A newly released motor insurance report from AMI provides evidence linking the uptake of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) to measurable changes in collision claim patterns across New Zealand’s vehicle insurance market. However, the data simultaneously reveals a significant challenge: younger drivers remain at substantially elevated risk of collisions despite growing ADAS availability, suggesting that technology alone cannot address the underlying behavioural and experience factors that characterise youth driver risk profiles.
The insurer’s first comprehensive motor report analysed claim submissions received throughout the past 12 months, drawing from a dataset representing the country’s most extensive general insurance claim pool. Approximately 235,000 claims were processed during the measurement period, with collision-related incidents representing approximately 60% of the total claim volume.
AMI’s analysis documented a consistent 7% reduction in collision claims annually from 2023 onward, a trend corresponding with growing coverage among vehicles manufactured within the last 15 years. These vehicles are more likely to include integrated ADAS features as standard equipment. “This uptake highlights our customers’ preference for modern vehicles and safety features. Our customers also recognise the benefits of ADAS with over half telling us they use these systems in their vehicles,” said Dean MacGregor, executive general manager of hub services at AMI.
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Survey data collected by AMI indicated that 70% of policyholders with ADAS-equipped vehicles identified enhanced safety as a primary advantage, compared to 55% of drivers operating vehicles without such systems. The finding suggests differential risk perception between the two user groups. MacGregor provided context regarding the operational limitations of these systems. “While ADAS can help prevent accidents, our claims data is an important reminder that ADAS is the co-pilot and not the driver. ADAS can’t replace our attention and judgment – and ultimately, it’s our hands on the wheel,” he said.
Among motorists using ADAS technology, approximately 12% indicated insufficient confidence to execute parallel parking manoeuvrers without technological assistance, indicating a potential dependency relationship developing between driver capability and system capability.
Despite the overall reduction in collision frequency associated with ADAS adoption, claims data reveals a pronounced generational risk disparity. The youngest generation category (Gen Z) registered claims affecting 35.6% of policies, representing the demographic segment with the highest collision involvement rates. This risk profile persists even as younger drivers demonstrate greater interest in ADAS-equipped vehicles than any other age cohort.
The comparative framework showed increasing risk progression across generational designations:
Notably, 52% of drivers under 40 expressed acquisition intentions for vehicles equipped with ADAS systems, yet Gen Z collision claim frequencies remain substantially elevated.
The disparity in claims risk correlates directly with vehicle age distribution patterns. MacGregor said: “Young people typically drive older vehicles, around 16 to 20 years old, and many of these cars don’t have ADAS. Older models also lack modern safety features that contribute to higher safety ratings.” This observation highlights a critical market access issue: the demographics most in need of collision risk mitigation often cannot afford vehicles with protective technologies.
AMI established a partnership with Road Safety Education (RSE) to support the Ryda programme, a high school-based educational initiative targeting driver and passenger safety decision-making among developing motorists, suggesting that insurers recognise educational intervention as complementary to technology and regulation in addressing youth driver risk.
AMI’s reporting included geographic mapping of collision concentration areas. Three Auckland thoroughfares – Great South Road, Ti Rakau Drive, and Great North Road – occupied the highest positions on the insurer’s national ranking. Christchurch’s Moorhouse Avenue also achieved notable ranking status. Claims data revealed incident clustering in restricted-speed zones rather than high-speed environments, suggesting that lower-speed manoeuvring environments present substantial loss exposure across all driver cohorts.
MacGregor commented: “We’re seeing drivers hit concrete walls, detach wing mirrors by swiping poles, or even hitting objects they didn’t see in blind spots.” Parking-related claims documentation identified recurring loss categories involving transmission engagement errors, engagement lever disengagement, and pedal interference scenarios where footwear positioning created unintended vehicle movement.
Counterintuitive to the collision claims data, research compiled by the AA Research Foundation documented a substantial decrease in traffic violations among drivers aged 15 to 19 years across the 2013–2024 interval. Factoring in the concurrent expansion of young drivers holding valid licenses, the research indicated a 41% reduction in overall offending, a 58% decrease in alcohol and drug-related violations, and a 52% decline in seatbelt non-compliance incidents.
The young driver population holding licenses expanded from 142,159 in 2013 to 204,285 by 2024. Corresponding shifts in violation frequency showed traffic offences declining from 121,237 to 102,022, drunk and drugged driving offences falling from 4,019 to 2,448, and seatbelt violations decreasing from 5,844 to 3,938. Fatality rates among young drivers per 100,000 licensed individuals decreased from 22.5 to 16.6 across the same timeframe, indicating proportional change within this cohort. The Ministry of Transport reported current annual figures of approximately 90 deaths and 600 serious injuries resulting from crashes where a young driver carried fault attribution.
