UK motorists experienced numerous types of road accidents in 2025, but one stood out more than others.
With some 67,000 drivers making use of the AA’s Accident Assist service during the past year, the organisation analysed the traffic collisions it was called out to.
Forty percent of all accidents reported were, perhaps unsurprisingly, classed as hitting another vehicle while driving.
Examples given by the AA included two cars attempting to pass on a narrow road, resulting in their wing mirrors colliding and breaking.
Most collisions are avoidable
In the survey sample, this equates to nearly 27,000 collisions between two vehicles on the move. However, the AA notes that many other accidents could potentially have been avoided.
Close to a fifth (19 percent) of collisions involved drivers hitting a parked car. And 10 percent saw motorists simply roll into the back of another vehicle in traffic.
Hitting a kerb was the fourth most common occurrence, followed by collisions with open car doors, then striking an object in the road.
Walls, hedges and barriers were other static objects hit by drivers during 2025. Collisions with deer complete the top 10.
Make a New Year’s resolution to focus
Other incidents reported included drivers forgetting to put the handbrake on, then rolling into a nearby car, along with hitting a wall at their own home. It suggests that many accidents are the result of simple lapses in concentration.
Tim Rankin, managing director for AA Accident Assist, said: “Being involved in a crash is incredibly stressful and can affect people in different ways. Aside from any physical injuries, people could be mentally and emotionally affected for some time.
“Our data reveals that in many cases, a momentary loss of concentration is a key factor in the collision happening. Be that being too close to the vehicle in front, forgetting to put the handbrake on, or misjudging the space in car parks.
“As we head into 2026, a new year’s resolution for all drivers could be to allow more space between yourself and other road users showing respect, slow down and keep your eyes on the road. That would reduce the number of crashes, save people money and push insurance costs down.”
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