Vehicle telemetry identifies hidden crash hotspots in New South Wales

Analysis of telemetry from 700,000 vehicles in New South Wales revealed an average of 1000 near-miss incidents daily. These events cluster in areas that later experience crashes, but many high-risk locations are not officially flagged. Researchers suggest using such data to proactively improve road safety.

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The study drew on accelerometer data from Compass IoT, capturing harsh manoeuvres and high g-force events across New South Wales over a 21-month period. Parramatta recorded over 45,000 incidents, exceeding Greater Sydney's 40,000-plus total. The researchers found near-miss clusters frequently aligned with officially recognised black spots, yet many dangerous stretches remained unlisted.

Unpublished figures suggest near-miss events nationwide approached 200,000 in 2025, the same year Australian road deaths hit 1337 — a 12-year high. Researchers propose lowering speed limits, upgrading infrastructure, or boosting enforcement in high-risk zones before collisions occur, rather than responding after fatalities.