Why Albany Highway sees so many crashes and breakdowns
Albany Highway starts at the Causeway interchange in Victoria Park and runs south-east across Perth before heading over the Darling Scarp towards Albany. Its first four kilometres are a two-lane high street through the Victoria Park and East Victoria Park town centres, with cafes, parking bays and pedestrians, while Shepperton Road carries most of the through traffic alongside it.
The two roads join near Welshpool Road, and from there the highway becomes the main arterial through Perth’s south-eastern suburbs. For about 15 kilometres it switches between single and divided carriageway and between four and six lanes, passing the shopping precincts of Bentley, Cannington, Maddington, Gosnells and Kelmscott. There are a great many sets of traffic lights, constant turning traffic and a steady flow of buses. That combination of stop-start driving, shopping centre entrances and side streets leads to rear-end crashes, side-swipes and cars clipped while turning across traffic.
Further south, the highway has a folded diamond interchange with Tonkin Highway in Gosnells, meets Brookton Highway at Kelmscott and reaches Armadale Road and South Western Highway in Armadale. Beyond the metro area, Albany Highway was ranked sixth among regional roads in RAC WA’s 2025 Risky Roads survey.
What to do after an accident on Albany Highway
With so many lights and lanes, the biggest risk after a crash on Albany Highway is a second collision. Hazard lights go on straight away. If the cars can be moved, pull into a side street or a car park entrance so you’re not stopped in a live lane. If a car can’t be moved, or anyone is hurt, call 000 and stay clear of the traffic until help arrives. For police help that isn’t urgent, call 131 444.
Exchange your name and address with the other driver; that’s a legal requirement in WA. Grab their phone number, rego and insurer too, and photograph the damage, both plates and where the cars came to rest. A photo of the nearest street sign or shop front makes things easier for your insurer later.
Check whether you need to lodge a report. In WA, a crash has to be reported to police if anyone is injured, if total damage across all vehicles and property exceeds $3,000, or if the owner of something damaged isn’t there. You can usually do this online through the crash reporting facility on the WA Government website.
Our accident towing service gets your car out of the traffic and on to a repairer, and insurance towing means we bill your insurer instead of you.
Suburbs along Albany Highway
The highway begins in Victoria Park and runs through Bentley and Cannington. It then passes Beckenham and Kenwick on the stretch bypassed by Kenwick Link, before continuing through Maddington, Gosnells and Kelmscott to Armadale.
How we help
We tow along Albany Highway 24/7, from the Causeway end right down to Armadale. We bill your insurer directly and will take your car to your own mechanic, a smash repairer or your home, whichever you prefer. Call 0419 857 070 and tell us your nearest cross street.