The latest AAMI Crash Index Report released on Wednesday shows drivers in the "tailgating capital" are also about 70 per cent more likely to hit an animal than the average Australian. But, with fewer accidents reported due to a failure to give way, we're perhaps a little more courteous.

In the past financial year, nose-to-tail accidents were the most common type of insurance claim made by Canberrans, making up 33.5 per cent of more than 8000 claims.

That's the highest rate in the country, according to AAMI spokesman Michael Mills.

"It's a pretty surprising [figure] considering somewhere like Melbourne has a much denser population," he said.

"But you know what they say about Canberra."

In a city also known for its kangaroo sightings, Canberra drivers hit animals at a rate well above the national average, trailing only Tasmania.

"Tasmania was just slightly higher but it's a similar situation there where you've got an urban population spread amongst lots of bushland," Mr Mills said.

He said it was of concern that the number of rear crashes in Canberra had risen slightly in the past year.

"Obviously Canberra's a different environment to Sydney and Melbourne but it's still getting more people, there's still that drive to work culture and when you've got greater congestion, that's when you see more of these rear-end prangs," Mr Mills said.

One in five of the 1255 Australian drivers surveyed by AAMI admitted to having a near miss because they were distracted while driving.

"It's quite staggering because on one hand you have people agreeing they think using their phones while driving is bad, and then, on the other hand, 37 per cent of drivers admit they find it hard to resist checking their phones," Mr Mills said.

He advised Canberrans to focus, be patient on the roads, and observe that all-important two second rule between cars.

A spokeswoman for NRMA said the insurer had received about 9000 car crash claims in the ACT in the past financial year.

Rear collisions were among the most common but a majority of animal-related crashes had happened in NSW.

In 2016, there were 7911 crashes in Canberra according to the ACT's government's annual road crash report. The report showed 748 people were injured and 11 were killed.

More than 150 accidents were caused by a collision with an animal, and rear end crashes made up about 48 per cent of all road smashes.