2. Transport deaths, Australia 1993

• Age and sex distribution
• Trends in death rates
• State and Territory differences
• Road deaths

• Nearly one-third of injury deaths were transport injuries.
• 87% of transport deaths were road deaths.

Table 2.1 Key indicators

Age and sex distribution

The rate of transport-related injury deaths was highest in young adults and the elderly. Male rates were much higher than female rates, particularly for young adults. The great majority of cases (87%) were from road injuries. The other 13% of transport deaths in 1993 were: 3% Motor vehicle non-traffic 2% Railway transport 3% Water transport 4% Air transport

Trends in death rates

Transport injury death rates declined between 1992 and 1993, continuing the marked downward trend since 1970. Male rates remain much higher than female rates. Male and female rates have each declined by about half since 1979.

State and Territory differences

Transport injury death rates were much higher in the NT than elsewhere in 1993 and throughout the period 1979-93. The rate for the ACT has been noticeably lower than the national rate since 1988. The recorded rate for 1993 was extremely low, 7 cases being registered compared to an average of 30 per year in the previous 4 years. Elsewhere, rates were relatively close to the national value. An aircraft crash in Queensland during WWII claimed 20 lives. The site was found after many years and the deaths were registered in 1993. This increased the Queensland rate shown in the chart by about 4%. Figure 2.3 shows rates based on place of death registration (normally the place where death occurred). For the ACT, the rate based on place of usual residence was 71% higher. Elsewhere, the two types of rates differed by less than 10%.

Road deaths

Table 2.2 Key indicators, road deaths 1993

Road injury death rates have fallen greatly since 1970. There was a small further decline in 1993. Males aged 15-24 have high rates. They accounted for 23% of all road deaths in 1993. The percentage decline since 1979 in the rate for males aged 15-24 was similar to that for males of all ages. National targets have been set for road injury overall and for males aged 15-24 years.[1] The decline in rate between 1992 and 1993 was about 60% of that needed to reach the "persons" target for road deaths. The rate for males aged 15-24 years rose slightly in 1993.

The rate of road injury deaths has declined more quickly than the rate of other transport injury deaths, and the rate of all other types of injury death.

Most road deaths in 1993 were of vehicle occupants. The "occupants" rate was highest at ages 15-24 and 75-79 years. Rates of pedestrian deaths were highest in old age. Motorcyclist death rates were highest at ages 15-24, and nearly all were males. 5% of road deaths were in other and unspecified categories. For further information see Australian Injury Prevention Bulletin, Issue 9: Injury experience of Australia's unprotected road-users.[2]