Pennant Hills Road in Carlingford has overtaken the Hume Highway in Liverpool as Sydney’s worst crash hotspot in the 2026 AAMI Crash Index. o Nose-to-tail remains Sydney’s most common crash type, followed by failure to give way and stationary object collisions o AAMI Driver Rewards data shows Sydney drivers recorded the lowest overall driving score of Australia’s major capital cities, with braking and acceleration identified as the biggest opportunities for improvement. Pennant Hills Road in Carlingford has been named Sydney’s worst crash hotspot, according to the 2026 AAMI Crash Index, knocking Hume Highway in Liverpool out of Sydney’s top spot. The latest AAMI Crash Index analysed more than 394,000 motor insurance claims lodged across Australia between 1 January and 31 December 2025, including almost 88,500 claims in Sydney. Rather than simply identifying just one particularly dangerous road, the Crash Index data paints a broader picture of Sydney’s crash problem, with the city’s worst hotspots sharing similar characteristics – major arterial roads, traffic lights, busy intersections, shopping precincts and high volumes of turning traffic. Sydney’s Top Five Crash Hotspots Rank Crash Hotspot Worst Intersection 1. Pennant Hills Road, Carlingford Pennant Hills Road & North Rocks Road Most Common Crash Type 2. Nose to tail Hume Highway, Liverpool Hume Highway & Cumberland Highway 3. Nose to tail Epping Road, North Ryde Epping Road & Wicks Road 4. Nose to tail Windsor Road, Baulkham Hills Windsor Road & Cook Street 5. Nose to tail Victoria Road, West Ryde Victoria Road & Adelaide Street The driving habits behind Sydney’s crashes Nose to tail While the AAMI Crash Index reveals where Sydney drivers are crashing, data from thousands of motorists using the AAMI Driver Rewards (ADR) technology via the AAMI App provides insights into how they’re driving… and where they can improve. The driving behaviour insights are based on Australians using ADR and provide a unique view of real-world driving habits across Sydney. Drivers are provided with a driving score (out of 100) across five key behaviours – speeding, distraction, acceleration, braking and cornering. The good news is Sydney drivers are generally doing the right thing when it comes to speed, recording an impressive average speeding score of 95.2 out of a possible 100. Phone distraction also performed strongly, with an average score of 88.1. However, braking was Sydney drivers’ lowest scoring behaviour at 74.3, followed by acceleration at 75.3 and cornering at 76.6. Sydney also recorded the lowest overall driving score of Australia’s major capital cities at 80.2, suggesting local motorists could benefit from anticipating traffic conditions earlier, leaving a bigger gap, taking extra care at intersections and driving more smoothly in stop-start traffic. When combined with AAMI’s claims data, a clear picture emerges – Sydney’s biggest crash problem isn’t excessive speed, it’s everyday driving behaviours like failing to give way, braking late, following too closely and reacting too slowly in busy traffic. Quotes attributable to AAMI Motor Prevention Manager, Mary Kennedy “Along Pennant Hills Road in Carlingford, the intersection with North Rocks Road stood out as the most dangerous, Ms Kennedy said.” “Pennant Hills Road in Carlingford may have taken out Sydney’s unwanted crash crown, but the bigger story is what the top hotspots have in common. “These are busy arterial roads with traffic lights, major intersections, shopping precincts and constant turning movements, where even a momentary lapse in concentration can lead to a crash. “What’s interesting in Sydney is that nose to tail crashes are the city’s most common crash type. That tells us intersections, turning movements and decision-making under pressure are a real challenge for Sydney drivers. “The vast majority of claims we’re seeing aren’t high-speed collisions. They’re everyday bingles like failing to give way, nose to tail crashes and reversing into another vehicle or hitting a parked car, which means they’re also some of the most preventable. “Afternoons remain Sydney’s peak prang time, when school pick-ups, commuters, shoppers and heavier traffic volumes all converge. It’s a timely reminder to slow down mentally as much as physically, stay patient and expect the unexpected. “What’s particularly interesting is how closely our driving behaviour data aligns with our claims data. Sydney drivers score exceptionally well when it comes to managing their speed but braking and acceleration are where we see the greatest opportunity for improvements. “That tells us Sydney doesn’t necessarily have a speeding problem – it has a gap, give-way and concentration problem. Leaving yourself an extra second or two to react, taking extra care at intersections and remaining focused when behind the wheel can make all the difference between getting home safely and ending up in a crash. “The AAMI Crash Index isn’t about naming and shaming crash hotspots or drivers. It’s about giving Australians practical insights into where crashes happen, and how we can make small changes to keep ourselves – and everyone else on the road – safer.” 2026 AAMI Crash Index: Sydney by the numbers Total claims analysed: #1 crash hotspot: 88,400+ Pennant Hills Road, Carlingford Most common crash types: 1. Nose-to-tail (32%) 2. Failure to give way (28%) 3. Collision with a stationary object (18%) Peak prang time: Worst day for crashes: Afternoons (1pm – 4:30pm) Wednesday Biggest offenders: • Drivers aged 65+ Top vehicle makes involved in crashes: • Male drivers 1. Toyota 2. Mazda 3. Hyundai 4. Honda 5. Kia Most common vehicle colours involved in crashes: 1. White 2. Grey 3. Silver [ENDS] Notes to Editor 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).