Australia’s most dangerous roads have been revealed – with nine of the top ten hot spots for crashes being found in one city.
National insurer AAMI has analysed more than 340,000 car crashes across Australia between July 2018 and June 2019, with most of the worst crash locations found in Melbourne.
Plenty Road at Bundoora in Melbourne’s north-east was named the country’s worst location for collisions for the second year in a row, according to the 2019 AAMI Crash Index.
Plenty Road at Bundoora in Melbourne’s north-east (pictured) was named the country’s worst location for collisions for the second year in a row
Springvale Road at both Glen Waverley and Springvale in Melbourne’s East were placed second and third on the index.
AAMI Head of Motor Claims, Anna Cartwright, said both roads were known for being some of the worst in the country for accidents.
‘Plenty Road in Bundoora has several lanes of traffic in both directions and feeds into many other major roads in Melbourne,’ Ms Cartwright said.
‘The busy stretch of road is home to multiple traffic lights, entry and exit points, two main Universities and a tram line in the middle, again making it the nation’s worst contender for car crashes in the last financial year.’
Although Plenty Road is still the nation’s worst for car crashes, the number of collisions has decreased from last year.
Springvale Road (pictured) at both Glen Waverley and Springvale in Melbourne’s East were second and third place on the index
The Monaro Highway (pictured) in Canberra was the top spot for the city for the second year in a row
However, construction is currently underway to improve the busy stretch of road, so commuters are being warned to drive carefully.
‘Springvale Road is no stranger to the spotlight, the location at Glen Waverley has been one of the worst spots for collisions, since first topping our list seven years ago,’ Ms Cartwright said.
‘With the southern stretch of Springvale Road at Springvale now coming in at number three on our list, what hope do local drivers have.’
Both locations tally an average of eight vehicle collision claims each week.
While Melbourne roads made up nine of the top ten worst locations for crashes, Sydney also featured quite high on the list.
The Hume Highway in Liverpool in the south-west came it an number four on the Crash Index.
As for the rest of Australia, the top crash location in each capital city is the same as last year, all except for Adelaide.
While Melbourne roads made up nine of the top ten worst locations for crashes, Sydney also featured quite high on the list (stock image)
Every city also has new entrants in their separate top ten, with Sydney’s list revealing five new crash hot spots including the M5 Motorway at Liverpool.
Adelaide also had five new locations, while Canberra had six new roads on their list.
AAMI is choosing to publicise where accidents most commonly occur to warn motorists of the importance of driving safely and being vigilant.
‘These hot spots are generally busy major arterial roads, that intersect with local streets. When you combine this with heavy traffic and frequent stopping, it is a perfect recipe for vehicle collisions,’ Ms Cartwright said.
Behavioural Economist for AAMI, Phil Slade, said car accidents commonly occur when a driver is less than 10km away from their home.
‘We are more likely to have accidents when we’re less than 10 kilometres from home or on a familiar route because we tend to slip into autopilot,’ Mr Slade said.
‘When we’re driving somewhere we haven’t been before, somewhere novel, we’re more careful and concentrate more.’
‘On the flip side, when drivers are close to home, or on a familiar route, they can get too comfortable, and find themselves daydreaming or getting distracted.’
Mr Slade said distractions such as phones and digital devices are big issues as they take away from the ability to react.
In Perth, the Albany Highway (pictured) got the top spot for the second year in a row
Every city also has new entrants in their separate top ten, with Sydney’s list revealing five new crash hot spots including the M5 Motorway at Liverpool
‘It’s best to always expect the unexpected, leave plenty of room between you and the vehicle in front and be patient especially if traffic is congested,’ he said.
Frustration, impatience and road rage are also factors that contribute to vehicle collisions.
‘If you’re running late, or if something or someone gets in your way or blocks your journey, even if it has no material impact on how quickly you’ll actually arrive at your destination, it’s your reactive self that tends to take control of your car, which makes it more difficult to control your emotions and make good decisions,’ Mr Slade said.
‘Drivers must be patient and present while driving if they want to avoid making an appearance as a statistic on next year’s AAMI Crash Index.’