Annual road toll historical information
Last updated on
2/05/2012 9:04 a.m.
Information on this page includes historical annual road toll statistics dating back as far as the Ministry of Transport has records available to 2011.
The Minister of Transport has issued two media statements on the 2011 road toll and the Christmas/New Year holiday road toll available on the beehive website.
Christmas/New Year holiday period 2011/12
Historical deaths since 1921
| Year |
Number of road deaths |
Year |
Number of road deaths |
Year |
Number of road deaths |
| 1921 |
69 |
1951 |
292 |
1981 |
669 |
| 1922 |
61 |
1952 |
272 |
1982 |
673 |
| 1923 |
59 |
1953 |
313 |
1983 |
644 |
| 1924 |
94 |
1954 |
360 |
1984 |
669 |
| 1925 |
103 |
1955 |
333 |
1985 |
747 |
| 1926 |
149 |
1956 |
329 |
1986 |
766 |
| 1927 |
138 |
1957 |
384 |
1987 |
795 |
| 1928 |
176 |
1958 |
379 |
1988 |
727 |
| 1929 |
178 |
1959 |
349 |
1989 |
755 |
| 1930 |
246 |
1960 |
374 |
1990 |
729 |
| 1931 |
170 |
1961 |
393 |
1991 |
650 |
| 1932 |
168 |
1962 |
398 |
1992 |
646 |
| 1933 |
132 |
1963 |
394 |
1993 |
600 |
| 1934 |
169 |
1964 |
428 |
1994 |
580 |
| 1935 |
190 |
1965 |
559 |
1995 |
582 |
| 1936 |
203 |
1966 |
549 |
1996 |
514 |
| 1937 |
213 |
1967 |
570 |
1997 |
539 |
| 1938 |
243 |
1968 |
522 |
1998 |
501 |
| 1939 |
246 |
1969 |
570 |
1999 |
509 |
| 1940 |
205 |
1970 |
655 |
2000 |
462 |
| 1941 |
174 |
1971 |
677 |
2001 |
455 |
| 1942 |
164 |
1972 |
713 |
2002 |
405 |
| 1943 |
152 |
1973 |
843 |
2003 |
461 |
| 1944 |
142 |
1974 |
676 |
2004 |
435 |
| 1945 |
128 |
1975 |
628 |
2005 |
405 |
| 1946 |
191 |
1976 |
609 |
2006 |
393 |
| 1947 |
206 |
1977 |
702 |
2007 |
421 |
| 1948 |
196 |
1978 |
654 |
2008 |
366 |
| 1949 |
218 |
1979 |
554 |
2009 |
384 |
| 1950 |
232 |
1980 |
599 |
2010 |
375 |
* Provisional road toll for 2011 is 284.
Road deaths and reported injury casualties 1980 to 2011
| Year |
Population (000) |
Vehicles (000) |
Road deaths |
| No. of fatalities |
Per 100,000 population |
Per 10,000 vehicles |
No. of injuries |
Per 100,000 population |
Per 10,000 vehicles |
| 1980 |
3176.4 |
1789.4 |
599 |
18.9 |
3.3 |
15872 |
500 |
88.7 |
| 1981 |
3194.5 |
1848.6 |
669 |
20.9 |
3.6 |
15479 |
485 |
83.7 |
| 1982 |
3226.8 |
1882.5 |
673 |
20.9 |
3.6 |
16194 |
502 |
86.0 |
| 1983 |
3264.8 |
1917.4 |
644 |
19.7 |
3.4 |
16491 |
505 |
86.0 |
| 1984 |
3293.0 |
1968.9 |
669 |
20.3 |
3.4 |
17524 |
532 |
89.0 |
| 1985 |
3303.1 |
1996.1 |
747 |
22.6 |
3.7 |
