Vehicle pollution 'killing 10 times more Australians than road accidents'

New research shows that the health impacts from vehicle emissions are likely to be far higher than previously estimated.

According to Melbourne Climate Futures, which has carried out the estimates by scaling the most recent research on New Zealand vehicle-emission impacts to the Australian population, vehicle emissions in Australia may cause 11,105 premature deaths in adults per year.

That’s about 10 times more than road accidents – which killed 1,123 people in 2021.

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Motor vehicle pollution

Figures used by policy-makers to date are far lower, according to available information from the University of Melbourne's Climate Futures Academy, with none estimating more than 2000 premature deaths per year in Australia.

Currently, Australian estimates do not factor in NO2 gas emissions, with the result being that previous figures significantly underestimate the real health impacts.

The analysis also reveals vehicle emissions in Australia may cause 12,210 cardiovascular hospitalisations, 66,000 active asthma cases, and 6840 respiratory hospital admissions per year.

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"There are short and long-term changes we can make to mitigate the effects of traffic pollution in Australia and dramatically improve health outlooks, as well as the economic burden of emissions-related health impacts," said Academy fellow Clare Walter, speaking at the Vehicle Pollution Forum held in Melbourne today.

"With these high levels of mortality and morbidity impacts, we look to our leaders to make the decisions required to reduce the social, economic and human costs of vehicle emissions."

Roland Sapsford, CEO of the Climate and Health Alliance, added: "Pollution from cars and trucks is killing people, making us sick and changing our climate. Australians deserve urgent action to clean up what comes out of tailpipes, and make it easier for more people to leave the car at home.

"We can have cleaner air, safer streets and healthier communities for everyone, at the same time as we reduce climate-changing emissions."

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Electric Vehicle Council CEO Behyad Jafari has joined doctors and health organisations in an urgent call for action.

“Combustion engine vehicles are not only bad for the environment, they’re bad for our health. Thankfully, their replacement with electric vehicles will reduce this toll,” Jafari said.

“But health and environmental outcomes can improve even faster if the Government introduces a strong mandatory fuel-efficiency standard, which would decarbonise manufacturers' portfolios of new vehicles.

“Australia has some of the most polluting vehicles in the world yet is the only OECD country without mandatory fuel-efficiency standards.

“Right now, Australia is choking in the slow lane. We can’t overtake without the targets.”

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Melbourne Climate Futures has released a position statement, which calls for urgent action as a result of these new figures, which has been endorsed by the likes of Asthma Australia, the Lung Foundation, the Heart Foundation, the Cancer Council and Diabetes Australia.