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CrashStats

Chelmsford road accidents in 2021: crash map and statistics

Police recorded 256 road traffic collisions in Chelmsford in 2021, and 334 people were killed or injured in them. Of those collisions, 4 were fatal and 56 were serious.

Collisions were up 2% on 2020 (250), and casualties fell from 336.

Across all years from 1979 to 2025, police recorded 25,575 collisions in Chelmsford.

Collisions in 2021
256
Up 2% on 2020
Casualties in 2021
334
Down 1% on 2020
Fatal collisions
4
1.6% of collisions
Serious collisions
56
22% of collisions

Crash severity in Chelmsford in 2021

1.6% of collisions in Chelmsford in 2021 were fatal and 22% serious, against 1.7% and 22% in Chelmsford from 1979 to 2025.

Collisions by worst injury

  • Fatal41.6%
  • Serious5622%
  • Slight19677%

People hurt, by injury

  • Fatal41.2%
  • Serious6921%
  • Slight26178%

Chelmsford road accidents by year

Collisions and casualties in Chelmsford, 1979 to 2025

Collisions peaked at 832 in 1989. 2021 is highlighted, with 256, up 2% on 2020.

  • Collisions
  • Collisions in 2021: 256
  • Casualties

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

View as a table
YearCollisionsCasualties
2025307378
2024300393
2023324425
2022340448
2021256334
2020250336
2019289381
2018335424
2017318402
2016348435
2015360463
2014351450
2013376465
2012382465
2011435565
2010438579
2009434561
2008465568
2007521673
2006578745
2005571785
2004646856
2003584779
2002555735
2001624802
2000628844
1999676913
1998648887
1997655867
1996582782
1995606843
1994668895
1993597845
1992625829
1991615850
19907161,011
19898321,171
19888251,202
19877991,082
19868031,111
19857511,004
19847411,034
1983702940
1982707948
1981669918
1980656914
1979687910

When and where crashes happen in Chelmsford in 2021

Collisions by day of the week

  • Monday48 (19%)
  • Tuesday24 (9.4%)
  • Wednesday38 (15%)
  • Thursday38 (15%)
  • Friday46 (18%)
  • Saturday33 (13%)
  • Sunday29 (11%)

Collisions by time of day

  • 00:00 to 02:594 (1.6%)
  • 03:00 to 05:592 (0.8%)
  • 06:00 to 08:5930 (12%)
  • 09:00 to 11:5932 (13%)
  • 12:00 to 14:5965 (25%)
  • 15:00 to 17:5963 (25%)
  • 18:00 to 20:5945 (18%)
  • 21:00 to 23:5915 (5.9%)

Collisions by month

  • January16 (6.3%)
  • February17 (6.6%)
  • March14 (5.5%)
  • April17 (6.6%)
  • May22 (8.6%)
  • June21 (8.2%)
  • July30 (12%)
  • August20 (7.8%)
  • September29 (11%)
  • October22 (8.6%)
  • November27 (11%)
  • December21 (8.2%)

Light conditions

  • Daylight196 (77%)
  • Dark, street lights lit30 (12%)
  • Dark, no street lighting26 (10%)
  • Dark, street lights unlit3 (1.2%)
  • Dark, lighting unknown1 (0.4%)

Weather at the time

  • Fine, no high winds217 (85%)
  • Raining, no high winds15 (5.9%)
  • Fine with high winds3 (1.2%)
  • Snowing, no high winds3 (1.2%)
  • Fog or mist2 (0.8%)
  • Raining with high winds2 (0.8%)
  • Other11 (4.3%)
  • Not recorded3 (1.2%)

Road surface

  • Dry199 (78%)
  • Wet or damp51 (20%)
  • Snow3 (1.2%)
  • Frost or ice2 (0.8%)
  • Flood over 3cm deep1 (0.4%)

