The Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) statistics were released during Queensland Road Safety Week, with the data proving far too many males are choosing to engage in dangerous driving behaviour.

General Manager of Advocacy Joshua Cooney said the majority of the fatalities were avoidable.

“The Fatal Five continues to contribute to most of these tragic deaths and when we look at the breakdown of the data, the decisions some people are making are terrifying,” Mr Cooney said.

“Alcohol and drugs played a role in 439 male deaths between 1 January 2019 and 31 December 2023, compared to 69 female deaths.

“Speed contributed to the death of 301 males, compared to 37 females and disobeying road rules was a factor in 660 male deaths, compared to 135 females.

“It’s also deeply distressing to see male motorcycle riders make up 29% of the male road toll, with 300 riders killed in the past five years, yet motorcycles only make up around 4% of registered vehicles in Queensland.” 

The Club has relaunched its Blooms for Blokes road safety campaign to raise awareness of the disproportionate male road toll and urged Queenslanders to reach out to the men in their lives and remind them why it was important they stay safe on the road.

“This campaign is centred on the idea that too often, the first time most men receive flowers is at their funeral,” Mr Cooney explained.

“We want to invite Queenslanders to gift the men in their lives a flower while they’re alive, tell them how much they’d be missed if they were gone, and motivate them to be safe on the road.

“It’s clear that some men are deliberately making the choice to break the road rules and it is putting lives at risk. These are the men we need to reach and tell them how much they’d be missed if they didn’t make it home.”

The campaign kicked off on 26 August in Brisbane's Queen Street Mall, with one of the Club’s patrol vehicles surrounded by 1,032 flowers to represent the number of males killed over the past five years. 

For more information visit the dedicated Blooms for Blokes landing page. 

*Department of Transport and Main Roads data from 1 January 2019 – 31 December 2023