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CrashStats

Canterbury road accidents in 2023: crash map and statistics

Police recorded 292 road traffic collisions in Canterbury in 2023, and 412 people were killed or injured in them. Of those collisions, 4 were fatal and 61 were serious.

Collisions were down 17% on 2022 (351), and casualties fell from 437.

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

Collisions in 2023
292
Down 17% on 2022
Casualties in 2023
412
Down 6% on 2022
Fatal collisions
4
1.4% of collisions
Serious collisions
61
21% of collisions

Crash severity in Canterbury in 2023

1.4% of collisions in Canterbury in 2023 were fatal and 21% serious, against 1.7% and 19% in Canterbury from 1979 to 2025.

Collisions by worst injury

  • Fatal41.4%
  • Serious6121%
  • Slight22778%

People hurt, by injury

  • Fatal41%
  • Serious6716%
  • Slight34183%

Canterbury road accidents by year

Collisions and casualties in Canterbury, 1979 to 2025

Collisions peaked at 597 in 1981. 2023 is highlighted, with 292, down 17% on 2022.

  • Collisions
  • Collisions in 2023
  • 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 2023

Collisions by day of the week

  • Monday47 (16%)
  • Tuesday48 (16%)
  • Wednesday49 (17%)
  • Thursday46 (16%)
  • Friday48 (16%)
  • Saturday30 (10%)
  • Sunday24 (8.2%)

Collisions by time of day

  • 00:00 to 02:5911 (3.8%)
  • 03:00 to 05:599 (3.1%)
  • 06:00 to 08:5937 (13%)
  • 09:00 to 11:5950 (17%)
  • 12:00 to 14:5951 (17%)
  • 15:00 to 17:5969 (24%)
  • 18:00 to 20:5935 (12%)
  • 21:00 to 23:5930 (10%)

Collisions by month

  • January27 (9.2%)
  • February23 (7.9%)
  • March26 (8.9%)
  • April15 (5.1%)
  • May23 (7.9%)
  • June24 (8.2%)
  • July18 (6.2%)
  • August30 (10%)
  • September22 (7.5%)
  • October26 (8.9%)
  • November29 (9.9%)
  • December29 (9.9%)

Light conditions

  • Daylight209 (72%)
  • Dark, street lights lit50 (17%)
  • Dark, no street lighting21 (7.2%)
  • Dark, lighting unknown11 (3.8%)
  • Dark, street lights unlit1 (0.3%)

Weather at the time

  • Fine, no high winds243 (83%)
  • Raining, no high winds37 (13%)
  • Raining with high winds5 (1.7%)
  • Snowing with high winds1 (0.3%)
  • Snowing, no high winds1 (0.3%)
  • Other2 (0.7%)
  • Not recorded3 (1%)

Road surface

  • Dry218 (75%)
  • Wet or damp68 (23%)
  • Frost or ice3 (1%)
  • Snow2 (0.7%)
  • Not recorded1 (0.3%)

Speed limit at the scene

  • 20 mph21 (7.2%)
  • 30 mph159 (54%)
  • 40 mph30 (10%)
  • 50 mph13 (4.5%)
  • 60 mph36 (12%)
  • 70 mph33 (11%)

Type of road

  • Single carriageway227 (78%)
  • Dual carriageway41 (14%)
  • Roundabout18 (6.2%)
  • One way street or slip road4 (1.4%)
  • Not recorded2 (0.7%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Who was hurt in road crashes in Canterbury in 2023

Casualties by road user

  • Car occupant242 (59%)
  • Pedestrian51 (12%)
  • Cyclist44 (11%)
  • Motorcyclist37 (9%)
  • Van occupant15 (3.6%)
  • Bus or coach occupant11 (2.7%)
  • Taxi or private hire car occupant8 (1.9%)
  • Goods vehicle occupant (over 3.5 tonnes)1 (0.2%)
  • Minibus occupant1 (0.2%)
  • Other vehicle occupant1 (0.2%)
  • Not recorded1 (0.2%)

Casualties by age

  • 0 to 56 (1.5%)
  • 6 to 108 (1.9%)
  • 11 to 1525 (6.1%)
  • 16 to 2065 (16%)
  • 21 to 2546 (11%)
  • 26 to 3564 (16%)
  • 36 to 4548 (12%)
  • 46 to 5550 (12%)
  • 56 to 6540 (9.7%)
  • 66 to 7524 (5.8%)
  • Over 7522 (5.3%)
  • Not recorded14 (3.4%)

Drivers, passengers and pedestrians

  • Driver or rider270 (66%)
  • Passenger91 (22%)
  • Pedestrian51 (12%)

Vehicles involved

  • Car417 (76%)
  • Pedal cycle44 (8%)
  • Motorcycle37 (6.7%)
  • Van or goods vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes29 (5.3%)
  • Goods vehicle over 3.5 tonnes7 (1.3%)
  • Taxi or private hire car6 (1.1%)
  • Bus or coach4 (0.7%)
  • Personal powered transporter (e-scooter or similar)2 (0.4%)
  • Goods vehicle, weight unknown1 (0.2%)
  • Minibus1 (0.2%)
  • Other1 (0.2%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Crash map for Canterbury in 2023

Map of the last 24 crashes of 2023 and the 10 busiest accident hotspots in Canterbury

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

  • 24 crashes
  • Serious
  • Slight

Accident hotspots (10)

How Canterbury ranked among 351 areas in 2023

Of the 351 areas in England, Scotland and Wales, Canterbury had the 115th most road collisions in 2023.

Collisions
115th
highest of 351 areas
Casualties
102nd
highest of 351 areas
Fatal collisions
115th
highest of 351 areas
Serious collisions
139th
highest of 351 areas

Accident hotspots in Canterbury in 2023

Westgate, Canterbury, CT1 2SH area was the busiest accident hotspot in Canterbury in 2023, with 28 collisions, 2 of them serious.

Roads in Canterbury with the most crashes in 2023

The A28 had the most collisions in Canterbury in 2023: 48, including 9 serious.

Roads ranked by collisions in Canterbury, 2023
RankRoadCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stA28487009
2ndB2205243107
3rdA2162816
4thA290142102
5thA299131713
6thA2990122603
7thA2050111512
8thA2918801
9thB22487700
10thA2575600
11thB20683401
12thA2602501
13thB20461100

Towns in Canterbury: crashes in 2023

Canterbury itself had the most collisions of any town in the area in 2023: 93.

Postcode districts in Canterbury: crashes in 2023

CT1 had the most collisions of any postcode district in Canterbury in 2023: 69.

Latest crashes in Canterbury in 2023

Of the last 24 crashes in Canterbury in 2023, none were fatal and 3 were serious. The last was on 29 December 2023.

Severity

Canterbury road accidents in other years