18912 |
573 |
94.7 |
| 1986 |
3313.5 |
2010.1 |
766 |
23.1 |
3.8 |
18874 |
570 |
93.9 |
| 1987 |
3342.1 |
2030.6 |
795 |
23.8 |
3.9 |
18728 |
560 |
92.2 |
| 1988 |
3345.2 |
2045.4 |
727 |
21.7 |
3.6 |
17346 |
519 |
84.8 |
| 1989 |
3369.8 |
2108.4 |
755 |
22.4 |
3.6 |
16594 |
492 |
78.7 |
| 1990 |
3410.4 |
2197.7 |
729 |
21.4 |
3.3 |
17719 |
520 |
80.6 |
| 1991 |
3449.7 |
2220.1 |
650 |
18.8 |
2.9 |
16767 |
486 |
75.5 |
| 1992 |
3485.4 |
2227.1 |
646 |
18.5 |
2.9 |
16121 |
463 |
72.4 |
| 1993 |
3524.8 |
2243.8 |
600 |
17.0 |
2.7 |
15108 |
429 |
67.3 |
| 1994 |
3577.2 |
2289.3 |
580 |
16.2 |
2.5 |
16600 |
464 |
72.5 |
| 1995 |
3643.2 |
2354.6 |
582 |
16.0 |
2.5 |
16870 |
463 |
71.6 |
| 1996 |
3717.4 |
2379.8 |
514 |
13.8 |
2.2 |
14796 |
398 |
62.2 |
| 1997 |
3761.1 |
2392.7 |
539 |
14.3 |
2.3 |
13375 |
356 |
55.9 |
| 1998 |
3790.9 |
2440.4 |
501 |
13.2 |
2.1 |
12412 |
327 |
50.9 |
| 1999 |
3810.7 |
2512.3 |
509 |
13.4 |
2.0 |
11999 |
315 |
47.8 |
| 2000 |
3830.8 |
2601.7 |
462 |
12.1 |
1.8 |
10962 |
286 |
42.1 |
| 2001 |
3850.1 |
2633.2 |
455 |
11.8 |
1.7 |
12368 |
321 |
47.0 |
| 2002 |
3939.1 |
2709.5 |
405 |
10.3 |
1.5 |
13918 |
353 |
51.4 |
| 2003 |
4009.2 |
2801.0 |
461 |
11.5 |
1.6 |
14372 |
359 |
51.3 |
| 2004 |
4060.9 |
2920.7 |
435 |
10.7 |
1.5 |
13890 |
342 |
47.6 |
| 2005 |
4098.3 |
3030.4 |
405 |
9.9 |
1.3 |
14451 |
353 |
47.7 |
| 2006 |
4139.5 |
3124.3 |
393 |
9.5 |
1.3 |
15174 |
367 |
48.6 |
| 2007 |
4228.3 |
3189.1 |
421 |
10.0 |
1.3 |
16013 |
379 |
50.2 |
| 2008 |
4268.6 |
3247.8 |
366 |
8.6 |
1.1 |
15174 |
356 |
46.7 |
| 2009 |
4315.8 |
3220.3 |
384 |
8.9 |
1.2 |
14541 |
337 |
45.2 |
| 2010 |
4367.8 |
3230.6 |
375 |
8.6 |
1.2 |
14031 |
321 |
43.4 |
| 2011* |
4405.3 |
3233.6 |
284 |
6.4 |
0.9 |
|
|
|
* 2011 provisional statistics.
Download full table for deaths and injuries 1921 – 2010 (PDF, 102kb). This table also includes population and vehicle figures.
Time series graphs – road deaths
The following graphs show the number of road deaths since 1921 and road deaths per 10,000 vehicles and per 100,000 population.
Deaths per 10,000 vehicles has steadily decreased since 1936, Deaths per 100,000 steadily rose from 1936 till about 1975, when it has since been steadily decreasing, mirroring the trend for the overall number of road deaths.

Lowest and highest road deaths figures
The following tables show the lowest and highest number of road deaths. Population and vehicle data prior to 1936 was very scant.
