AMI is urging drivers to remain alert, as new claims data reveals the most accident-prone suburbs in the country.
Auckland city centre, Christchurch city centre and Henderson (in West Auckland) have the highest rates of collisions in New Zealand.
Other areas on the Top 10 List include Albany, Glenfield, Mount Maunganui, East Tamaki, central Dunedin, Mount Wellington, and central Hamilton.
The data revealed that 40% of all collisions take place late in the day, between 1pm and 6pm.
AMI’s Executive General Manager Claims, Wayne Tippet says, “This rush hour period often sees grid lock and agitated driver behavior.
“Traffic can be frustrating, but you should always remain calm and alert to ensure you make smart, responsible decisions.
“Interestingly, the second busiest period for collisions is late morning, which tends to be a much quieter time on the roads.
“Most of those collisions happen in car parks when shoppers are catching the quieter periods.
“We also see many claims during this period where drivers fail to stop or mistake a light as green for their lane. This points to the importance of remaining alert and conscious of safety, even if the roads are quieter.
“Often the late morning collisions are between drivers who have held a license for more than a decade. Even if you have years of experience on the road, you should never become complacent behind the wheel.”
Friday is the riskiest day of the week on the road, with 16% of all collisions occurring.
Thursday comes in second, followed by Wednesday, Tuesday, Saturday, Monday, and Sunday.
In the event of a collision, AMI recommends drivers:
Top 10* car collision locations around New Zealand:
How do the cities rank?*
AMI motor claims – time of day*
*Based on AMI Insurance motor claims data over 36 months between 25 May 2020 – 25 May 2023. Suburbs are rated highest collisions received to lowest.