The 2023 AAMI Crash Index, which analysed more than 350,000 motor insurance claims across the country has named Australia’s most dangerous crash hot spots.
Plenty Road in Bundoora, located in Melbourne’s north-east, has won the dubious title of being the worst of the worst for the sixth year in a row.
AAMI’s Head of Motor Customer Engagement, Tammy Hall, said that while each of the top hotspots around the country had their own, individual factors which contributed to their position in the rankings, many of them share commonalities.
“These hotspots are generally major roads, intersecting with local streets through high traffic industrial, educational and shopping centre precincts, making them consistently busy throughout the day,” Ms Hall said.
2023 AAMI Crash Index
AAMI’s Crash Index revealed nose-to-tail collisions as the most common type of crash at the majority of top hotspots, except Hobart and the Northern Territory, where accidental damage while parked and collisions with an animal were the leading type of crash.
“Tailgating, driver distraction and potentially road rage can lead to nose to tail collisions,” Ms Hall said. “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.”
Nationally, Fridays were the worst day of the week for accidents (16%), while afternoons proved the most common time for crashes, with almost one third (28%) of accidents happening between 1.00pm and 4.30pm.
Male drivers (54%) were more likely than females (46%) to be involved in an accident, and the worst offenders were drivers aged 35-49 (24%).
“Most risks on the road can be mitigated if everyone pays attention and drives to the conditions,” Ms Hall said. “It’s up to all of us to do the right thing to ensure everyone’s safety on the road … all it takes is a split second of not having your eyes on the road for things to go wrong.”
While a lot of the accident hotspots were inevitably in areas with high population densities, there were plenty of roads very familiar to grey nomads that attracted attention in the report.
Seven of the worst 10 crash hot spots in the Northern Territory were on the Stuart Highway, with the section at Katherine being the worst.
The Adelaide River and Alice Springs sections of the Stuart Highway tied as the second worst crash hotspots in the NT, followed by the highway at Pine Creek and then Darwin.
Headline says ‘Australia’s worst crash spots’. But only mentions NT spots. So where are the rest of them?
Yes, I agree if all Motorists used more care and commonsense on our Roads there would be less crashes and possibly less ROAD CRASH RELATED DEATHS on our Roads.
Nose to tail crashes have always been the most common cause for crashes. At high speeds they normally cause casualties, often resulting in deaths. Defensive driving courses teach participants to drive two or more seconds behind the vehicle in front. At one stage in QLD, 20 or more years ago, learner drivers were often tested on their ability to stop in an emergency as part of the driving test. I don’t think this is still the case.
As a long retired driver trainer, I used to show my students how long it took to stop in an emergency, by taking them to a deserted road ( they were warned they would be tested ) and tell them that when I yelled stop they had to do so immediately. I would do this in line with a telephone pole when they were going around 60 mph. Everyone of them were amazed at how long it took to come to a stop in an emergency situation.
Bruce R
It’s three seconds from vehicle in front, but you are correct, amazing how long it takes to stop in an emergency. Beats me why drivers follow far too closely. Also why don’t people know how to overtake correctly any more?
Please enlighten us. How do we overtake correctly?