The State Government and SA Police are pleading for people to be safer on our roads, after 17 lives have already been lost in 2025, compared with 13 at the same time last year.
Vulnerable road users are overrepresented this year, with three motorcyclists, three pedestrians, a gopher driver and two cyclists killed.
With the Festival season underway, there are more pedestrians, cyclists and tourists visiting the city, so the message is to slow down and be alert for vulnerable road users who have limited protection and can be less visible.
Analysis of 2024 fatalities and serious injuries has been finalised and reveals speed and dangerous driving as the major causes of deaths on our roads.
Of the 91 lives lost on SA roads last year, more than half involved speeding, distraction or dangerous driving behaviour.
In 2024, a total 847 people were left with serious injuries resulting from road crashes.
The 2024-25 State Budget, included a $38.7 million Road Safety package, to deliver safety maintenance such as road resurfacing, replacement of safety barriers, tactile line marking and the maintenance of electrical assets, including traffic signals.
To combat the alarming rise in driver distraction, $13.4 million was allocated to SAPOL to install mobile phone detection cameras last year.
More than 34,500 drivers have been caught using their mobile phones behind the wheel, since expiation notices were introduced last September.
Encouragingly, expiation data trends show detections are decreasing.
Last year, nine fatalities and 102 serious injuries involved drug driving.
As put by Stephen Mullighan
It's been a shocking start to the year on the State's roads.
With the Festival season now underway, there are more vulnerable road users walking and cycling around our city, so I am pleading with everyone to take extra care on our roads.
The Government is working closely with SA Police on road safety and we will continue to take action to make our roads safer.
As put by Superintendent Jaimi Burns, Acting Officer in Charge of Traffic Services Branch
Serious road trauma often involves one or more of the Fatal Five road behaviours that significantly increase the risk of being involved in a crash.
Tragically, this means almost all lives lost and serious injuries could have been prevented through safer road behaviours.
With distraction and speeding playing a major role in so many crashes last year, the critical message to road users across South Australia is clear – these selfish behaviours need to stop.
South Australia Police will continue to take strong action to deter and detect unsafe behaviours on our roads, through road safety education and enforcement statewide.
It is also essential that people understand that making smart and safe choices while on the road will prevent crashes and save lives.
