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CrashStats

Bedford road accidents in 1989: crash map and statistics

Police recorded 717 road traffic collisions in Bedford in 1989, and 938 people were killed or injured in them. Of those collisions, 11 were fatal and 129 were serious.

Collisions were up 16% on 1988 (617), and casualties rose from 793.

Across all years from 1979 to 2025, police recorded 22,899 collisions in Bedford.

Collisions in 1989
717
Up 16% on 1988
Casualties in 1989
938
Up 18% on 1988
Fatal collisions
11
1.5% of collisions
Serious collisions
129
18% of collisions

Crash severity in Bedford in 1989

1.5% of collisions in Bedford in 1989 were fatal and 18% serious, against 1.7% and 18% in Bedford from 1979 to 2025.

Collisions by worst injury

  • Fatal111.5%
  • Serious12918%
  • Slight57780%

People hurt, by injury

  • Fatal121.3%
  • Serious15116%
  • Slight77583%

Bedford road accidents by year

Collisions and casualties in Bedford, 1979 to 2025

Collisions peaked at 717 in 1989. 1989 is highlighted, with 717, up 16% on 1988.

  • Collisions
  • Collisions in 1989
  • Casualties

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

View as a table
YearCollisionsCasualties
2025293383
2024288366
2023332430
2022328419
2021263370
2020284373
2019371484
2018348474
2017420543
2016394541
2015399539
2014443561
2013356451
2012380497
2011447580
2010408553
2009385508
2008462644
2007473613
2006408560
2005452632
2004436601
2003423602
2002494653
2001553797
2000514730
1999450630
1998576817
1997596809
1996573793
1995465668
1994511714
1993523706
1992531701
1991506681
1990601823
1989717938
1988617793
1987620884
1986646831
1985611826
1984693867
1983662881
1982669877
1981634797
1980670862
1979674872

When and where crashes happen in Bedford in 1989

Collisions by day of the week

  • Monday94 (13%)
  • Tuesday102 (14%)
  • Wednesday105 (15%)
  • Thursday106 (15%)
  • Friday121 (17%)
  • Saturday96 (13%)
  • Sunday93 (13%)

Collisions by time of day

  • 00:00 to 02:5930 (4.2%)
  • 03:00 to 05:595 (0.7%)
  • 06:00 to 08:59107 (15%)
  • 09:00 to 11:5984 (12%)
  • 12:00 to 14:59137 (19%)
  • 15:00 to 17:59165 (23%)
  • 18:00 to 20:59122 (17%)
  • 21:00 to 23:5967 (9.3%)

Collisions by month

  • January59 (8.2%)
  • February53 (7.4%)
  • March40 (5.6%)
  • April62 (8.6%)
  • May50 (7%)
  • June66 (9.2%)
  • July70 (9.8%)
  • August48 (6.7%)
  • September61 (8.5%)
  • October75 (10%)
  • November73 (10%)
  • December60 (8.4%)

Light conditions

  • Daylight508 (71%)
  • Dark, street lights lit156 (22%)
  • Dark, no street lighting53 (7.4%)

Weather at the time

  • Fine, no high winds593 (83%)
  • Raining, no high winds85 (12%)
  • Fine with high winds15 (2.1%)
  • Fog or mist10 (1.4%)
  • Raining with high winds9 (1.3%)
  • Snowing, no high winds2 (0.3%)
  • Other3 (0.4%)

Road surface

  • Dry472 (66%)
  • Wet or damp228 (32%)
  • Frost or ice15 (2.1%)
  • Flood over 3cm deep1 (0.1%)
  • Snow1 (0.1%)

Speed limit at the scene

  • 30 mph467 (65%)
  • 40 mph36 (5%)
  • 50 mph3 (0.4%)
  • 60 mph189 (26%)
  • 70 mph22 (3.1%)

Type of road

  • Single carriageway603 (84%)
  • One way street or slip road52 (7.3%)
  • Roundabout36 (5%)
  • Dual carriageway26 (3.6%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Who was hurt in road crashes in Bedford in 1989

Casualties by road user

  • Car occupant463 (49%)
  • Motorcyclist169 (18%)
  • Cyclist120 (13%)
  • Pedestrian108 (12%)
  • Van occupant38 (4.1%)
  • Goods vehicle occupant (over 3.5 tonnes)23 (2.5%)
  • Bus or coach occupant12 (1.3%)
  • Other vehicle occupant3 (0.3%)
  • Minibus occupant2 (0.2%)

Casualties by age

  • 0 to 521 (2.2%)
  • 6 to 1040 (4.3%)
  • 11 to 1552 (5.5%)
  • 16 to 20228 (24%)
  • 21 to 25157 (17%)
  • 26 to 35159 (17%)
  • 36 to 45119 (13%)
  • 46 to 5572 (7.7%)
  • 56 to 6537 (3.9%)
  • 66 to 7530 (3.2%)
  • Over 7523 (2.5%)

Drivers, passengers and pedestrians

  • Driver or rider605 (64%)
  • Passenger225 (24%)
  • Pedestrian108 (12%)

Vehicles involved

  • Car873 (64%)
  • Motorcycle168 (12%)
  • Pedal cycle123 (9%)
  • Van or goods vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes100 (7.3%)
  • Goods vehicle over 3.5 tonnes66 (4.8%)
  • Bus or coach21 (1.5%)
  • Other vehicle7 (0.5%)
  • Minibus4 (0.3%)
  • Taxi or private hire car2 (0.1%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Crash map for Bedford in 1989

Map of the last 24 crashes of 1989 in Bedford

Use the arrow keys to move the map and the plus and minus keys to zoom.

  • 24 crashes
  • Serious
  • Slight

How Bedford ranked among 350 areas in 1989

Of the 350 areas in England, Scotland and Wales, Bedford had the 123rd most road collisions in 1989.

Collisions
123rd
highest of 350 areas
Casualties
133rd
highest of 350 areas
Fatal collisions
178th
of 350 areas, highest first
Serious collisions
156th
highest of 350 areas

Roads in Bedford with the most crashes in 1989

The A6 had the most collisions in Bedford in 1989: 123, including 3 fatal and 24 serious.

Roads ranked by collisions in Bedford, 1989
RankRoadCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stA6123169324
2ndA428115155125
3rdB531384307
4thA603324615
5thA600263508
6thA5134253503
7thA5141202400
8thA1162113
9thA5140141900
10thB660121603
11thA42191712
12thA42281000
13thB5305911
14thA453601

Towns in Bedford: crashes in 1989

Bedford itself had the most collisions of any town in the area in 1989: 356.

Postcode districts in Bedford: crashes in 1989

MK42 had the most collisions of any postcode district in Bedford in 1989: 204.

Latest crashes in Bedford in 1989

Of the last 24 crashes in Bedford in 1989, none were fatal and 4 were serious. The last was on 29 December 1989.

Severity

Bedford road accidents in other years