure of 8,573 is the highest in at least five years. The 2023 figure of 8,254 was itself 7.6% above the previous year and 13.2% above the five-year average at that time.

The first seven months of 2025 recorded 4,916 hospitalisations, broadly consistent with the same period in 2024 (4,933) and 10.6% above the five-year average for the same period, according to the Department of Transport and Main Roads. A full-year 2025 hospitalisation figure is not yet available.

The gap between fatalities and hospitalisations is significant. For every person killed on a Queensland road in 2024, approximately 28 more were hospitalised. Many of those hospitalised will go on to lodge CTP (Compulsory Third Party) compensation claims.

Source: Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads, Weekly Road Crash Reports (2023, 2024, and 2025 editions).

car accident compensation

Key findings:

• For every person killed on a Queensland road, 28 more are hospitalised - and that ratio has been growing as hospitalisations rise faster than fatalities
• Road crash hospitalisations in Queensland are 13.2% above the five-year average and have increased in every year since 2020
• The first seven months of 2025 show hospitalisations broadly flat year-on-year, but still 10.6% above the five-year average for the period

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———CTP COMPENSATION CLAIMS AND PAYOUTS———

Queensland's CTP scheme pays more than $1 billion in compensation each year

Queensland's Compulsory Third Party (CTP) insurance scheme paid $1.135 billion in compensation to people injured in motor vehicle accidents in 2024-25, with approximately 7,600 claims lodged each year.

CTP insurance is a compulsory component of vehicle registration in Queensland, administered by the Motor Accident Insurance Commission (MAIC). The scheme compensates people who are injured in motor vehicle accidents where another driver is at fault. CTP claim frequency has declined from 1.9 claims per 1,000 registered vehicles in 2015/16 to 1.5 per 1,000 in 2023/24, a 21% reduction over the decade despite rising road fatalities and hospitalisations.

The declining claim frequency may reflect several factors. More crashes are resulting in fatalities (where there is no surviving claimant), minor crash reporting may have declined, and Queensland's registered vehicle fleet has grown 25% over the period (from 4.06 million to 5.10 million vehicles), diluting the per-vehicle claim rate even as absolute claim numbers remain relatively stable.

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Source: Motor Accident Insurance Commission, CTP Personal Injury Register (accidents 2015-2025), Queensland Government Open Data Portal. The 2024/25 accident year (5,783 claims) is excluded as immature data.

Key findings:

• Queensland's CTP scheme pays more than $3 million per day in compensation to people injured in motor vehicle accidents
• Claim frequency has dropped 21% over the past decade even as the vehicle fleet grew 25% - meaning more vehicles on the road but fewer claims per vehicle
• The declining claim rate may partly reflect rising fatality severity: fatal crashes produce no surviving claimant

Three in four CTP claims are for minor injuries but economic loss drives half of all payouts

75.6% of all CTP claims in Queensland are classified as minor injuries under the Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS), yet the average payout ranges from $88,900 for minor injuries to $859,100 for critical injuries.

The Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) is an internationally recognised anatomical scoring system that classifies each injury by body region according to its relative threat to life, on a scale from 1 (minor) to 6 (maximum, which predominantly represents fatalities). Queensland's CTP scheme uses the AIS 2005 edition to categorise claim severity.

Minor injuries (AIS 1) account for three in four claims but only 50.6% of total compensation payments. Serious, severe, and critical injuries (AIS 3 to 5) combined represent just 5.7% of claims by volume but account for 25.8% of total payments. The overall average motor vehicle payout across all severity levels is $128,300. The total of $1.135 billion paid in 2024-25 is distributed across 8,843 finalised claims.

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Economic loss (past and future combined) is the single largest component of CTP compensation in Queensland, accounting for 50.1% of all payments. General damages - the component that compensates for pain, suffering, and loss of amenities - accounts for just 12% of total payments. Legal costs (investigation, plaintiff, and defendant costs combined) represent 16.7%.

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Sources:

• Motor Accident Insurance Commission, CTP Personal Injury Register - Injury Severity Costs (finalised claims 2024-25, accidents 2015-2025), Queensland Government Open Data Portal.
• Motor Accident Insurance Commission, CTP Personal Injury Register - Heads of Damage (finalised claims 2024-25, accidents 2015-2025), Queensland Government Open Data Portal.
• AIS 6 (Maximum) predominantly represents fatalities. AIS 9 (Admin) includes unconfirmed injuries, nervous shock, and business claims.

Key findings:

• The average CTP compensation payout in Queensland ranges from $88,900 for minor injuries to $859,100 for critical injuries
• Economic loss drives 50.1% of all CTP compensation payments, while general damages (pain and suffering) accounts for just 12%
• Three in four CTP claims are for minor injuries, but serious-to-critical claims drive a disproportionate share of the $1.135 billion in annual payments

Spinal injuries including whiplash account for two-thirds of all CTP claims in Queensland

Spinal injuries account for 66.3% of all finalised CTP claims in Queensland, making them the dominant injury category by a wide margin.

