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Deadliest roads
Crash risks across Australia, the US and the UK
Driving conditions vary dramatically around the world due to weather conditions, overall number of crashes, and road infrastructure. The car insurance comparison service iSelect conducted a cross-country comparison of road safety statistics in the US, UK and Australia, revealing the riskiest locations to drive due to several contributing factors.
Take a look at what our study revealed so that you know what to expect when driving in different areas around these countries.
Australia
When looking at Australia split by territory, the Northern Territory (65.36) ranks most dangerous, scoring far above the next most dangerous states, Western Australia (41.63), Queensland (38.27), the Australian Capital Territory (35.88), and Victoria (33.40).
But what makes the Northern Territory (NT) have the most dangerous roads in Australia?
Well, NT recorded the highest weather risk score (72.97) due to the relative frequency of heavy rain wind, and extreme heat. Intense rainfall can overwhelm drainage systems, causing flooding risks, which can reduce grip, obscure road markings, and increase driving hazards. Prolonged heat also increases the likelihood of tyre blowouts and causes road surfaces to soften and crack.
Drivers’ reaction times to increased hazards may be slower, making any loss of traction, surface damage, or visibility issues far more dangerous. The NT also recorded the highest crash rate by far of any other territory, with 23.11 crashes per 100k people, and a 93.5% YoY increase in overall crashes, beaten only by ACT (+175%).
Western Australia (WA) sees the second-highest weather risk score of 47.44. WA is full of long, remote roads with a moderately high average speed limit, which reduces vehicle control, shortens reaction times and extends emergency response time.
Adverse weather is also an issue in Queensland (QLD), with the third-highest weather risk score of 39.65. The elevated risk comes from high densities of roads and intersections, which create more conflict points. With slower reactions and vehicle control in heavy rain, it’s harder for drivers to navigate safely in busy areas.
Not all risks are entirely weather-related. In the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and Victoria (VIC), the chance of dangerous weather is typically lower, but road infrastructure is denser. Complex road networks and dense intersections may mean drivers face more risk per interaction, so in ACT, where speed limits are typically higher, hazard perception and reactions are slower. Even so, highly-connected streets like those in VIC could be risk even when speeds are lower.
The safest roads, meanwhile, are in New South Wales (NSW), which have minimal dangerous weather days and moderate infrastructure scores. The state has the second-lowest per-capita crash rate after the ACT (3.81), and year-on-year crash statistics have declined by 3.8%.
United States
The United States has the highest average national crash risk score of the three countries we examined, scoring 39.48 nationwide, with the riskiest roads found in Mississippi (56.08), Texas (55.24), Tennessee (53.02), Wyoming (51.66), and Louisiana (51.09).
Mississippi has the most dangerous roads in the USA, not due to road and intersection density, but the combination of very high speed limits, heavy rain, and extreme heat. Reflecting that lower reaction times and vehicle control contribute the most to the risks in this state.
A similar story is told in Tennessee, where speed limits are even higher, and heavy rainfall is more frequent. Louisiana shares the frequency of rain, heat and low road density, but the low speed limits reduce the overall risk.
Wyoming has a very high average speed limit and frequent high winds. Strong gusts can push vehicles sideways, particularly in exposed areas like highways. High winds can also reduce steering control, increase stopping distances, and cause hazardous debris on roads.
Despite lower speeds in Texas, the heavy rain, intense heat and exceedingly high road and intersection density increase interactions and risk of collisions. This is accentuated by the poor weather conditions that cause skidding, low visibility, and slower reactions.
On the other hand, Hawaii is deemed the safest place to drive in the US. It has the same high wind frequency as Wyoming, but minimal road and intersection density and average speed limits. Reflecting the impact of road infrastructure on managing the uncontrollable risks of weather.
United Kingdom
With an average nationwide index score of 33.81, the UK records the lowest road risk among the three countries analysed, with Bradford (60.52), Leeds (53.95), Milton Keynes (49.08), London (47.81) and Doncaster (47.34) being the riskiest places to drive in the UK.
Bradford sees many icy days, which can reduce tyre grip, increase the risk of skidding and lengthen stopping distances. And as ice is not often visible, drivers may not take adequate precautions to minimise its impact. Combined with high road and intersection density and moderate speed limits, these factors reduce reaction time and vehicle control, making Bradford have the most dangerous roads in the UK.
Leeds and London have similarly high road and intersection densities, but lower speed limits compared to Bradford, and the chance of collision is directly impacted by vehicle speed and driver response time. Leeds, however, is riskier than London, largely because of its higher number of strong-wind days, which become especially dangerous in congested urban roads.
High winds are evidently common in the UK. It’s the biggest threat on Doncaster roads, with more moderate road infrastructure and speed limits than the other top five high-risk regions.
Milton Keynes also sees its share of high winds, but the real danger typically comes from its high average speeds and the frequency of intersections, which increase the chances of collisions when drivers misjudge or react too slowly.
In comparison to all this, Wrexham is the safest place to drive in the UK, with considerably low scores across all factors.
The UK is known for its grey, unsettled weather and frequent rain, wind, and fog that often reduce visibility, creating challenging road conditions. In the country’s most dangerous cities, heavy traffic and congestion are the norm, meaning dense traffic flows increase the likelihood of vehicle interactions.
