Insurer AAMI’s data reveals Territory’s worst drivers and worrying trends

The NT’s worst drivers have been revealed, smashing stereotypes and uncovering some worrying trends on our roads. See the results.

The Northern Territory’s worst drivers, most common accidents and dangerous times to drive have been revealed in new data released by insurer AAMI on Wednesday.

An AAMI spokeswoman said the data came from an analysis of more than 480,000 claims and a representative survey of more than 2000 drivers nationwide.

Territorians already know motorists are four times more likely to lose their lives on our roads, with a shocking 60 lives lost in 2024 — the worst in 16 years.

This year, 23 lives have been lost.

The new data shines a light on some concerning trends on Territory roads.

Firstly, AAMI found Territorian men were far worse drivers than women, with men responsible in 60 per cent of claims, compared to the national average of 54 per cent.

This makes Territorian men statistically the worst drivers in the nation.

AAMI found the worst age bracket was 35-44-year-olds, representing 17 per cent of claims.

The majority of accidents in the NT were in the afternoon at 27 per cent followed shortly after by mornings with 26 per cent.

The most common accident in terms of claims were “collision with a stationary object”, which made up 31 per cent.

Crash site on Kirkland Road. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Territorians are also more likely to hit an animal while driving, double that of NSW, Victorian and WA drivers.

The most common day for an accident according to the claims is Fridays, in line with the rest of the nation.

Alarmingly, AAMI said its survey also found nearly one in five drivers were turning off car safety features.

NT Police often launch road safety campaigns around busy holiday periods.

“In-car safety features aren’t just gadgets, they’re designed to help protect us and make our roads safer,” AAMI motor prevention manager Mary Kennedy said.

“We should be embracing these features, not turning them off.

“Many of the safety features drivers are turning off, like collision warning and automatic emergency braking, are really effective at preventing these types of crashes, along with many others including reversing into another vehicle or object such as a trolley or bollard.

Drink driving — which the survey did not review — is a big problem in the NT. Picture: Darcy Fitzgerald

“Drivers should understand and use these safety features to enhance their own awareness, reduce the risk of human error, and avoid getting into an accident in the first place.

“For more than three decades, the AAMI Crash Index has been educating drivers on the importance of using safe driving habits and avoiding those that lead to accidents.

“We know through our claims data that Friday continues to be the worst day of the week, and afternoons are the most dangerous time on our roads, which is why we are sharing these insights in the hope of creating safer roads for everyone.”

Originally published as Insurer AAMI’s data reveals Territory’s worst drivers and worrying trends