Suncorp : New AAMI Crash Index reveals where Australians are crashing - and why

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New AAMI Crash Index reveals where Australians are crashing - and why News July 28, 2026 This year's AAMI Crash Index uncovers new behavioural insights to help Aussie drivers understand the everyday habits putting them at risk. Share # Key takeaways Springvale Road in Glen Waverley overtakes Plenty Road in Bundoora as Australia's number one crash hotspot for the first time in eight years. Melbourne dominates the 2026 AAMI Crash Index , with nine of Australia's top 10 crash hotspots located across the city. AAMI's data shows Australia's crashes are caused by everyday driving habits like following too closely, braking late, misjudging turns and failing to anticipate changing traffic conditions. The 2026 AAMI Crash Index analysed more than 394,000 motor insurance claims lodged across Australia between 1 January and 31 December 2025. Not only does this identify the most dangerous roads in each state and territory, the data paints a broader picture of where and how Australians are crashing. Taking Australia's unwanted AAMI Crash Index crown as the most dangerous road in the country is Springvale Road in Glen Waverley. It marks the first time in eight years Plenty Road in Bundoora, Melbourne, has been knocked from the top spot, with the former number one now sitting in second place. Melbourne may have been taken off the top podium position, but it's not all good news for the southern capital, with nine of Australia's top 10 crash hotspots located across the city. Pennant Hills Road in Carlingford, Sydney was the only non-Melbourne Road to make the national top 10. AAMI Motor Prevention Manager Mary Kennedy said: "The hotspots topping our list all share similar traits - heavy traffic, multiple lanes, traffic lights, major intersections, shopping precincts and constant turning movements, where even a momentary lapse in concentration can lead to a crash," she said. AAMI Motor Prevention Manager, Mary Kennedy Most claims aren't high-speed collisions. They are everyday bingles like nose-to-tail crashes, failure to give way and collisions with stationary objects, which means they are also among the most preventable. # Australia's top ten crash hotspots . Crash hotspot Worst intersection Most common crash type 1. Springvale Road, Glen Waverley, VIC Springvale Road & Ferntree Gully Road Nose to tail 2. Plenty Road, Bundoora, VIC Dusk Nose to tail 3. Doncaster Road, Doncaster, VIC Doncaster Road & Elgar Road Failure to give way 4. Maroondah Highway, Ringwood, VIC Maroondah Highway & Dublin Road Nose to tail 5. Sydney Road, Campbellfield, VIC Sydney Road & Mahoneys Road Nose to tail 6. Bell Street, Preston, VIC Bell Street & Albert Street Nose to tail 7. Cooper Street, Epping, VIC Cooper Street & High Street Nose to tail 8. Nepean Highway, Cheltenham, VIC Nepean Highway & Bay Road Nose to tail 9. Pennant Hills Road, Carlingford, NSW Pennant Hills Road & Evans Road Nose to tail 10. Stud Road, Rowville, VIC Stud Road & Wellington Road Nose to tail State and territory snapshot: While Melbourne dominated the national top 10, the AAMI Crash Index shows every capital city has its own crash story. Melbourne: Springvale Road in Glen Waverley was named Australia's number one crash hotspot, with Melbourne accounting for nine of the national top 10. Sydney: Pennant Hills Road in Carlingford was the only non-Melbourne road to make the national top 10, ranking ninth nationally. Brisbane: Mains Road in Sunnybank was Brisbane's worst crash hotspot, with nose to tail collisions continuing to dominate across the city, reflecting the challenges of busy arterial roads, signalised intersections and heavy stop-start traffic. Perth: Albany Highway in Cannington was Perth's worst crash hotspot, with nose-to-tail collisions the city's most common crash type. Adelaide: North East Road in Modbury topped the Adelaide list, where failure to give way was the city's biggest bingle. Hobart: Sandy Bay Road in Sandy Bay was Hobart's worst crash hotspot, with collisions with stationary objects the city's most common crash type. Canberra: Hindmarsh Drive, in Phillip topped the capital's list, with nose-to-tail collisions the most common crash type. Darwin: Trower Road in Casuarina was Darwin's worst crash hotspot, with nose-to-tail collisions, stationary object crashes and