Navigating Victoria's Roads: A Data-Driven Look at Driving Risks in 2025

From the bustling streets of Melbourne to the winding highways of the Great Ocean Road and the remote stretches of the Mallee region, Victoria presents a diverse and often demanding environment for commercial fleets. Rapid urbanization, volatile weather patterns, and a mix of dense traffic and isolated roads create unique safety challenges for drivers and operators.

Understanding where, when, and how risks emerge is the first step toward building a safer, more efficient fleet. This article analyzes key behaviors and risk hotspots that all fleets in Victoria should be aware of, based on official transport reports from various Australian states.

Based on telematics and video analysis from thousands of hours of driving across the state, these are the most common unsafe behaviors observed in Victorian fleets:

1. Mobile Device Use – Distracted driving remains the leading risk, despite stricter state laws.

2. Tailgating – Insufficient following distance is especially dangerous on high-speed roads like the Hume Freeway.

3. Speeding in Work Zones – Failure to adapt speed near road construction sites.

4. Unsafe Lane Changes – Common on multi-lane routes such as Melbourne's M1 corridor.

5. Rolling Stops – Incomplete stops at intersections or pedestrian crossings.

6. Fatigue-Related Lane Drifting – Frequently observed on long rural routes like the Calder Highway.

7. Hard Braking – Often triggered by sudden congestion or inattention.

8. Failure to Use Indicators – A widespread habit in urban and suburban settings.

9. Cornering at High Speed – Particularly risky on regional roads with variable conditions.

10. Ignoring Weather Adaptations – Driving too fast for wet or icy conditions.

Many of these behaviors interconnect. For example, mobile device use can lead to delayed reactions, resulting in tailgating or hard braking—especially during peak traffic.

With growing populations in growth corridors such as Wyndham, Casey, and Whittlesea, inner-city and suburban routes face congestion, pedestrian activity, and complex intersections. The West Gate Bridge, Bolte Bridge, and Eastern Freeway are high-frequency incident zones, particularly during morning and evening peaks.

• Princes Highway (West): Heavy freight traffic, wildlife crossings, and changing weather near the Otway Ranges.

• Hume Freeway: High speeds, driver fatigue, and frequent heavy vehicle interactions.

• Great Alpine Road: Sharp curves, elevation changes, and seasonal ice or fog.

Coastal routes like the Great Ocean Road see a mix of slow tourist drivers and impatient locals, especially during holiday periods—leading to unsafe overtaking and congestion-related risks.

• Morning Peak (6:30–9:00 AM): Congestion, pedestrian activity, and driver rushing.

• Late Afternoon (3:00–6:00 PM): Fatigue, low sun glare, and school zone activity.

• Overnight (10:00 PM–4:00 AM): Fatigue, wildlife crossings, and reduced visibility.

• Summer: Extreme heat, bushfire smoke, and holiday traffic.

• Winter: Rain, fog, and black ice in elevated areas such as the Dandenong Ranges or Mount Macedon.

• Holiday Periods: Long weekends and school holidays increase traffic volume and aggressive driving.

AlwayCare's AI-powered dash cams detect distractions, tailgating, and signs of fatigue in real time. Managers receive alerts and video clips, enabling targeted coaching before incidents occur.

With live weather integration and route risk scoring, AlwayCare helps dispatchers reroute drivers away from flooded areas, high-wind zones, or peak traffic—reducing exposure to environmental hazards.

Using enhanced night vision analytics, the system flags low-light risks, including pedestrians, cyclists, and animals, providing early warnings to drivers on poorly lit roads.

High-definition video footage protects drivers from false claims and simplifies insurance reporting—particularly useful in high-congestion areas like Melbourne's CBD.

AlwayCare's dashboard analyzes incident hotspots by time, location, and driver, helping fleets schedule training, adjust shifts, and optimize routes based on local risk patterns.

Victoria's roads don't have to be a source of stress. With the right technology, fleets can turn risk awareness into a strategic advantage—boosting safety, compliance, and driver confidence.

  Ready to see how AlwayCare/contact-us.htm helps Victorian fleets drive safer and smarter?