Drivers who kill or seriously injure someone on Victorian roads could soon face tougher consequences. The State Government has asked the Victorian Law Reform Commission to review the state's serious driving laws, in an announcement made on Sunday 26 July 2026.
What the review will look at
The Commission has been asked to examine whether Victoria's dangerous driving laws are doing their job. That covers three things: whether the offences are clear enough, whether the penalties are tough enough, and whether stronger offences are needed to hold dangerous drivers to account.
Dylan Anderson
It will also weigh up new options. One is an aggravated offence for the most serious cases. Another is a new mid-tier offence to sit between existing charges, aimed at cases where negligent driving causes death or serious injury but current charges do not fit neatly.
Attorney-General Sonya Kilkenny said the change was driven by families who had lost loved ones. She said the review would "ensure our serious driving laws remain strong, clear and fit for purpose."
The Commission is due to report back in March 2028.
What it means for drivers
Nothing changes at the roadside today. This is a review, not a new law, so your licence, your fines and the current offences all stay exactly as they are for now.
The target is the serious end of the scale, not everyday mistakes. If you drive carefully, this will not touch you. What it signals is that tougher penalties, or entirely new charges, could be on the way for drivers who cause death or serious injury and currently slip through gaps in the law.
Why it is happening now
Victoria's road toll has stayed stubbornly high. 291 lives were lost in 2025, up from 284 the year before, and 139 people have already died on the state's roads this year as of late July.
Families of victims have campaigned for change, arguing that some penalties have not matched the harm caused. The government says it has listened, and that if the law is not working as it should, it must be strengthened.
Source: Victorian Government
Dylan Anderson
