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CrashStats

Bedford road accidents in 2018: crash map and statistics

Police recorded 348 road traffic collisions in Bedford in 2018, and 474 people were killed or injured in them. Of those collisions, 4 were fatal and 61 were serious.

Collisions were down 17% on 2017 (420), and casualties fell from 543.

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

Collisions in 2018
348
Down 17% on 2017
Casualties in 2018
474
Down 13% on 2017
Fatal collisions
4
1.1% of collisions
Serious collisions
61
18% of collisions

Crash severity in Bedford in 2018

1.1% of collisions in Bedford in 2018 were fatal and 18% serious, against 1.7% and 18% in Bedford from 1979 to 2025.

Collisions by worst injury

  • Fatal41.1%
  • Serious6118%
  • Slight28381%

People hurt, by injury

  • Fatal40.8%
  • Serious7115%
  • Slight39984%

Bedford road accidents by year

Collisions and casualties in Bedford, 1979 to 2025

Collisions peaked at 717 in 1989. 2018 is highlighted, with 348, down 17% on 2017.

  • Collisions
  • Collisions in 2018
  • 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 2018

Collisions by day of the week

  • Monday47 (14%)
  • Tuesday52 (15%)
  • Wednesday61 (18%)
  • Thursday42 (12%)
  • Friday58 (17%)
  • Saturday46 (13%)
  • Sunday42 (12%)

Collisions by time of day

  • 00:00 to 02:598 (2.3%)
  • 03:00 to 05:594 (1.1%)
  • 06:00 to 08:5947 (14%)
  • 09:00 to 11:5952 (15%)
  • 12:00 to 14:5967 (19%)
  • 15:00 to 17:5987 (25%)
  • 18:00 to 20:5962 (18%)
  • 21:00 to 23:5921 (6%)

Collisions by month

  • January27 (7.8%)
  • February25 (7.2%)
  • March23 (6.6%)
  • April34 (9.8%)
  • May39 (11%)
  • June30 (8.6%)
  • July24 (6.9%)
  • August24 (6.9%)
  • September25 (7.2%)
  • October36 (10%)
  • November29 (8.3%)
  • December32 (9.2%)

Light conditions

  • Daylight263 (76%)
  • Dark, street lights lit60 (17%)
  • Dark, no street lighting17 (4.9%)
  • Dark, lighting unknown7 (2%)
  • Dark, street lights unlit1 (0.3%)

Weather at the time

  • Fine, no high winds277 (80%)
  • Raining, no high winds48 (14%)
  • Snowing, no high winds3 (0.9%)
  • Fine with high winds2 (0.6%)
  • Raining with high winds1 (0.3%)
  • Snowing with high winds1 (0.3%)
  • Other11 (3.2%)
  • Not recorded5 (1.4%)

Road surface

  • Dry267 (77%)
  • Wet or damp78 (22%)
  • Frost or ice1 (0.3%)
  • Snow1 (0.3%)
  • Not recorded1 (0.3%)

Speed limit at the scene

  • 20 mph17 (4.9%)
  • 30 mph229 (66%)
  • 40 mph16 (4.6%)
  • 50 mph7 (2%)
  • 60 mph55 (16%)
  • 70 mph24 (6.9%)

Type of road

  • Single carriageway232 (67%)
  • Roundabout42 (12%)
  • Dual carriageway39 (11%)
  • One way street or slip road27 (7.8%)
  • Not recorded8 (2.3%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Who was hurt in road crashes in Bedford in 2018

Casualties by road user

  • Car occupant272 (57%)
  • Pedestrian67 (14%)
  • Cyclist63 (13%)
  • Motorcyclist41 (8.6%)
  • Van occupant14 (3%)
  • Bus or coach occupant8 (1.7%)
  • Goods vehicle occupant (over 3.5 tonnes)3 (0.6%)
  • Goods vehicle occupant (weight unknown)3 (0.6%)
  • Agricultural vehicle occupant1 (0.2%)
  • Mobility scooter rider1 (0.2%)
  • Other1 (0.2%)

Casualties by age

  • 0 to 512 (2.5%)
  • 6 to 1022 (4.6%)
  • 11 to 1524 (5.1%)
  • 16 to 2043 (9.1%)
  • 21 to 2555 (12%)
  • 26 to 3589 (19%)
  • 36 to 4571 (15%)
  • 46 to 5565 (14%)
  • 56 to 6544 (9.3%)
  • 66 to 7525 (5.3%)
  • Over 7515 (3.2%)
  • Not recorded9 (1.9%)

Drivers, passengers and pedestrians

  • Driver or rider315 (66%)
  • Passenger92 (19%)
  • Pedestrian67 (14%)

Vehicles involved

  • Car459 (72%)
  • Pedal cycle65 (10%)
  • Motorcycle43 (6.7%)
  • Van or goods vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes33 (5.2%)
  • Bus or coach7 (1.1%)
  • Goods vehicle over 3.5 tonnes7 (1.1%)
  • Goods vehicle, weight unknown7 (1.1%)
  • Taxi or private hire car6 (0.9%)
  • Agricultural vehicle3 (0.5%)
  • Mobility scooter1 (0.2%)
  • Other1 (0.2%)
  • Not recorded7 (1.1%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Crash map for Bedford in 2018

Map of the last 24 crashes of 2018 and the 10 busiest accident hotspots in Bedford

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

  • 24 crashes
  • Serious
  • Slight

Accident hotspots (10)

How Bedford ranked among 351 areas in 2018

Of the 351 areas in England, Scotland and Wales, Bedford had the 115th most road collisions in 2018.

Collisions
115th
highest of 351 areas
Casualties
117th
highest of 351 areas
Fatal collisions
136th
highest of 351 areas
Serious collisions
141st
highest of 351 areas

Accident hotspots in Bedford in 2018

Greyfriars, Bedford, MK40 1AS area was the busiest accident hotspot in Bedford in 2018, with 62 collisions, 7 of them serious.

Roads in Bedford with the most crashes in 2018

The A6 had the most collisions in Bedford in 2018: 32, including 7 serious.

Roads ranked by collisions in Bedford, 2018
RankRoadCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stA6324507
2ndA421274414
3rdA428172604
4thA4280131500
5thA5141131802
6thA600111402
7thB531111313
8thA161000
9thA51405702
10thA6034701
11thB6604900
12thA4223401
13thB5603702
14thA51342501
15thB5301100

Towns in Bedford: crashes in 2018

Bedford itself had the most collisions of any town in the area in 2018: 175.

Postcode districts in Bedford: crashes in 2018

MK42 had the most collisions of any postcode district in Bedford in 2018: 133.

Latest crashes in Bedford in 2018

Of the last 24 crashes in Bedford in 2018, none were fatal and 5 were serious. The last was on 27 December 2018.

Severity

Bedford road accidents in other years