Traffic pollution kills more people than car crashes in Australia – study

Air pollution from motor vehicles results in more deaths in Australia than the national road toll, a new study led by the University of Tasmania has found. 

The first research to investigate the issue in Australia examined traffic-related air pollution, abbreviated to TRAP, across the country to determine the mortality rate caused by particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide (NO2). 

It analysed the contribution of these by-products of the burning of fossil fuel in motor vehicles, with the results published in the journal Environmental Research and on ScienceDirect.

Particulate matter has been linked to heart and lung disease, with the survey looking at ‘PM2.5’, which refers to particulate matter of 2.5-microns or less in size. 

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NO2 – also found in cigarette smoke – causes, according to New South Wales Health, increased susceptibility of lung conditions for asthma sufferers, can trigger asthma attacks, and cause airway inflation in healthy people. 

The study found 1864 Australians died due to TRAP-related illnesses annually.

That’s more than the national road toll of 1340 over the past 12 months, a figure that has increased on last year’s road toll (1300), which was the highest seen in 12 years. 

The research also concluded 51 per cent of air pollution deaths from all sources were due to motor vehicle emissions. 

“Air pollution remains a significant contributor to mortality in Australia,” the report said. 

“Reducing exposure, particularly from TRAP, could yield substantial public health benefits. Policies promoting cleaner transport modes offer a promising avenue for rapid improvement.”

The study comes as the Australian government introduced the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard in 2025, which penalises automakers who exceed an average set level of carbon-dioxide emissions across their lineup. 

The new rules have seen Isuzu drop rear-wheel drive versions of its diesel-powered MU-X off-roader, and Ford do the same with its Everest.

They could also threaten to push engines such as the 2.0-litre Bi-Turbo four-cylinder diesel in the Ford Ranger – the country’s best-selling vehicle for the last two years – out of showrooms as soon as next year. 

Ford has pointed to NVES as a factor in increasing the price of its Mustang sports car by $5000 across all model grades on July 1, 2025 – with a further $1000 rise for the upcoming model year 2026 (MY26) Mustang. 

Nissan has also cited the NVES as one of the reasons it has hiked Patrol prices by $5000.

The NVES is designed to see the level of permitted carbon-dioxide emissions reduced between now and 2029. 

It isn’t just vehicles, however, that are kicking up particulate matter into the air.

A recent study by the University of California showed more than double the typical amount of PM2.5 around the US state’s fast-charging stations, attributable to the cooling fans for the chargers – not the vehicles themselves.  MORE: EV fast chargers pose health threat as ‘pollutant hot spots’, but there’s a solution

MORE: Polestar boss says new Australian emissions regulations ‘didn’t kill the weekend’