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CrashStats

Bedford road accidents in 2021: crash map and statistics

Police recorded 263 road traffic collisions in Bedford in 2021, and 370 people were killed or injured in them. Of those collisions, 3 were fatal and 56 were serious.

Collisions were down 7% on 2020 (284), and casualties fell from 373.

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

Collisions in 2021
263
Down 7% on 2020
Casualties in 2021
370
Down 1% on 2020
Fatal collisions
3
1.1% of collisions
Serious collisions
56
21% of collisions

Crash severity in Bedford in 2021

1.1% of collisions in Bedford in 2021 were fatal and 21% serious, against 1.7% and 18% in Bedford from 1979 to 2025.

Collisions by worst injury

  • Fatal31.1%
  • Serious5621%
  • Slight20478%

People hurt, by injury

  • Fatal41.1%
  • Serious6417%
  • Slight30282%

Bedford road accidents by year

Collisions and casualties in Bedford, 1979 to 2025

Collisions peaked at 717 in 1989. 2021 is highlighted, with 263, down 7% on 2020.

  • Collisions
  • Collisions in 2021
  • 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 2021

Collisions by day of the week

  • Monday40 (15%)
  • Tuesday50 (19%)
  • Wednesday38 (14%)
  • Thursday40 (15%)
  • Friday45 (17%)
  • Saturday33 (13%)
  • Sunday17 (6.5%)

Collisions by time of day

  • 00:00 to 02:595 (1.9%)
  • 03:00 to 05:595 (1.9%)
  • 06:00 to 08:5938 (14%)
  • 09:00 to 11:5932 (12%)
  • 12:00 to 14:5944 (17%)
  • 15:00 to 17:5967 (25%)
  • 18:00 to 20:5951 (19%)
  • 21:00 to 23:5921 (8%)

Collisions by month

  • January14 (5.3%)
  • February9 (3.4%)
  • March12 (4.6%)
  • April16 (6.1%)
  • May22 (8.4%)
  • June22 (8.4%)
  • July23 (8.7%)
  • August24 (9.1%)
  • September20 (7.6%)
  • October30 (11%)
  • November39 (15%)
  • December32 (12%)

Light conditions

  • Daylight187 (71%)
  • Dark, street lights lit48 (18%)
  • Dark, no street lighting18 (6.8%)
  • Dark, lighting unknown9 (3.4%)
  • Dark, street lights unlit1 (0.4%)

Weather at the time

  • Fine, no high winds219 (83%)
  • Raining, no high winds25 (9.5%)
  • Fine with high winds4 (1.5%)
  • Raining with high winds2 (0.8%)
  • Other11 (4.2%)
  • Not recorded2 (0.8%)

Road surface

  • Dry190 (72%)
  • Wet or damp66 (25%)
  • Frost or ice2 (0.8%)
  • Not recorded5 (1.9%)

Speed limit at the scene

  • 20 mph9 (3.4%)
  • 30 mph156 (59%)
  • 40 mph18 (6.8%)
  • 50 mph4 (1.5%)
  • 60 mph45 (17%)
  • 70 mph31 (12%)

Type of road

  • Single carriageway187 (71%)
  • Dual carriageway41 (16%)
  • Roundabout22 (8.4%)
  • One way street or slip road9 (3.4%)
  • Not recorded4 (1.5%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Who was hurt in road crashes in Bedford in 2021

Casualties by road user

  • Car occupant246 (66%)
  • Pedestrian44 (12%)
  • Cyclist39 (11%)
  • Motorcyclist20 (5.4%)
  • Van occupant12 (3.2%)
  • Mobility scooter rider4 (1.1%)
  • Other vehicle occupant2 (0.5%)
  • Goods vehicle occupant (over 3.5 tonnes)1 (0.3%)
  • Goods vehicle occupant (weight unknown)1 (0.3%)
  • Taxi or private hire car occupant1 (0.3%)

Casualties by age

  • 0 to 57 (1.9%)
  • 6 to 109 (2.4%)
  • 11 to 1510 (2.7%)
  • 16 to 2036 (9.7%)
  • 21 to 2537 (10%)
  • 26 to 3574 (20%)
  • 36 to 4573 (20%)
  • 46 to 5558 (16%)
  • 56 to 6522 (5.9%)
  • 66 to 7515 (4.1%)
  • Over 7522 (5.9%)
  • Not recorded7 (1.9%)

Drivers, passengers and pedestrians

  • Driver or rider254 (69%)
  • Passenger72 (19%)
  • Pedestrian44 (12%)

Vehicles involved

  • Car372 (76%)
  • Pedal cycle40 (8.1%)
  • Van or goods vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes26 (5.3%)
  • Motorcycle24 (4.9%)
  • Goods vehicle over 3.5 tonnes13 (2.6%)
  • Mobility scooter4 (0.8%)
  • Other vehicle4 (0.8%)
  • Goods vehicle, weight unknown3 (0.6%)
  • Agricultural vehicle2 (0.4%)
  • Taxi or private hire car2 (0.4%)
  • Other1 (0.2%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Crash map for Bedford in 2021

Map of the last 24 crashes of 2021 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 350 areas in 2021

Of the 350 areas in England, Scotland and Wales, Bedford had the 121st most road collisions in 2021.

Collisions
121st
highest of 350 areas
Casualties
117th
highest of 350 areas
Fatal collisions
162nd
highest of 350 areas
Serious collisions
139th
highest of 350 areas

Accident hotspots in Bedford in 2021

Greyfriars, Bedford, MK40 1AS area was the busiest accident hotspot in Bedford in 2021, with 33 collisions, 6 of them serious.

Roads in Bedford with the most crashes in 2021

The A421 had the most collisions in Bedford in 2021: 30, including 1 fatal and 9 serious.

Roads ranked by collisions in Bedford, 2021
RankRoadCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stA421305119
2ndA5141233003
3rdA4280193006
4thA6161902
5thA600151900
6thB53191004
7thA42881412
8thA161002
9thA6036700
10thB6606802
11thA4224900
12thA51343400
13thA51403400
14thB5302200
15thB5602501

Towns in Bedford: crashes in 2021

Bedford itself had the most collisions of any town in the area in 2021: 112.

Postcode districts in Bedford: crashes in 2021

MK42 had the most collisions of any postcode district in Bedford in 2021: 80.

Latest crashes in Bedford in 2021

Of the last 24 crashes in Bedford in 2021, none were fatal and 3 were serious. The last was on 30 December 2021.

Severity

Bedford road accidents in other years