Nine of Australia’s ten worst car crash locations were in Melbourne last financial year, an annual analysis of AAMI motor accident claims shows.

Plenty Road in Bundoora in the north-east heads the list as drivers navigate an area with multiple traffic lights, many entry and exit points, two universities and a tram line.

Springvale Road features twice, with locations in Glen Waverley and Springvale averaging eight collision claims every week.

In Sydney, the Hume Highway in Liverpool is the worst spot, ranking fourth overall, while Victoria Road in West Ryde is second, followed by the Pennant Hills Road, and the Pacific Highway in Chatswood.

“Congestion, peak hour traffic construction works and busy intersections are commonalities with many of this year’s hotspots,” Head of Motor Claims Anna Cartwright told insuranceNEWS.com.au.

“We are continuing to see driver distractions as a big issue, that has only increased with higher mobile phone use.”

The AAMI Crash Index has ranked accident hotspots for more than two decades and this year analysed 340,000 motor claims.

The longer-term trend has seen a reduction in the frequency of accidents, likely related to stronger policing, such as drink and drug driving campaigns, as well as car technology improvements, Ms Cartwright says.

Results of the survey are shared with state road ministers and local government to help identify and plan future projects and improve safety.

AAMI Behavioural Economist Phil Slade says car accidents often happen when a driver is on a well-known route.

“We are more likely to have accidents when we’re less than 10 kilometres from home or on a familiar route because we tend to slip into autopilot,” Mr Slade said.

“When we’re driving somewhere we haven’t been before, somewhere novel, we’re more careful and concentrate more.”

Driver distractions as well as frustration, impatience and road rage all contribute to collisions, he says.

The top crash location in each capital city remained the same as last year, with the exception of Adelaide, where North Terrace replaced The Parade.

The other worst capital city locations are: Gympie Road in Chermside, Brisbane; the Albany Highway in Cannington, Perth; the Monaro Highway in Hume, Canberra; and Sandy Bay Road in Hobart.