What Types of Accidents are the Most Common?
According to AAMI’s annual Crash Index, Victorian
drivers have the highest incidence of nose to tail
accidents in the country with nearly three out of ten
crashes involving one car colliding into the back of
another.
One fifth of Victorian drivers are also failing to give way
and finding themselves in accidents as a result.
AAMI’s analysis of almost 250,000 accident insurance
claims between October 2012 and September 2013
shows the top five types of accidents happening on
Victorian roads are as follows:
1. Nose to tail (28.8%)
2. Failed to give way (21.5%)
3. Parked car dings (21.1%)
4. Collision with a stationary object (13.1%)
5. Collision while reversing (11.7%)
Over the years there has been little change in the type of
accidents on Australian roads. AAMI’s Crash Index
reports show that the incidence of nose-to-tail collisions
has remained stable for the past decade. Parked car
dings however continue on an upward trend having risen
from 15% in 2004 to 21.1% in the latest Crash Index.
These types of accidents happen because of inattention
and driver impatience, which frequently leads to tailgating
or following too closely behind other cars.
Members are encouraged to discuss these statistics with
their students to raise awareness of the most common
types of accidents and what drivers can do to avoid
them.
Thanks to AAMI for providing this information. More
detail is available at www.aami.com.au.
Medicines Can Impair Your Driving
“Taking medicine is a normal part of life for many of us, especially as we get older. But some commonly used
medicines can impair your driving ability, and can place you, your passengers and other road users at risk.
Research into senior drivers, has shown that use of benzodiazepines, a class of medicines used for sleep or
anxiety problems, increases the crash risk by 5%.”
A brochure containing this information, plus more advice about how medicines affect driving; which medicines
can impair driving and what to do if you are taking medicines, is a good resource for business. Your learner
drivers need to be aware of what medicines can affect their driving and you should be aware of what
medicines your students are taking.
The key point for all drivers is to “discuss your medicines with your doctor or
pharmacist to understand how they might affect your ability to drive safely.”
The brochure “Always ask if your medicine will affect your driving” is produced by
the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia, VicRoads and Transport Accident
Commission.