Under the AIS 2005 classification system used by Queensland's CTP scheme, whiplash injuries are classified under the spinal injury body region. The overwhelming concentration of spinal injuries in CTP claims reflects the biomechanics of motor vehicle collisions, where rear-end and side-impact forces transmit directly through the cervical and thoracic spine. Lower extremity injuries (legs, knees, ankles, feet) are a distant second at 9.3% of claims, followed by upper extremity injuries (arms, shoulders, hands) at 6.9%.

Head injuries (excluding face) account for 4.8% of CTP claims. The relatively low proportion of head injury claims compared to the high fatality rate for head injuries (head trauma is the leading cause of death in fatal motorcycle crashes) reflects the fact that the most severe head injuries are more likely to result in death than a surviving CTP claim. Most fatal motorcycle accidents occur to young men, who do not typically have dependants. When someone is killed on the road, their dependants (eg spouse, kids) can make a dependency claim against the CTP insurer for their loss of dependency on the deceased. However, if you are say, a 22 year old male motorcyclist, you usually don't have any dependants to make a claim. 

The below table explains the data on injuries for based on body parts in motor vehicle accident claims.

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Source: Motor Accident Insurance Commission, CTP Personal Injury Register - Injury by Body Region (finalised claims, accidents 2015-2025), Queensland Government Open Data Portal. Body region reports the highest-severity injury per claim under AIS 2005. Whiplash is classified under Spine. "Body region non-defined" includes administrative codes, psychological conditions, and fatalities.

Key findings:

• Two in three CTP claimants in Queensland have a spinal injury, with whiplash from rear-end and side-impact collisions driving the majority
• Head injuries account for just 4.8% of CTP claims despite being the leading cause of death in motorcycle crashes - the most severe head injuries are fatal, not claimable
• Lower and upper extremity injuries combined (16.2%) are the second-largest claim category after spinal injuries

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———HOW CTP CLAIMS ARE RESOLVED———

The average CTP claim takes 17 months to settle in Queensland

The average CTP compensation claim in Queensland takes approximately 17.3 months from initial notification to final settlement, with the liability-to-settlement stage accounting for the majority of that duration.

The CTP claims process in Queensland has three measured stages. The initial notification-to-compliance stage (where the insurer confirms the claim has met lodgement requirements) averages 1.0 months. The compliance-to-liability-decision stage (where the CTP insurer determines whether the at-fault driver's negligence caused the injury) averages 2.2 months. The liability-decision-to-settlement stage (where the parties negotiate the quantum of compensation based on medical evidence, economic loss calculations, and legal submissions) averages 14.1 months.

The extended settlement period reflects the time required for injuries to stabilise, for medical evidence to be compiled, and for negotiations between the claimant's legal representatives and the CTP insurer to conclude.

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Source: Motor Accident Insurance Commission, CTP Personal Injury Register - Claim Duration (finalised claims, accidents 2015-2025), Queensland Government Open Data Portal. Averages across all four licensed CTP insurers.

Key findings:

• The average CTP claim takes 17.3 months from notification to settlement
• The liability-to-settlement stage accounts for 14.1 months of the total duration, driven by the time required for injuries to stabilise and evidence to be compiled
• The initial notification and liability stages are resolved within 3.2 months on average

85% of CTP claims settle without court proceedings

Approximately 81% of CTP claimants in Queensland engage legal representation, yet 85-87% of all claims settle without proceeding to court.

Legal representation rates across mature accident years (2015/16 to 2021/22, where the majority of claims have been finalised) range from 78.5% to 82.9%, with an average of approximately 81%. The litigation rate ranges from 11.2% to 15.0% across the same period and has trended downward in recent years. Court proceedings in a CTP claim typically function as a mechanism to advance stalled negotiations rather than a path to a contested trial.

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Source: Motor Accident Insurance Commission, CTP Personal Injury Register - Rates of Legal Representation and Litigation (accidents 2015-2025), Queensland Government Open Data Portal. Only accident years with finalisation rates above 89% are included to avoid distortion from open claims.

Key findings:

• 81% of CTP claimants in Queensland are legally represented
• 85-87% of CTP claims settle without court proceedings
• The litigation rate has trended downward from 15.0% in 2019/20 to 12.9% in 2021/22

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———WHO MAKES CTP CLAIMS IN QUEENSLAND———

CTP claimants have a different demographic profile to road fatality victims

The people who die on Queensland roads and the people who claim CTP compensation have distinctly different demographic profiles, reflecting fundamental differences in fatal and non-fatal crash patterns.

Queensland road fatalities are 76% male, with a peak age of 25 to 44, and 66% occur outside major city areas. CTP compensation claimants are 51% female, with a peak age of 26 to 35, and 56% are from the Brisbane metropolitan area. The demographic inversion is striking across every measured characteristic.