failure to give way all featuring prominently. # The driving habits behind Australia's crashes While the AAMI Crash Index reveals where Australians are crashing, data from thousands of drivers using the AAMI Driver Rewards (ADR) technology through the AAMI App provides insights into how they're driving and where they can improve to become safer on our roads. ADR tracks five key driving behaviours; speeding, distraction, acceleration, braking and cornering, and provides drivers with a score out of 100, offering a unique snapshot of real-world driving habits across the country. Encouragingly, Australians are performing well when it comes to speed, recording an average speeding score of 95.9 out of 100. Drivers also scored strongly for avoiding phone distraction, with an average score of 87.6. However, acceleration (78.6), braking (77.9) and cornering (76.3) were drivers' lowest scoring behaviours, suggesting many motorists could improve by looking ahead, leaving more space between them and the car in front and taking greater care when navigating busy intersections. AAMI's data shows Australia's crashes are caused by everyday driving habits like following too closely, braking late, misjudging turns and failing to anticipate changing traffic conditions. "The AAMI Crash Index isn't about naming and shaming roads or drivers," Ms Kennedy said. "It is about giving Australians practical insights into where crashes happen and how we can make small changes to keep everyone on the roads safer." AAMI Motor Prevention Manager, Mary Kennedy Whether you are driving through Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Hobart, Canberra or Darwin, the message is the same: leave a safe gap, look further ahead, take extra care at intersections and avoid rushing through busy traffic. # Turning insights into real-world advocacy Beyond the headlines, these driving behaviour insights are being used to support real conversations with government and help shape road safety outcomes across the country. Suncorp Manager Industry and Public Policy Lachlan Rees said this work was critical because government data doesn't always tell the full story. "Many collisions - particularly those without injury or police reports - are not captured in official datasets," Mr Rees said. "What makes this data so powerful is the depth of insight it provides. It helps fill gaps in traditional road safety data and gives governments a more complete understanding of what's happening on our roads." Now you know the stats, help us change them. Visit AAMI Driver Rewards to find out how you can become a safer driver. Claims data collected from AAI Limited trading as AAMI. Data sourced from motor insurance claims from AAI Limited's portfolio of brands from 1 January 2025 to 31 December 2025. AAI Limited trading as AAMI. Data from AAMI App, 50,123 ADR participants in Australia aged 18+ (1 January 2025 - 31 December 2025). # Media resources National Media release Download Contact Contact # Media releases AAMI Crash Index 2026 Media Release National AAMI Crash Index 2026 Media Release Sydney AAMI Crash Index 2026 Media Release Adelaide AAMI Crash Index 2026 Media Release Brisbane AAMI Crash Index 2026 Media Release Canberra AAMI Crash Index 2026 Media Release Darwin AAMI Crash Index 2026 Media Release Hobart AAMI Crash Index 2026 Media Release Melbourne AAMI Crash Index 2026 Media Release Perth # Radio Grabs Radio Grabs # Related articles New AAMI Crash Index research shows one in five drivers disabled their car's safety features Read more 2025 AAMI Crash Index insight: Tips for co-driving with your car's safety features Read more AAMI Driving Test reveals tens of thousands improved their driving in a few weeks Read more AAMI research highlights concern about children riding e-bikes and e-scooters to school, as safety risks grow amid ignored age limits Read more # More news NEWS July 16, 2026 Suncorp marks milestone during NAIDOC Week with completion of Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan Read more NEWS July 09, 2026 Suncorp backs regional communities to rebuild through latest Rebuilding Futures round Read more NEWS July 02, 2026 Fuel prices reshape Grey Nomad travel plans as winter migration begins Read more NEWS June 22, 2026 Vero launches new intermediated residential strata product to unlock underserved market opportunities Read more

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