Speed limit at the scene

  • 20 mph11 (4.3%)
  • 30 mph116 (45%)
  • 40 mph42 (16%)
  • 60 mph57 (22%)
  • 70 mph30 (12%)

Type of road

  • Single carriageway175 (68%)
  • Dual carriageway46 (18%)
  • Roundabout24 (9.4%)
  • One way street or slip road10 (3.9%)
  • Not recorded1 (0.4%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Who was hurt in road crashes in Chelmsford in 2021

Casualties by road user

  • Car occupant198 (59%)
  • Motorcyclist39 (12%)
  • Cyclist38 (11%)
  • Pedestrian34 (10%)
  • Van occupant11 (3.3%)
  • Minibus occupant6 (1.8%)
  • Goods vehicle occupant (over 3.5 tonnes)3 (0.9%)
  • Bus or coach occupant1 (0.3%)
  • E-scooter or powered transporter user1 (0.3%)
  • Other vehicle occupant1 (0.3%)
  • Other1 (0.3%)
  • Not recorded1 (0.3%)

Casualties by age

  • 0 to 58 (2.4%)
  • 6 to 109 (2.7%)
  • 11 to 1510 (3%)
  • 16 to 2044 (13%)
  • 21 to 2554 (16%)
  • 26 to 3561 (18%)
  • 36 to 4550 (15%)
  • 46 to 5548 (14%)
  • 56 to 6527 (8.1%)
  • 66 to 7510 (3%)
  • Over 7512 (3.6%)
  • Not recorded1 (0.3%)

Drivers, passengers and pedestrians

  • Driver or rider232 (69%)
  • Passenger68 (20%)
  • Pedestrian34 (10%)

Vehicles involved

  • Car330 (69%)
  • Motorcycle45 (9.4%)
  • Van or goods vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes42 (8.7%)
  • Pedal cycle40 (8.3%)
  • Goods vehicle over 3.5 tonnes9 (1.9%)
  • Taxi or private hire car5 (1%)
  • Bus or coach3 (0.6%)
  • Mobility scooter2 (0.4%)
  • Other vehicle2 (0.4%)
  • Personal powered transporter (e-scooter or similar)1 (0.2%)
  • Other2 (0.4%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Crash map for Chelmsford in 2021

Map of the last 24 crashes of 2021 and the 10 busiest accident hotspots in Chelmsford

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

  • 24 crashes
  • Serious
  • Slight

Accident hotspots (10)

How Chelmsford ranked among 350 areas in 2021

Of the 350 areas in England, Scotland and Wales, Chelmsford had the 124th most road collisions in 2021.

Collisions
124th
highest of 350 areas
Casualties
126th
highest of 350 areas
Fatal collisions
117th
highest of 350 areas
Serious collisions
139th
highest of 350 areas

Accident hotspots in Chelmsford in 2021

Moulsham and Central, Chelmsford, CM2 0DB area was the busiest accident hotspot in Chelmsford in 2021, with 23 collisions, 3 of them serious.

Roads in Chelmsford with the most crashes in 2021

The A12 had the most collisions in Chelmsford in 2021: 21, including 2 fatal and 4 serious.

Roads ranked by collisions in Chelmsford, 2021
RankRoadCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stA12212724
2ndA1114161903
3rdA130141702
4thB1007131601
5thB1008132102
6thA1016121400
7thA414121503
8thA132111603
9thA106091412
10thB11377701
11thB10095502
12thA1384402
13thA10993300
14thA1312201
15thB14182310
16thA12451100
17thB10021100
18thB10121101

Towns in Chelmsford: crashes in 2021

Chelmsford itself had the most collisions of any town in the area in 2021: 100.

Postcode districts in Chelmsford: crashes in 2021

CM2 had the most collisions of any postcode district in Chelmsford in 2021: 96.

Latest crashes in Chelmsford in 2021

Of the last 24 crashes in Chelmsford in 2021, none were fatal and 5 were serious. The last was on 31 December 2021.

Severity

Chelmsford road accidents in other years