Driving in any holiday period in Australia is often one of the busiest and most dangerous times of the year, due to an influx of people heading to holiday destinations.
And while the December to January holiday period is generally the busiest on the road, new data has revealed that Good Friday ranks among the most dangerous days because of one simple – and avoidable – bad habit.
According to new data from ROLLiN' Insurance – a subsidiary of IAG, which also owns major insurers like the RACQ and NRMA – Good Friday was identified as the third-worst day for driving, right behind Christmas and Boxing Day.
The insurer analysed more than 72 million kilometres of real-world driving data through its Safe n Save Program, which tracks policyholders' driving habits, such as acceleration, braking and phone use.
The insurer then collected data and processed an overall safety score for the driver. Depending on what score they accrue, it could lead to a discount on their premium as a reward.
ROLLiN’s data revealed that phone use was detected in one in every eight car rides nationwide, with Victoria ranking the worst among all states analysed at one in every seven trips.
New South Wales motorists weren’t too far behind, with the insurer identifying phone use among one in every eight car trips in the state.
Western Australia, South Australia and Queensland all recorded phone use in one in every nine trips, while the ACT reported the lowest detected phone use at one in every 10 car rides.
According to ROLLiN', 5pm on Friday and 1pm on Saturday during the Easter holiday period were the riskiest times of the day due to a combination of fatigue, congestion and impatience.
ROLLiN' Executive Manager Brendan Griffiths said distracted driving wasn’t just limited to a specific demographic.
“On high-risk days like these, phone use remains one of the most widespread unsafe driving behaviours we see across all ages, genders, and states,” Griffiths said in a media statement.
“On unfamiliar roads and in heavier holiday traffic, you need every bit of attention. At just 50km/h, looking away from the road for one second means travelling almost three car lengths without seeing ahead."
In the states where double demerit points are applied during Easter – set to run from 2 April to 6 April 2026 – distracted driving and mobile phone use will be on the police radar.
In New South Wales, illegal mobile phone use can incur 10 demerit points. NSW Police has urged drivers to abide by the road rules amid an increase in road fatalities, with 88 people losing their lives on NSW roads this year, up by 11 compared with the same time in 2025.
In Western Australia, drivers illegally using their phones during the Easter break double-demerit-point period can incur fines ranging from $500 to $1000, and six to eight demerit points depending on the severity of the offence.
In Queensland – where double demerit points are enforced throughout the year – drivers caught illegally using their mobile phones can be penalised $1251 and four demerit points, with double demerits applied to any second or subsequent offence.
ACT drivers will also be subject to double demerits during the Easter break, with mobile phone offences among those carrying the penalty.
Ethan Cardinal graduated with a Journalism degree in 2020 from La Trobe University and has been working in the fashion industry as a freelance writer prior to joining Drive in 2023. Ethan greatly enjoys investigating and reporting on the cross sections between automotive, lifestyle and culture. Ethan relishes the opportunity to explore how deep cars are intertwined within different industries and how they could affect both casual readers and car enthusiasts.