Lowest number of road deaths since 1950
| Rank |
Year |
Number of road deaths |
Population (000) |
Vehicles (000) |
Per 100,000 population |
Per 10,000 vehicles |
| 1 |
1950 |
232 |
1927.6 |
402.2 |
12 |
5.8 |
| 2 |
1952 |
272 |
2024.6 |
494.2 |
13.4 |
5.5 |
| 3 |
2011* |
284 |
4405.3 |
3233.6 |
6.4 |
0.9 |
| 4 |
1951 |
292 |
1970.5 |
447.1 |
14.8 |
6.5 |
| 5 |
1953 |
313 |
2074.7 |
513.7 |
15.1 |
6.1 |
| 6 |
1956 |
329 |
2209.2 |
638.3 |
14.9 |
5.2 |
| 7 |
1955 |
333 |
2164.8 |
301.1 |
15.4 |
5.5 |
| 8 |
1959 |
349 |
2359.7 |
728.2 |
14.8 |
4.8 |
| 9 |
1954 |
360 |
2118.4 |
553.5 |
17 |
6.5 |
| 10 |
2008 |
366 |
4268.6 |
3247.8 |
8.6 |
1.1 |
* 2011 provisional statistics.
Highest number of road deaths since 1950
| Rank |
Year |
Number of road deaths |
Population (000) |
Vehicles (000) |
Per 100,000 population |
Per 10,000 vehicles |
| 1 |
1973 |
843 |
3024.9 |
1438.8 |
27.9 |
5.9 |
| 2 |
1987 |
795 |
3342.1 |
2030.6 |
23.8 |
3.9 |
| 3 |
1986 |
766 |
3313.5 |
2010.1 |
23.1 |
3.8 |
| 4 |
1989 |
755 |
3369.8 |
2108.4 |
22.4 |
3.6 |
| 5 |
1985 |
747 |
3303.1 |
1996.1 |
22.6 |
3.7 |
| 6 |
1990 |
729 |
3410.4 |
2197.7 |
21.4 |
3.3 |
| 7 |
1988 |
727 |
3345.2 |
2045.4 |
21.7 |
3.6 |
| 8 |
1972 |
713 |
2959.7 |
1349.1 |
24.1 |
5.3 |
| 9 |
1977 |
702 |
3166.4 |
1642.8 |
22.2 |
4.3 |
| 10 |
1971 |
677 |
2898.5 |
1272.4 |
23.4 |
5.3 |
Annual road deaths decreases since 1921
The following tables show the greatest decreases in road deaths from the prior year since 1921, in terms of number decreases and percent change.
Road deaths decreased by greatest number margins since 1921
| Greatest decrease by NUMBER |
| Rank |
Year |
Number of road deaths |
Following year |
Number of road deaths |
Difference from prior year |
% diff from prior year |
| 1 |
1973 |
843 |
1974 |
676 |
-167 |
-19.8% |
| 2 |
1978 |
654 |
1979 |
554 |
-100 |
-15.3% |
| 3 |
2010 |
375 |
2011 |
284 |
-91 |
-24.3% |
| 4 |
1990 |
729 |
1991 |
650 |
-79 |
-10.8% |
| 5 |
1930 |
246 |
1931 |
170 |
-76 |
-30.9% |
| 6 |
1987 |
795 |
1988 |
727 |
-68 |
-8.6% |
| 7 |
1995 |
582 |
1996 |
514 |
-68 |
-11.7% |
| 8 |
2007 |
421 |
2008 |
366 |
-55 |
-13.1% |
| 9 |
2001 |
455 |
2002 |
405 |
-50 |
-11.0% |
| 10 |
1967 |
570 |
1968 |
522 |
-48 |
-8.4% |
Road deaths decreased by greatest percent change margin since 1921
| Greatest decrease by PERCENT CHANGE |
| Rank |
Year |
Number of road deaths |
Following year |
Number of road deaths |
Difference from prior year |
% diff from prior year |
| 1 |
1930 |
246 |
1931 |
170 |
-76 |
-30.9% |
| 2 |
2010 |
375 |
2011 |
284 |
-91 |
-24.3% |
| 3 |
1932 |
168 |
1933 |
132 |
-36 |
-21.4% |
| 4 |
1973 |
843 |
1974 |
676 |
-167 |
-19.8% |
| 5 |
1939 |
246 |
1940 |
205 |
-41 |
-16.7% |
| 6 |
1978 |
654 |
1979 |
554 |
-100 |
-15.3% |
| 7 |
1940 |
205 |
1941 |
174 |
-31 |
-15.1% |
| 8 |
2007 |
421 |
2008 |
366 |
-55 |
-13.1% |
| 9 |
1995 |
582 |
1996 |
514 |
-68 |
-11.7% |
| 10 |
1921 |
69 |
1922 |
61 |
-8 |
-11.6% |
Age groups - road deaths
The following table gives the number killed in each age group. The total killed includes unknown aged fatalities.
