Vehicle bridge strikes costed the Australian economy an estimated $101 million in financial year 2024-2025 (FY2025), according to a new report released today by HERE Technologies and the Australian Logistics Council (ALC), with research conducted by HoustonKemp, an economic consulting firm specializing in quantitative analysis and public policy. The study provides the first comprehensive assessment of the economic cost of bridge strikes in Australia, addressing a longstanding gap in national data and highlighting the growing impact of bridge strikes on transport networks, supply chains and communities.
Bridge strikes, where vehicles collide with bridges or other overhead structures due to height incompatibility, are a persistent and increasingly frequent issue across Australia’s road network. The report, conducted by economists at HoustonKemp, estimates that approximately 1,220 incidents occurred in FY2025, with figures rising by around 38% since 2018 and expected to continue increasing alongside freight growth.
A systemic issue with economy-wide impact
Beyond physical damage to infrastructure, bridge strikes create widespread disruption across the transport ecosystem. The report quantifies costs across multiple dimensions, including:
- Infrastructure and vehicle repairs
- Traffic congestion and delays affecting road users
- Rail service disruptions
- Supply chain and business interruption
- Emergency response and healthcare costs
Notably, the impact extends beyond those directly involved in incidents. The study shows that more than 40% of total costs are borne by the broader community, primarily through rail delay, congestion and emergency response.
“Bridge strikes are often perceived as isolated events, but our findings show they are a systemic issue with far-reaching economic and societal consequences,” said Daniel Antonello, General Manager, Oceania, HERE Technologies. “As freight volumes continue to grow, so too will the cost of inaction.”
The economic impact also varies across states. New South Wales contributes the largest share of total costs (34%), followed by Queensland (32%) and Victoria (29%). Despite accounting for a smaller share of total incidents, Victoria incurs a disproportionately higher share of costs, driven by a greater concentration of more severe bridge strikes.
Rising freight demand driving future risk
The concentration of low-clearance infrastructure in urban areas, combined with increasing freight activity, is amplifying the risk of bridge strikes. The report highlights that 97% of incidents occur along Australia’s east coast, reflecting the concentration of freight activity and height-restricted infrastructure in major urban corridors.
Despite many incidents being relatively low in severity, their frequency drives significant cumulative costs. The study finds that the weighted average cost per incident is approximately $82,500, with catastrophic event exceeding $6 million. Notably lower-severity protection beam strikes — where vehicles hit protective structures installed ahead of bridges — accounting for more than half (54%) of total costs due to their high frequency.
Looking ahead, total economic costs are projected to reach $869 million in NPV (Net Present Value) terms over the next ten years, reinforcing the need for more effective prevention strategies.
Unlocking the value of prevention
The report establishes a robust framework for quantifying the full economic impact of bridge strikes, providing road agencies and policymakers with a foundation to:
- Evaluate the effectiveness of existing interventions
- Assess the return on investment of prevention measures, including advanced mapping and navigation technologies
- Prioritize initiatives that reduce both frequency and severity of incidents
“As policymakers and industry look to improve network efficiency and resilience, robust, data-driven insights into the economic impact of bridge strikes are critical to informing smarter, more targeted investments,” said Dr Hermione Parsons, CEO at Australian Logistics Council. “Bridge strikes don’t just damage infrastructure - they disrupt supply chains, delay deliveries and impact productivity across the freight sector. Understanding the true cost of these incidents is an important step toward prioritizing solutions that improve safety and keep goods moving efficiently across Australia.”
“As freight demand continues to grow, this first comprehensive study of the economic cost of bridge strikes in Australia gives policymakers and industry the evidence and framework to assess the value of prevention measures and prioritize those that deliver the greatest gains in network safety, efficiency and resilience,” said Samuel Lam, Economist, HoustonKemp.
The findings reinforce that bridge strikes are largely preventable. While governments and infrastructure operators have invested in measures such as warning signage and height detection systems, incidents continue to occur, highlighting the need for more effective and proactive solutions. Technologies such as in-vehicle height warning systems and advanced route planning solutions can play a critical role by helping drivers avoid low-clearance structures and real-time road restrictions before they are encountered.
About the study
‘The economic costs of bridge strikes in Australia’ was commissioned by HERE Technologies and the Australian Logistics Council (ALC), with independent research conducted by HoustonKemp. Prepared in April 2026, the study develops a comprehensive framework to estimate the economic costs of bridge strikes nationally, based on data from multiple sources and modelling assumptions including government agencies, rail operators, insurers and traffic analytics providers. It assesses costs across physical damage, productivity losses and healthcare impacts to provide a robust estimate of the economic impact.