The divergence reflects the nature of the crashes that produce each outcome. Fatal crashes disproportionately involve high-risk behaviours (speed, impairment, non-seatbelt use) on high-speed regional roads, where crash forces are more likely to be unsurvivable. Non-fatal injury crashes are more evenly distributed across demographics and concentrated in urban areas with higher traffic density, lower speeds, and greater proximity to emergency medical care.

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Sources:

• Fatality demographics from BITRE Australian Road Deaths Database (current to February 2026), Queensland 2020-2025.
• Claimant demographics from Motor Accident Insurance Commission, CTP Personal Injury Register (accidents 2015-2025), Queensland Government Open Data Portal.

Key findings:

• Road fatalities are 76% male; CTP claimants are 51% female
• 66% of fatalities occur outside major cities, but Brisbane accounts for 56% of CTP claims
• The peak fatality age group is 25-44; the peak claimant age group is 26-35

Brisbane accounts for 55% of CTP claims but only 34% of road fatalities

Brisbane generates 56% of all CTP compensation claims in Queensland but accounts for just 34% of road fatalities, making it the clearest illustration of the gap between where people die and where people claim.

Other South East Queensland regions (Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Ipswich) add a further 28% of CTP claims. Regional Queensland generates 12% of claims despite accounting for more than 60% of fatal crashes. The interstate category (3-5% of claims) captures people injured in Queensland who hold interstate vehicle registrations.

The regional disparity indicates that crashes in regional Queensland are more likely to be fatal (producing no surviving claimant) and that the higher traffic volumes and lower average speeds in Brisbane and South East Queensland produce a higher volume of non-fatal injury crashes, particularly minor spinal injuries and whiplash from rear-end collisions.

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Sources:

• Motor Accident Insurance Commission, CTP Personal Injury Register - Accidents by Region (accidents 2015-2025), Queensland Government Open Data Portal. 2023/24 shown as most recent mature year. Brisbane = postcodes 4000-4209 and 4500-4529. Other SE QLD = Ipswich, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast. Regional QLD = Toowoomba, Rockhampton, Mackay, Townsville, Mt Isa, Cairns.
• Fatality remoteness from BITRE Australian Road Deaths Database (current to February 2026).

Key findings:

• Brisbane generates 56% of CTP claims but only 34% of road fatalities
• Regional Queensland accounts for 12% of CTP claims despite more than 60% of fatal crashes occurring in regional areas
• The disparity indicates that regional crashes are more likely to be fatal, producing fewer surviving claimants

Sources and methodology

The statistics on this page are compiled from the following publicly available Queensland and Australian Government datasets.

Fatality data: Australian Road Deaths Database, maintained by the Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics (BITRE), Australian Government Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts. Data current to February 2026, comprising 58,393 individual fatality records. Queensland data filtered by State = QLD. Available at bitre.gov.au.

Fatality rate and NRSS benchmarking: Australian Automobile Association (AAA), Benchmarking the Performance of the National Road Safety Strategy, September Quarter 2025 (released July 2025) and December Quarter 2025 (released January 2026). Data sourced from the BITRE Australian Road Deaths Database.

Queensland headline figures and hospitalisations: Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR), Weekly Road Crash Reports: Report No. 1456e (calendar year 2025, data extracted 12 February 2026), Report No. 1404g (calendar year 2024, data extracted 3 September 2025), Report No. 1352k (calendar year 2023, data extracted 12 February 2026), and Report No. 1468 (year-to-date 2026, data extracted 23 March 2026).

‍CTP compensation data: Motor Accident Insurance Commission (MAIC), CTP Personal Injury Register, published by the Queensland Government via the Open Data Portal under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. Datasets used: Claim Frequency and Claim Propensity, Claim Severity, Injury by Body Region, Injury Severity Costs Breakdown, Heads of Damage Breakdown, Claim Duration by Licensed Insurer, Rates of Legal Representation and Litigation, Age Group of Claimants by Gender, and Number of Accidents by Region. All datasets cover accidents from 1 July 2015 to 30 June 2025.

BITRE monthly bulletin: Road Deaths Australia Monthly Bulletin (February 2026 and July 2025 editions), Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics.

Additional sources: Queensland Government ministerial media statement, "Queenslanders urged to drive safely after shocking road toll in 2024" (1 January 2025). RACQ, "Horror 2025 road toll can't be repeated" (January 2026). Centre for Accident Research and Road Safety Queensland (CARRS-Q), Motorcycle Safety Fact Sheet (May 2020). Department of Transport and Main Roads, Young Drivers - the facts factsheet. Queensland Government StreetSmarts road safety campaign.

All cross-source calculations and derived percentages are the author's own analysis of the above datasets.

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For media enquiries or expert commentary on Queensland road safety trends and CTP compensation data, contact Jeremy Roche, Gain Lawyers - 0477406145, jeremy@gainlawyers.com.au