Rear-end collisions and failures to give way remain the most common causes of road crashes in Australia, according to new claims data released by NRMA Insurance ahead of National Road Safety Week.

The insurer analysed more than 69,000 motor collision claims lodged during 2026, finding rear-end crashes ranked as the most frequent incident type, followed by drivers failing to give way. Reversing accidents, collisions with stationary objects and single-vehicle crashes also featured prominently.

Animal collisions ranked sixth overall, with NRMA Insurance reporting more than 15,000 wildlife-related claims during 2025 – a 21 per cent increase compared with the previous year. Kangaroos accounted for 84 per cent of those crashes, ahead of wallabies, wombats, deer and foxes.

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The figures come as insurers and road safety researchers examine whether modern driver-assistance systems are delivering the safety improvements many expected.

Insurance Australia Group (IAG), which owns NRMA Insurance, is currently conducting an Australian-first field study into how motorists are using Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), including lane-keeping aids, automatic emergency braking and collision warning technology.

According to the insurer, many of the crash types appearing most often in claims data – including rear-end impacts and unsafe manoeuvres – are precisely the incidents these technologies are designed to help prevent.

However, NRMA Insurance Research Centre head Shawn Ticehurst said many drivers are actively disabling the systems.

“Sixty per cent of Australian drivers tell us they are actively turning off driver-assist safety features in their cars,” he said.

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IAG plans to release the findings of its ADAS research later this year.

The insurer also highlighted growing interest in electric vehicles, revealing EV insurance quote activity jumped 121 per cent in April compared with the same month in 2025.

NRMA Insurance said fuel price volatility and ongoing concerns around oil supply were contributing factors behind rising consumer interest in EVs.

The company’s next Changing Gears report, due later this year, will examine how the current oil crisis is influencing Australian attitudes toward EV ownership.