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CrashStats

Colchester road accidents in 1981: crash map and statistics

Police recorded 699 road traffic collisions in Colchester in 1981, and 921 people were killed or injured in them. Of those collisions, 11 were fatal and 204 were serious.

Collisions were down 2% on 1980 (712), and casualties fell from 925.

Across all years from 1979 to 2025, police recorded 24,962 collisions in Colchester.

Collisions in 1981
699
Down 2% on 1980
Casualties in 1981
921
Level with 1980
Fatal collisions
11
1.6% of collisions
Serious collisions
204
29% of collisions

Crash severity in Colchester in 1981

1.6% of collisions in Colchester in 1981 were fatal and 29% serious, against 1.5% and 21% in Colchester from 1979 to 2025.

Collisions by worst injury

  • Fatal111.6%
  • Serious20429%
  • Slight48469%

People hurt, by injury

  • Fatal121.3%
  • Serious24226%
  • Slight66772%

Colchester road accidents by year

Collisions and casualties in Colchester, 1979 to 2025

Collisions peaked at 770 in 1989. 1981 is highlighted, with 699, down 2% on 1980.

  • Collisions
  • Collisions in 1981
  • Casualties

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

View as a table
YearCollisionsCasualties
2025321403
2024322420
2023303383
2022334420
2021319410
2020294392
2019346457
2018359461
2017310393
2016402533
2015385514
2014402519
2013389512
2012390521
2011402518
2010356455
2009390483
2008422532
2007495620
2006461565
2005552687
2004603761
2003590782
2002581755
2001583766
2000633872
1999610810
1998566709
1997549697
1996533718
1995598761
1994620858
1993642834
1992669895
1991692931
1990735977
19897701,043
19887571,004
1987744978
1986766997
1985691912
1984687937
1983641887
1982642904
1981699921
1980712925
1979695923

When and where crashes happen in Colchester in 1981

Collisions by day of the week

  • Monday99 (14%)
  • Tuesday93 (13%)
  • Wednesday97 (14%)
  • Thursday107 (15%)
  • Friday127 (18%)
  • Saturday111 (16%)
  • Sunday65 (9.3%)

Collisions by time of day

  • 00:00 to 02:5932 (4.6%)
  • 03:00 to 05:599 (1.3%)
  • 06:00 to 08:5987 (12%)
  • 09:00 to 11:5980 (11%)
  • 12:00 to 14:59124 (18%)
  • 15:00 to 17:59162 (23%)
  • 18:00 to 20:59120 (17%)
  • 21:00 to 23:5985 (12%)

Collisions by month

  • January50 (7.2%)
  • February44 (6.3%)
  • March70 (10%)
  • April51 (7.3%)
  • May59 (8.4%)
  • June65 (9.3%)
  • July62 (8.9%)
  • August53 (7.6%)
  • September53 (7.6%)
  • October65 (9.3%)
  • November70 (10%)
  • December57 (8.2%)

Light conditions

  • Daylight493 (71%)
  • Dark, street lights lit139 (20%)
  • Dark, no street lighting67 (9.6%)

Weather at the time

  • Fine, no high winds570 (82%)
  • Raining, no high winds88 (13%)
  • Fine with high winds8 (1.1%)
  • Snowing, no high winds8 (1.1%)
  • Fog or mist5 (0.7%)
  • Raining with high winds4 (0.6%)
  • Snowing with high winds3 (0.4%)
  • Other13 (1.9%)

Road surface

  • Dry440 (63%)
  • Wet or damp217 (31%)
  • Frost or ice26 (3.7%)
  • Snow14 (2%)
  • Flood over 3cm deep2 (0.3%)

Speed limit at the scene

  • 30 mph365 (52%)
  • 40 mph86 (12%)
  • 50 mph28 (4%)
  • 60 mph160 (23%)
  • 70 mph60 (8.6%)

Type of road

  • Single carriageway546 (78%)
  • Dual carriageway63 (9%)
  • Roundabout59 (8.4%)
  • One way street or slip road31 (4.4%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Who was hurt in road crashes in Colchester in 1981

Casualties by road user

  • Car occupant420 (46%)
  • Motorcyclist233 (25%)
  • Pedestrian120 (13%)
  • Cyclist86 (9.3%)
  • Van occupant24 (2.6%)
  • Bus or coach occupant18 (2%)
  • Minibus occupant14 (1.5%)
  • Goods vehicle occupant (over 3.5 tonnes)6 (0.7%)

Casualties by age

  • 0 to 523 (2.5%)
  • 6 to 1044 (4.8%)
  • 11 to 1579 (8.6%)
  • 16 to 20252 (27%)
  • 21 to 25125 (14%)
  • 26 to 35139 (15%)
  • 36 to 4595 (10%)
  • 46 to 5578 (8.5%)
  • 56 to 6546 (5%)
  • 66 to 7529 (3.1%)
  • Over 7511 (1.2%)

Drivers, passengers and pedestrians

  • Driver or rider559 (61%)
  • Passenger242 (26%)
  • Pedestrian120 (13%)

Vehicles involved

  • Car748 (60%)
  • Motorcycle228 (18%)
  • Pedal cycle91 (7.4%)
  • Van or goods vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes77 (6.2%)
  • Goods vehicle over 3.5 tonnes43 (3.5%)
  • Bus or coach31 (2.5%)
  • Other vehicle11 (0.9%)
  • Minibus9 (0.7%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Crash map for Colchester in 1981

Map of the last 24 crashes of 1981 in Colchester

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

  • 24 crashes
  • Serious
  • Slight

How Colchester ranked among 349 areas in 1981

Of the 349 areas in England, Scotland and Wales, Colchester had the 113th most road collisions in 1981.

Collisions
113th
highest of 349 areas
Casualties
112th
highest of 349 areas
Fatal collisions
200th
of 349 areas, highest first
Serious collisions
97th
highest of 349 areas

Roads in Colchester with the most crashes in 1981

The A134 had the most collisions in Colchester in 1981: 91, including 30 serious.

Roads ranked by collisions in Colchester, 1981
RankRoadCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stA13491116030
2ndA133496117
3rdB10254862116
4thA604394817
5thA123866212
6thB10223556110
7thA1124344614
8thA1232222204
9thB1026162707
10thA120142304
11thB1023141704
12thA137131409
13thB1028111505
14thB14088903
15thB102771000
16thB15086700
17thB10291201

Towns in Colchester: crashes in 1981

Colchester itself had the most collisions of any town in the area in 1981: 399.

Postcode districts in Colchester: crashes in 1981

CO3 had the most collisions of any postcode district in Colchester in 1981: 135.

Latest crashes in Colchester in 1981

Of the last 24 crashes in Colchester in 1981, none were fatal and 6 were serious. The last was on 31 December 1981.

Severity

Colchester road accidents in other years