Distracted motorists are driving up a spike in tram collisions, with cars crashing into trams three times a day on average and 20 people seriously injured last year.

Collins Street is a particular hot spot, with nearly 80 dangerous crashes there in 2018, followed by Flinders Street and Elizabeth Street, which each had 42 collisions.

This car was hit on Elizabeth Street. Credit:Reddit/@hopefulpenguin

Motorists failing to look out for trams while turning right, performing a U-turn or merging are largely to blame for crashes rising to 1100 in 2018, up from 970 the year before.

The Public Transport Minister, Yarra Trams and the Transport Department are now calling on motorists and pedestrians to look out for trams, with half of the top 10 most dangerous sites in the CBD.