| Year |
0-14 years |
15-24 years |
25-39 years |
40-59 years |
60+ years |
TOTAL |
| 1990 |
53 |
302 |
192 |
91 |
89 |
730 |
| 1991 |
53 |
232 |
168 |
98 |
89 |
651 |
| 1992 |
52 |
238 |
152 |
88 |
105 |
646 |
| 1993 |
39 |
219 |
129 |
93 |
89 |
600 |
| 1994 |
45 |
163 |
167 |
116 |
85 |
580 |
| 1995 |
51 |
188 |
162 |
110 |
68 |
582 |
| 1996 |
46 |
175 |
130 |
78 |
81 |
514 |
| 1997 |
45 |
146 |
141 |
101 |
106 |
539 |
| 1998 |
46 |
143 |
131 |
89 |
89 |
501 |
| 1999 |
29 |
132 |
131 |
99 |
115 |
509 |
| 2000 |
41 |
112 |
119 |
101 |
88 |
462 |
| 2001 |
33 |
125 |
97 |
105 |
88 |
455 |
| 2002 |
31 |
101 |
102 |
88 |
76 |
405 |
| 2003 |
27 |
129 |
126 |
89 |
84 |
461 |
| 2004 |
25 |
137 |
84 |
106 |
75 |
435 |
| 2005 |
31 |
133 |
68 |
102 |
70 |
405 |
| 2006 |
25 |
103 |
78 |
96 |
91 |
393 |
| 2007 |
27 |
132 |
98 |
87 |
77 |
421 |
| 2008 |
23 |
118 |
82 |
74 |
68 |
366 |
| 2009 |
22 |
105 |
90 |
89 |
78 |
384 |
| 2010 |
18 |
113 |
76 |
83 |
85 |
375 |
| 2011* |
11 |
82 |
47 |
81 |
63 |
284 |
*2011 provisional statistics.
Over the long term the biggest improvement has been in the number of deaths in the 15-24 age group which has more than halved since 1990 (see graph below). This decrease has been partly due to a decrease in the number of motorcyclist deaths in this age group.
Types of road users killed
The most dramatic change in the longer term has been the drop in motorcycle deaths since 1989. The number of motorcyclists killed per year dropped from a peak of 150 down to about 30. In 1988 20 percent of the deaths on New Zealand roads were motorcyclists. This dropped to a low of about 7 percent of the total road toll. However in the last several years there has been a marked increase in the number of motorcyclists killed and injured on our roads.
