While motor vehicle accidents can happen anywhere, at any time, certain locations have a higher rate of crashes than others.
Whether it’s poor road design, infrastructure that hasn’t kept up with population growth, constant heavy traffic, or plain and simple dangerous drivers, there are some places that are more prone to car accidents than others – and Brisbane is no exception.
In the 2022 edition of AAMI’s annual Crash Index, the top 5 car accident hot spots were revealed.
What are the top 5 most common crash locations in Brisbane?
The top 5 crash hot spots in all of Brisbane are:
1 – Gympie Road, Chermside
Jumping up a place from its 2021 ranking of second.
2 – Logan Road, Mount Gravatt
Was tied fifth in 2021, but now sits comfortably in second place.
3 – Morayfield Road, Morayfield
No change here from last year – consistently an awful road to drive on.
4 – Ipswich Road, Annerley
Again, consistency is key with this north-south arterial, retaining its fourth spot from last year.
5 – Gympie Road, Kedron
A newcomer to the list, the Kedron stretch of Gympie Road has found its place as the fifth most common car crash location in the entire city.
What is the most common vehicle accident?
The most common vehicle accident is a nose-to-tail collision, or rear-end collision, making up more than a quarter of all crashes in Brisbane.
These crashes can seriously injure the driver in front, with the impact of the vehicle resulting in whiplash or other serious injuries. Rear-end collisions are generally the result of the driver behind being distracted – whether they are on their phones or another distraction – or from tailgating.
An earlier 2018 Crash Index report also uncovered the other most common accidents:
- Failed to give way – 19%
- Collision with stationary object – 22%
- Collision while reversing – 13%
- Collision with a parked car – 8%
Most common time of day for car accidents
Mornings are most common time of day, nearly one third (28%) happening between 9:30am and 1pm.
Friday is the most common day of the week for a vehicle crash with 16% of all crashes happening on this day, according to the same 2018 Crash Index report.
Tips for remaining safe
While we can never fully control the actions of other drivers, we can do things ourselves to make us as safe as possible.
Our top tips for remaining safe while on the roads are:
Avoid distractions
Everyone should know this, but do not use your mobile phone while driving! Mobile phone distractions are one of the leading causes of vehicle crashes.
Moreover, if you are injured while driving, and are found to be on your phone, this may impact your ability to seek compensation.
Avoid tailgating
Tailgating is one of the leading causes the most common type of car accident, nose-to-tail. It can be easy to creep up on the car in front of us, especially in heavy traffic. But – remember to always keep your distance.
If a car behind you is tailgating, and it is safe to do so, change lanes to let them pass.
Keep your eyes on the road
This may seem obvious, but keep your eyes on the road at all times. Do not look at your phone, don’t even get distracted by Gouldson’s billboards – just focus on the task at hand, getting to your destination safely.
What to do if you’ve been injured
If you have been injured on the road, the first thing you should do is report the accident to police and seek medical attention. Your health always comes first, so it’s important to put that before anything else.
For a full breakdown, read our article on the top 10 things you should do after a car accident.
To better understand the claims process, read our article on how motor vehicle accident compensation payouts work in Queensland.
Once you have sought medical attention and your condition has stabilised, you should get in contact with Gouldson to tell us what happened.
One of our lawyers will review your case for zero charge and let you know whether proceeding with a car accident claim is in your best interests.