Crash index reveals Australia’s crash hot spots

AAMI’s annual Crash Index has named Plenty Road, Bundoora, a north-east suburb of Melbourne, as Australia’s most dangerous crash location for the sixth year in a row.

Adelaide, Canberra, Northern Territory, and Hobart all have new number one locations in 2023, while Brisbane, Perth, and Sydney’s leading sites remained in the top position this year.

• Adelaide: West Terrace
• Canberra: Monaro Highway, Hume
• Northern Territory: Stuart Highway, Katherine
• Hobart: Argyle Street
• Brisbane: Gympie Road, Chermside
• Perth: Albany Highway, Cannington
• Sydney: Hume Highway, Liverpool

Tammy Hall, Head of Motor Customer Engagement at AAMI said analysis of the brand’s crash data on Plenty Road revealed fewer crashes compared to 2022. This was in line with a 26 per cent reduction of motor accident claims from FY 2019 (prior to a 10-kilometre speed reduction and COVID-19 lockdowns) to FY 2023 (once the permanent speed reduction was in place). 

“Our AAMI Crash Index data played a key role in identifying the need for action to reduce the ongoing rate of collisions at this hotspot, and we supported the decision to trial a speed limit reduction to help drive much needed road improvements, reduce future crashes, and save lives,” said Hall. 

“We know that even small reductions in driving speed have the potential to greatly reduce crashes, injuries, and fatalities, so we’re thrilled to have seen less crashes as a result of the permanent speed reduction along Plenty Road in Bundoora.”

According to Hall, while each of the top hotspots around the country had individual factors contributing to their position in the rankings, there were commonalities, including tailgating, driver distraction, and road rage, which can lead to nose to tail collisions.

Nationally, Fridays were the worst day of the week for accidents (16 per cent), while afternoons proved the most common time for crashes, with almost one third (28 per cent) happening between 1 pm and 4.30 pm. Males (54 per cent) were more likely than females (46 per cent) to be involved in an accident, while the worst offenders were drivers aged 35-49 (24 per cent).

The index analysed more than 350,000 motor insurance claims across the country from 1 July 2022 to 30 June 2023.