Distraction was a definite or possible factor in 67% of crashes among surveyed Australian drivers who reported causing or partly causing a collision, according to research from the Allianz Centre for Technology.
That rate is roughly double what official crash data typically records. For brokers and underwriters, the gap has direct implications for how motor insurance is priced and how claims frequency is modelled across motor portfolios.
The research drew on more than 34,000 crash cases, eye-tracking studies in real vehicles, a driving simulator study with the Technical University of Munich, an international driver survey, and a review of more than 80 published studies. In Germany, the analysis found distraction was involved in approximately one in three road crashes. The results were released at the Allianz Group’s annual mobility summit in Munich in October 2026.
One in five surveyed Australian drivers (20%) reported causing or partly causing a crash in the past three years. Of those, 67% said distraction played a definite or possible role.
Smartphone use remains common. Some 35% of Australian drivers admitted they have typed messages on a handheld phone while driving at least occasionally, and 56% support stronger penalties for phone use behind the wheel.
The findings come amid persistent road trauma nationally. Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics data recorded 1,309 road deaths in Australia in 2025. In the 12 months to June 2026, the toll was 1,325.
Austroads has separately identified distraction as a growing factor. Its 2024 guidance on distraction-related crashes noted that up to 30% of distraction-related crashes are caused by sources external to the vehicle, such as roadside advertising and activity outside the car.
Distraction-related incidents involving heavy vehicles have also been under scrutiny as crash patterns shift across commercial fleets, with the latest National Truck Accident Research Centre (NTARC) data showing inattention remains the leading human factor in major incidents.
Read more: South Australia road death toll puts crash patterns under insurer spotlight
The research found growing concern about in-vehicle technology. Functions once operated through physical buttons and dials are now buried in touchscreen menus, often requiring multiple steps for routine tasks such as adjusting climate controls or entering a destination.
Three in four surveyed Australians (75%) said distractions from in-vehicle technologies have increased in recent years. Nearly a third (29%) reported a critical situation while using a vehicle touchscreen, including hard braking, a near miss, or a crash.
More than two-thirds (67%) said they would prefer some vehicle functions to remain accessible via physical controls. That preference was strongest among younger drivers, at 72% of those aged 18 to 25.
The Insurance Council of Australia’s (ICA) motor insurance roadmap, published in March 2025, flagged the growing complexity of vehicle technology as a contributor to rising motor claims costs that continue to push premiums higher. Average motor claims rose 32% over four years to $6,266, with modern driver-assistance systems requiring recalibration adding to repair bills.
For brokers placing fleet cover, the connection between vehicle interface design and crash risk is becoming harder to ignore. Fleet managers selecting vehicles with complex digital cockpits may be choosing higher distraction risk without it appearing in traditional risk assessments.
Luke Whenman, chief claims officer at Allianz Australia, said distraction continues to evolve alongside vehicle technology. “While mobile phones continue to be a major source of distraction, many drivers are also telling us they’re concerned about the increasing complexity of in-vehicle technology and the attention it can demand. Technology should support safer driving, not compete for a driver’s attention. As vehicles become more digital, safety, and usability must remain at the centre of vehicle design,” Whenman said.
State-level data has shown how rising road death tolls are putting crash patterns under insurer spotlight in markets where severity is outpacing frequency.
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The research suggests traditional crash reporting may significantly undercount distraction as a factor. If the gap between what drivers self-report and what official statistics capture is as wide as the data indicates, motor books may carry more distraction-related exposure than current pricing models assume.
Brokers reviewing motor portfolios or advising fleet clients could consider asking whether distraction management policies are in place, whether vehicle selection accounts for interface complexity alongside standard risk factors, and whether in-vehicle technology is being discussed with underwriters as part of fleet risk presentations.
Chris Wood, emerging risks manager at Allianz Australia, said even brief lapses create measurable exposure. “At just 50 kilometres per hour, a vehicle travels almost 14 metres every second. Looking away from the road for three seconds to adjust a setting, enter a destination or search for a song means travelling more than 40 metres without fully watching the road ahead. In that distance, a driver could miss slowing traffic, a cyclist changing position, or a pedestrian stepping into the roadway,” Wood said.
While 88% of Australian respondents said drivers are primarily responsible for reducing distraction, 41% also support technical restrictions on complex vehicle controls while a vehicle is in motion.
Peter Frazer OAM, Sydney-based president and founder of Safer Australian Roads and Highways (known as the SARAH Group), said responsibility extends beyond drivers. “While drivers have a critical role to play in staying focused behind the wheel, minimising distraction specifically requires continued improvements from vehicle designers, manufacturers, and policymakers. Every decision that ensures drivers stay focused on the road ahead contributes to safer journeys for all Australians. And our reason is simple: everyone has a right to get home safe… every day… no exceptions,” Frazer said.
Enforcement is also tightening. The Australian government’s Office of Road Safety lists penalties for handheld phone use ranging from $390 in Tasmania to $1,209 in Queensland, with demerit points of three to five depending on jurisdiction. New South Wales operates mobile phone detection cameras that now also identify seatbelt offences.
