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CrashStats

Bedford road accidents in 2020: crash map and statistics

Police recorded 284 road traffic collisions in Bedford in 2020, and 373 people were killed or injured in them. Of those collisions, 5 were fatal and 52 were serious.

Collisions were down 23% on 2019 (371), and casualties fell from 484.

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

Collisions in 2020
284
Down 23% on 2019
Casualties in 2020
373
Down 23% on 2019
Fatal collisions
5
1.8% of collisions
Serious collisions
52
18% of collisions

Crash severity in Bedford in 2020

1.8% of collisions in Bedford in 2020 were fatal and 18% serious, against 1.7% and 18% in Bedford from 1979 to 2025.

Collisions by worst injury

  • Fatal51.8%
  • Serious5218%
  • Slight22780%

People hurt, by injury

  • Fatal61.6%
  • Serious5916%
  • Slight30883%

Bedford road accidents by year

Collisions and casualties in Bedford, 1979 to 2025

Collisions peaked at 717 in 1989. 2020 is highlighted, with 284, down 23% on 2019.

  • Collisions
  • Collisions in 2020: 284
  • 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 2020

Collisions by day of the week

  • Monday33 (12%)
  • Tuesday49 (17%)
  • Wednesday45 (16%)
  • Thursday37 (13%)
  • Friday52 (18%)
  • Saturday35 (12%)
  • Sunday33 (12%)

Collisions by time of day

  • 00:00 to 02:599 (3.2%)
  • 03:00 to 05:594 (1.4%)
  • 06:00 to 08:5939 (14%)
  • 09:00 to 11:5938 (13%)
  • 12:00 to 14:5948 (17%)
  • 15:00 to 17:5963 (22%)
  • 18:00 to 20:5957 (20%)
  • 21:00 to 23:5926 (9.2%)

Collisions by month

  • January26 (9.2%)
  • February26 (9.2%)
  • March26 (9.2%)
  • April9 (3.2%)
  • May15 (5.3%)
  • June20 (7%)
  • July20 (7%)
  • August22 (7.7%)
  • September27 (9.5%)
  • October33 (12%)
  • November33 (12%)
  • December27 (9.5%)

Light conditions

  • Daylight190 (67%)
  • Dark, street lights lit53 (19%)
  • Dark, no street lighting28 (9.9%)
  • Dark, lighting unknown8 (2.8%)
  • Dark, street lights unlit5 (1.8%)

Weather at the time

  • Fine, no high winds225 (79%)
  • Raining, no high winds34 (12%)
  • Fine with high winds7 (2.5%)
  • Fog or mist3 (1.1%)
  • Raining with high winds3 (1.1%)
  • Other6 (2.1%)
  • Not recorded6 (2.1%)

Road surface

  • Dry190 (67%)
  • Wet or damp89 (31%)
  • Frost or ice1 (0.4%)
  • Not recorded4 (1.4%)

Speed limit at the scene

  • 20 mph12 (4.2%)
  • 30 mph173 (61%)
  • 40 mph19 (6.7%)
  • 50 mph3 (1.1%)
  • 60 mph51 (18%)
  • 70 mph26 (9.2%)

Type of road

  • Single carriageway204 (72%)
  • Dual carriageway39 (14%)
  • Roundabout24 (8.5%)
  • One way street or slip road16 (5.6%)
  • Not recorded1 (0.4%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Who was hurt in road crashes in Bedford in 2020

Casualties by road user

  • Car occupant232 (62%)
  • Cyclist46 (12%)
  • Pedestrian46 (12%)
  • Motorcyclist24 (6.4%)
  • Van occupant14 (3.8%)
  • Bus or coach occupant2 (0.5%)
  • E-scooter or powered transporter user2 (0.5%)
  • Taxi or private hire car occupant2 (0.5%)
  • Goods vehicle occupant (over 3.5 tonnes)1 (0.3%)
  • Mobility scooter rider1 (0.3%)
  • Not recorded3 (0.8%)

Casualties by age

  • 0 to 52 (0.5%)
  • 6 to 1010 (2.7%)
  • 11 to 1517 (4.6%)
  • 16 to 2044 (12%)
  • 21 to 2541 (11%)
  • 26 to 3583 (22%)
  • 36 to 4563 (17%)
  • 46 to 5553 (14%)
  • 56 to 6535 (9.4%)
  • 66 to 7513 (3.5%)
  • Over 758 (2.1%)
  • Not recorded4 (1.1%)

Drivers, passengers and pedestrians

  • Driver or rider254 (68%)
  • Passenger73 (20%)
  • Pedestrian46 (12%)

Vehicles involved

  • Car373 (73%)
  • Pedal cycle51 (10%)
  • Van or goods vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes31 (6.1%)
  • Motorcycle26 (5.1%)
  • Goods vehicle over 3.5 tonnes9 (1.8%)
  • Goods vehicle, weight unknown5 (1%)
  • Bus or coach3 (0.6%)
  • Personal powered transporter (e-scooter or similar)3 (0.6%)
  • Taxi or private hire car3 (0.6%)
  • Mobility scooter2 (0.4%)
  • Other2 (0.4%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Crash map for Bedford in 2020

Map of the last 24 crashes of 2020 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
  • Fatal
  • Serious
  • Slight

Accident hotspots (10)

How Bedford ranked among 350 areas in 2020

Of the 350 areas in England, Scotland and Wales, Bedford had the 99th most road collisions in 2020.

Collisions
99th
highest of 350 areas
Casualties
98th
highest of 350 areas
Fatal collisions
86th
highest of 350 areas
Serious collisions
127th
highest of 350 areas

Accident hotspots in Bedford in 2020

Greyfriars, Bedford, MK40 1AS area was the busiest accident hotspot in Bedford in 2020, with 49 collisions, 1 of them fatal.

Roads in Bedford with the most crashes in 2020

The A421 had the most collisions in Bedford in 2020: 25, including 1 fatal and 2 serious.

Roads ranked by collisions in Bedford, 2020
RankRoadCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stA421253012
2ndA5141233705
3rdA600222509
4thA4280202811
5thA6192903
6thB531121504
7thA603111301
8thA514091203
9thA171001
10thA51345600
11thB6605902
12thA4282201
13thA4221201
14thB5601100

Towns in Bedford: crashes in 2020

Bedford itself had the most collisions of any town in the area in 2020: 136.

Postcode districts in Bedford: crashes in 2020

MK42 had the most collisions of any postcode district in Bedford in 2020: 88.

Latest crashes in Bedford in 2020

Of the last 24 crashes in Bedford in 2020, 1 was fatal and 8 were serious. The last was on 28 December 2020.

Severity

Bedford road accidents in other years