But regardless of the weather, the combination of low visibility, poor road conditions and high traffic volumes generally elevates collision risk across these urban areas.
“Road safety isn’t defined by weather or road conditions alone; it ultimately depends on the behaviour of drivers and staying alert to your surroundings and anticipating potential hazards, whether that’s pedestrians, other vehicles, poor visibility or changing road surfaces, is essential.
“Following speed limits, taking regular breaks on long journeys, and keeping a safe distance from other vehicles can make all the difference in preventing collisions, no matter whether you’re driving in the USA, Australia or the UK.
“Of course, many risks on the road are unpredictable and beyond a driver’s control. Comprehensive car insurance provides essential protection in the event of a collision, which is especially important for those travelling in higher-risk areas.”
Adrian Bennett
General Manager – General Insurance at iSelect
Written by:
Sarah Grealy
Digital Public Relations Specialist
0413 363 690
Sarah is our Digital Public Relations Specialist, and brings more than a decade of experience in the insurance comparison industry to iSelect.
With a passion for storytelling through data-driven insights, Sarah strives to empower Aussies with practical guides and tips.
About the data
This study explores which regions across the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom appear to pose the greatest risk for drivers. By combining accident records, weather data, and road infrastructure indicators, it attempts to capture where driving conditions may be most challenging.
Each country was analysed across three core categories: Crash and Fatality Data, Weather Risk Conditions, and Road Infrastructure. Data within each category was normalised and scaled between 0 and 1 before being converted into a score out of 100. The three categories were then given equal weighting to produce an overall driver-risk score per region.
Higher scores indicate areas where the combination of crash history, weather risk, and infrastructure characteristics may contribute to more hazardous driving conditions.
1. Crash and Fatality Data
This category reflects how frequently and severely incidents occur, and whether conditions are improving or deteriorating.
United States: Fatal crash data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
Australia: Fatal crash data from the Australian Road Deaths Database (Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics).
United Kingdom: Collision data from the Department for Transport Road Safety Data portal.
For each region, two metrics were calculated:
– Total crashes or fatalities (latest year), normalised per capita (100k), indicating the scale of road incidents.
– Year-on-year change, showing improvement or decline compared with the previous year.
– Scores were combined using a 75% weighting for total incidents and 25% for rate of change.
2. Weather Risk Conditions
To measure environmental factors contributing to road danger, daily climate data for 2024 was gathered from the NASA POWER API. For each region, four extreme weather indicators were tracked to capture how often conditions became hazardous for drivers:
– Icy days: when the minimum temperature dropped below 0°C and the maximum temperature remained below 3°C, signalling sustained frost or ice on roads.
– Heavy rain days: when daily precipitation exceeded 10mm, creating reduced visibility and aquaplaning risk.
– High-wind days: when wind speeds exceeded each region’s 90th-percentile value or a minimum of 8 m/s (≈ 29 km/h), reflecting moments of potential vehicle instability.
– Hot days: when the maximum temperature rose above 30°C, conditions linked to tyre degradation and road surface softening.
– For Australia and the United States, data was collected for three major population centres within each state to reflect areas where most people drive.
– Each of the four variables was then normalised and equally weighted to calculate a Weather Risk Score out of 100, showing how frequently each region experienced conditions likely to make driving more dangerous.
3. Road Infrastructure
Using OpenStreetMap (OSM) data accessed via the OSMnx library, the study assessed the concentration and complexity of local road networks within a 5km radius of each city centre.
Three key metrics were used:
– Road density (km of roads per km²): higher density was scored as higher risk, representing more compact and complex networks where vehicles might interact more frequently.
– Average speed limit: higher limits were scored as higher risk due to the increased severity of collisions at greater speeds.
– Intersection density: higher intersection counts were scored as higher risk, indicating more potential conflict points and turning manoeuvres.
Each metric was directionally normalised according to its relationship with driver risk and equally weighted to form a Road Infrastructure Score out of 100.
For the United States and Australia, city-level metrics were averaged to estimate a representative state-level infrastructure profile, providing a population-weighted view of conditions where most people drive.
4. Final Index Calculation
Each region received three category scores – Crash and Fatality, Weather Risk, and Road Infrastructure. These were averaged with equal weighting to produce a final Danger Index out of 100.
– Crash and Fatality Data: 75% level / 25% change
– Weather Risk Conditions: Equal weighting across all four metrics
– Road Infrastructure: Equal weighting across all four metrics
Higher total scores indicate regions where drivers face greater combined risk from accident prevalence, adverse weather, and challenging infrastructure design.
Sources
– United States: Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS)
– Australia: Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics – Australian Road Deaths Database
– United Kingdom: Department for Transport – Road Safety Data
– NASA POWER API (2024) – Global meteorological data
– OpenStreetMap / OSMnx – Road network and infrastructure data
While every effort was made to ensure accuracy and consistency, the study is designed as a data-driven guide rather than a definitive measure of road safety. Regional differences in data availability, reporting practices, and local infrastructure mean results may not capture every real-world detail.
About 
At iSelect, we’re passionate about making Aussies’ lives easier by saving them time, effort and money. We are Australia’s go-to destination for comparison across insurance, utilities and personal finance products made available from our range of providers. Our service is provided at no cost to the customer.
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