Australia’s worst crash hot spots revealed

New data shows that despite the reduction in traffic due to lockdowns, certain types of roads remain deadly for inattentive drivers.

Insurance giant AAMI has revealed the most dangerous roads in Australia.

Crash data released by insurance giant AAMI has revealed the worst roads for accident claims in Australia’s capital cities.

While the number of kilometres driven by many motorists dropped in the last year, AAMI still recorded an average of almost 1000 claims per day between July 1 2020 and June 30 2021.

Crash data shows that although people were more likely to be involved in an accident closer to home during the pandemic, major roads still presented the most significant risk to motorists.

AAMI’s head of motor claims, Anna Cartwright, said the majority of crash hot spots were highways or busy arterial roads intersecting with local streets in high-traffic areas.

Nose-to-tail collisions were the most common crash in most capital cities.

“This means lots of vehicles are on these roads at various times of day – entering, exiting and merging – and vigilance is key,” she said.

“Motorists need to pay full attention and adhere to the basics like maintaining a safe distance behind the car in front and always being aware of what is happening around you.

“All it takes is for you to take your eyes off the road for a split second for things to go wrong.”

The Hume Hwy in Liverpool was Sydney’s worst spot, as it has been for seven of the last eight years.

Paramatta’s M4 Motorway was second, followed by the Pacific Highway at Chatswood, the M5 Motorway in Moorebank, Victoria Road in West Ryde and Richmond Road in Marsden Park.

Major roads with side-streets are common crash sites.

Melbourne’s Plenty Rd at Bundoora topped the list in Victoria ahead of Springvale Rd in Glen Waverley and Springvale, Preston’s Bell St, Craigieburn Rd, Craigieburn and Sydney Rd in Campbellfield.

South Rd in Adelaide’s Edwardstown was the worst road in South Australia, outranking Marion Rd, Marion and the Main North Rd in Elizabeth.

Brisbane’s worst spot was the Bruce Hwy in Caboolture, followed by Gympie Rd at

Chermside and Morayfield Rd in Morayfield.

Canberra’s most common crash site was the Monaro Hwy in Hume, followed by Canberra Ave in Fyshwick and Gundaroo Dr, Gungahlin.

The Albany Hwy in Perth’s Cannington and Kelmscott topped the list for Western Australia ahead of Nicholson Rd, Canning Vale and the Great Eastern Rd, Midland.

Darwin motorists were most likely to make a claim for a smash on the Stuart Hwy, and Tasmania’s worst spot was Argyle St in Hobart.

The insurer found nose-to-tail collisions were the most common type of crash at almost all hot spots except Hobart and Darwin.

Car park dings were common in Tasmania – where traffic is light – and the Northern Territory recorded a near-even mix of failure to give way, car park bingles and nose to tail smashes.

Originally published as Australia’s worst crash hot spots revealed