Why drivers in Victoria are crashing more than anywhere else
Victoria has been crowned the car accident capital of Australia, with one in five drivers in the state admitting to a prang in the past year.
Drivers in Victoria are more likely to have been involved in a car accident in the past 12 months than motorists anywhere else in Australia, a new survey has revealed.
A staggering 20 per cent of Victorians – or one in five – reported being involved in a road incident in the past year, the survey of 1,019 people across the country by Compare the Market found.
New South Wales drivers came in second at 16 per cent, followed by Queensland at 13 per cent and South Australia at 12 per cent. Western Australia took out the safest spot on the list at just 7 per cent.
Nationally, almost 15 per cent of respondents said they had a prang in the past year. The ACT, Northern Territory and Tasmania were included in the national numbers.
Compare the Market spokesperson Sarah Orr said the results should serve as an immediate wake-up call for Victorian drivers.
"This is one race Victoria won't want to win," Orr said. "Almost one in five Victorians report being involved in an accident in just the past year and that's a flashing warning light for motorists to stay alert behind the wheel."
Gen Z at most risk of car accidents
It isn't just location dictating your chances of a bump or bingle – age plays a massive role, too.
The research highlighted a generational divide, with younger drivers more likely to report being involved in a car accident than older motorists.
Nearly a quarter of Gen Z respondents said they had been in an accident in the past year, compared with 20 per cent of Millennials and 11 per cent of Generation X. Just 6 per cent of Baby Boomers said they had been involved in a crash.
Orr said young drivers faced inherently higher risks, as they were less experienced behind the wheel.
"This is why developing safe driving habits early is so important," she said. "Staying alert, avoiding distractions and making sure you have appropriate insurance can go a long way towards protecting both yourself and other road users."
Cost of repairs
Beyond the physical stress of a road accident lies the financial aftermath – and the study revealed some eye-opening numbers on how Australians handle repair costs.
Of the Australians who said they had been involved in an accident, 43 per cent made a car insurance claim, 40 per cent paid for repairs themselves or did not have car insurance and 17 per cent did do get their vehicles repaired.
For many motorists, paying out-of-pocket stems from trying to avoid high insurance excesses, Orr said.
"A lot of motorists have told us they paid for repairs out of pocket," she said. "It’s important to set an excess that you’re able to afford if you ever need to make a car insurance claim. While opting for a high excess when taking out car insurance may lower premiums, it could mean you’re left with a big bill if the worst were to happen.
"When some car damage bills can rack into the tens of thousands, you really want to make sure that the cover is there for you when you need it."
