The deadly roads crowned 'Australia's most dangerous'
New data from insurance company AAMI shows the worst collision black spot for each Australian state and territory.
Hundreds of people die on Australian roads every year and new data reveals where most accidents are likely to occur. In the 12 months to the end of July, 1,234 people lost their lives in car accidents, up 8.4 per cent on the previous year.
Research released today by insurer AAMI pinpoints the nation's worst hotspots based on the number of motor vehicle insurance claims. Most tend to be "major roads, intersecting with local streets, through high traffic industrial, educational and shopping centre precincts".
For the sixth year running Plenty Road in Bundoora, in Melbourne’s northeast, has been given the unwanted crown of the nation's worst collision black spot, with a number of other dangerous locations and trends also emerging in the last few years.
Using data from 350,000 motor insurance claims across the country from five insurers between July 1, 2022 and June 30, 2023, below are the nation's most dangerous roads to drive on for each state and territory. Also included for each location is the most common reason for the collision. While Plenty Road is the worst hotspot, the others on the list are not in any particular order.
Melbourne: Plenty Road, Bundoora, Nose to Tail
Adelaide: West Terrace, Adelaide, Nose to Tail
Brisbane: Gympie Road, Chermside, Nose to Tail
Canberra: Monaro Highway, Hume, Nose to Tail
Hobart: Argyle Street, Hobart, Accidental damage while parked
Northern Territory: Stuart Highway, Katherine, Collision with Animal
Perth: Albany Highway, Cannington, Nose to Tail
Sydney: Hume Highway, Liverpool, Nose to Tail
Accidents most commonly happen when drivers rushing, expert says
Tammy Hall, AAMI’s head of motor customer engagement, said the most common type of crashes in the country are nose-to-tail collisions, which often happen when driver are in a rush.
“Tailgating, driver distraction and potentially road rage can lead to nose to tail collisions, and to avoid them, Aussie drivers should travel at a safe distance behind the car in front and ensure they are paying attention at all times,” Ms Hall said.
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“A good rule of thumb is to always drive at least 3 seconds behind the car in front (often called the three-second gap). This should be a larger gap if the driving conditions are poor, or you’re driving a heavy vehicle. This allows adequate time to react and respond to a situation safely and avoid a crash.
“Bumper to bumper collisions often happen during peak hour traffic when the roads are busy, patience is wearing thin, drivers are tired from the day, and are in a rush to get to their destination. This is when accidents most commonly occur."
The day when most crashes occur
The research found the worst day for accidents was Fridays (16 per cent), while the worst time is between 1 and 4.30pm (28 per cent). Male drivers (54 per cent) were more likely than females (46 per cent) to be involved in an accident, and the worst offenders were drivers aged between 35 and 49.
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