Note: Statistics for specific road user groups are not available for years prior to 1951.
| Year |
Drivers |
Passengers |
Motorcyclists |
Cyclists |
Pedestrians |
Other |
Total |
| Highest: |
307 (1987) |
250 (1973) |
146 (1988) |
41 (1957) |
157 (1973) |
- |
- |
| Lowest: |
49 (1952) |
62 (1952) |
28 (2003) |
6 (2003) |
31 (2009) |
|
|
| 1990 |
277 |
206 |
114 |
27 |
105 |
1 |
730 |
| 1991 |
278 |
183 |
79 |
22 |
88 |
1 |
651 |
| 1992 |
286 |
179 |
88 |
17 |
76 |
0 |
646 |
| 1993 |
259 |
167 |
80 |
17 |
74 |
3 |
600 |
| 1994 |
272 |
166 |
72 |
15 |
54 |
1 |
580 |
| 1995 |
249 |
168 |
78 |
15 |
71 |
1 |
582 |
| 1996 |
238 |
151 |
48 |
13 |
63 |
1 |
514 |
| 1997 |
252 |
165 |
56 |
12 |
54 |
0 |
539 |
| 1998 |
221 |
139 |
54 |
16 |
71 |
0 |
501 |
| 1999 |
254 |
141 |
42 |
8 |
64 |
0 |
509 |
| 2000 |
244 |
132 |
30 |
19 |
35 |
2 |
462 |
| 2001 |
234 |
125 |
34 |
10 |
52 |
0 |
455 |
| 2002 |
220 |
96 |
30 |
14 |
45 |
0 |
405 |
| 2003 |
235 |
133 |
28 |
6 |
58 |
1 |
461 |
| 2004 |
221 |
133 |
35 |
7 |
38 |
1 |
435 |
| 2005 |
202 |
123 |
37 |
12 |
31 |
0 |
405 |
| 2006 |
192 |
107 |
38 |
9 |
44 |
3 |
393 |
| 2007 |
203 |
119 |
41 |
12 |
45 |
2 |
421 |
| 2008 |
163 |
104 |
51 |
10 |
31 |
7 |
366 |
| 2009 |
192 |
103 |
48 |
8 |
31 |
2 |
384 |
| 2010 |
180 |
98 |
50 |
10 |
35 |
2 |
375 |
| 2011* |
149 |
62 |
33 |
9 |
31 |
0 |
284 |
*2011 provisional statistics.
Local government region road toll
More information about Regions/local bodies
| Region |
Lowest total |
Highest total |
2006 |
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
2011* |
| Northland |
22 2010 |
53 1989 |
30 |
30 |
29 |
35 |
22 |
7 |
| Auckland |
52 2008 |
216 1987 |
81 |
55 |
52 |
69 |
53 |
51 |
| Waikato |
65 2002 |
129 1989 |
68 |
93 |
75 |
75 |
65 |
65 |
| Bay of Plenty |
23 2005 |
78 1980 |
36 |
35 |
29 |
28 |
39 |
19 |
| Gisborne/Hawke's Bay |
18 2002 |
55 1990 |
29 |
35 |
22 |
24 |
25 |
17 |
| Taranaki |
7 2008 |
45 1991 |
12 |
10 |
7 |
17 |
11 |
9 |
| Manawatu/Wanganui |
28 2002 |
81 1987 |
31 |
41 |
31 |
38 |
41 |
28 |
| Wellington |
10 2010 |
73 1987 |
32 |
15 |
22 |
20 |
10 |
13 |
| Nelson/Marlborough |
8 2005 |
27 1982 |
10 |
10 |
10 |
14 |
24 |
10 |
| West Coast |
3 1996 |
18 2001 |
4 |
6 |
8 |
6 |
7 |
9 |
| Canterbury |
32 2000 |
82 1986 |
36 |
56 |
48 |
32 |
48 |
34 |
| Otago |
11 2002 |
46 1988 |
14 |
24 |
21 |
11 |
18 |
15 |
| Southland |
6 2005 |
25 1982 |
10 |
11 |
12 |
16 |
12 |
7 |
| New Zealand |
|
|
393 |
421 |
366 |
385 |
375 |
284 |
*2011 provisional statistics.
View full local government region annual road toll tables for 1980–2010 (PDF, 419kb)
(Note: 1980 is as far back as regional records are available)
Useful information