The Wellington region has recorded the lowest level of road deaths per capita on both sides of the Tasman.
Ministry of Transport figures show there were 2.4 deaths for every 100,000 people in the Wellington region last year.
The official figures show the rate in Auckland was marginally higher at 2.5 five deaths per 100,000 people.
The lowest level in Australia was in the Australian Capital Territory, where there were 2.59 deaths per 100,000 people.
The Northern Territory had the highest number of deaths, six times the rate of Wellington.
Wellington City Councillor and President of the Traffic Institute Andy Foster said investment in safer roads has led to the lower figures.
"One of the key issues particularly in the Wellington area is the improvements in road safety engineering, particularly median barriers, and of course the conversion of some pieces of road into better quality roads through the Roads of National Significance programme," he said.
The Ministry of Transport said there was a large difference between the roads in a largely urban area like Wellington and an entire whole Australian state, where there were both urban and high speed open roads.
