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CrashStats

Canterbury road accidents in 1981: crash map and statistics

Police recorded 597 road traffic collisions in Canterbury in 1981, and 782 people were killed or injured in them. Of those collisions, 11 were fatal and 171 were serious.

Collisions were up 2% on 1980 (584), and casualties were unchanged.

Across all years from 1979 to 2025, police recorded 20,515 collisions in Canterbury.

Collisions in 1981
597
Up 2% on 1980
Casualties in 1981
782
Level with 1980
Fatal collisions
11
1.8% of collisions
Serious collisions
171
29% of collisions

Crash severity in Canterbury in 1981

1.8% of collisions in Canterbury in 1981 were fatal and 29% serious, against 1.7% and 19% in Canterbury from 1979 to 2025.

Collisions by worst injury

  • Fatal111.8%
  • Serious17129%
  • Slight41570%

People hurt, by injury

  • Fatal121.5%
  • Serious21027%
  • Slight56072%

Canterbury road accidents by year

Collisions and casualties in Canterbury, 1979 to 2025

Collisions peaked at 597 in 1981. 1981 is highlighted, with 597, up 2% on 1980.

  • Collisions
  • Collisions in 1981
  • Casualties

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

View as a table
YearCollisionsCasualties
2025284357
2024276375
2023292412
2022351437
2021307398
2020287359
2019336448
2018367485
2017367474
2016337462
2015371510
2014417534
2013352460
2012390522
2011403520
2010406543
2009405536
2008417535
2007403542
2006410536
2005441558
2004477630
2003453593
2002421593
2001503694
2000467628
1999476645
1998496700
1997524681
1996554759
1995471628
1994555746
1993489654
1992513695
1991447599
1990437559
1989443572
1988463586
1987366529
1986472619
1985532708
1984549736
1983549708
1982521671
1981597782
1980584782
1979537714

When and where crashes happen in Canterbury in 1981

Collisions by day of the week

  • Monday81 (14%)
  • Tuesday85 (14%)
  • Wednesday87 (15%)
  • Thursday78 (13%)
  • Friday108 (18%)
  • Saturday100 (17%)
  • Sunday58 (9.7%)

Collisions by time of day

  • 00:00 to 02:5930 (5%)
  • 03:00 to 05:597 (1.2%)
  • 06:00 to 08:5962 (10%)
  • 09:00 to 11:5990 (15%)
  • 12:00 to 14:59103 (17%)
  • 15:00 to 17:59136 (23%)
  • 18:00 to 20:5996 (16%)
  • 21:00 to 23:5973 (12%)

Collisions by month

  • January35 (5.9%)
  • February48 (8%)
  • March51 (8.5%)
  • April50 (8.4%)
  • May54 (9%)
  • June42 (7%)
  • July66 (11%)
  • August59 (9.9%)
  • September49 (8.2%)
  • October53 (8.9%)
  • November48 (8%)
  • December42 (7%)

Light conditions

  • Daylight423 (71%)
  • Dark, street lights lit102 (17%)
  • Dark, no street lighting65 (11%)
  • Dark, street lights unlit7 (1.2%)

Weather at the time

  • Fine, no high winds462 (77%)
  • Raining, no high winds97 (16%)
  • Fog or mist10 (1.7%)
  • Snowing, no high winds10 (1.7%)
  • Raining with high winds3 (0.5%)
  • Fine with high winds2 (0.3%)
  • Snowing with high winds1 (0.2%)
  • Other12 (2%)

Road surface

  • Dry388 (65%)
  • Wet or damp188 (31%)
  • Frost or ice14 (2.3%)
  • Snow6 (1%)
  • Flood over 3cm deep1 (0.2%)

Speed limit at the scene

  • 30 mph352 (59%)
  • 40 mph52 (8.7%)
  • 50 mph5 (0.8%)
  • 60 mph164 (27%)
  • 70 mph24 (4%)

Type of road

  • Single carriageway492 (82%)
  • Dual carriageway48 (8%)
  • Roundabout43 (7.2%)
  • One way street or slip road14 (2.3%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Who was hurt in road crashes in Canterbury in 1981

Casualties by road user

  • Car occupant365 (47%)
  • Motorcyclist194 (25%)
  • Pedestrian105 (13%)
  • Cyclist83 (11%)
  • Van occupant18 (2.3%)
  • Bus or coach occupant10 (1.3%)
  • Goods vehicle occupant (over 3.5 tonnes)5 (0.6%)
  • Other vehicle occupant2 (0.3%)

Casualties by age

  • 0 to 512 (1.5%)
  • 6 to 1035 (4.5%)
  • 11 to 1557 (7.3%)
  • 16 to 20232 (30%)
  • 21 to 2590 (12%)
  • 26 to 35107 (14%)
  • 36 to 4572 (9.2%)
  • 46 to 5557 (7.3%)
  • 56 to 6562 (7.9%)
  • 66 to 7536 (4.6%)
  • Over 7522 (2.8%)

Drivers, passengers and pedestrians

  • Driver or rider467 (60%)
  • Passenger210 (27%)
  • Pedestrian105 (13%)

Vehicles involved

  • Car626 (60%)
  • Motorcycle196 (19%)
  • Pedal cycle86 (8.3%)
  • Goods vehicle over 3.5 tonnes50 (4.8%)
  • Van or goods vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes44 (4.2%)
  • Bus or coach23 (2.2%)
  • Other vehicle15 (1.4%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Crash map for Canterbury in 1981

Map of the last 24 crashes of 1981 in Canterbury

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

  • 24 crashes
  • Serious
  • Slight

How Canterbury ranked among 349 areas in 1981

Of the 349 areas in England, Scotland and Wales, Canterbury had the 146th most road collisions in 1981.

Collisions
146th
highest of 349 areas
Casualties
157th
highest of 349 areas
Fatal collisions
200th
of 349 areas, highest first
Serious collisions
140th
highest of 349 areas

Roads in Canterbury with the most crashes in 1981

The A28 had the most collisions in Canterbury in 1981: 76, including 1 fatal and 26 serious.

Roads ranked by collisions in Canterbury, 1981
RankRoadCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stA287693126
2ndA27489221
3rdA2904760011
4thB2205435406
5thA299356669
6thA291234008
7thA257172208
8thA20054400
9thB20654702
10thB20684502
11thA2602301
12thA29902400
13thB20462302
14thA2271100
15thB20551100
16thB22041101

Towns in Canterbury: crashes in 1981

Canterbury itself had the most collisions of any town in the area in 1981: 208.

Postcode districts in Canterbury: crashes in 1981

CT1 had the most collisions of any postcode district in Canterbury in 1981: 172.

Latest crashes in Canterbury in 1981

Of the last 24 crashes in Canterbury in 1981, none were fatal and 4 were serious. The last was on 31 December 1981.

Severity

Canterbury road accidents in other years