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CrashStats

Darlington road accidents in 1981: crash map and statistics

Police recorded 355 road traffic collisions in Darlington in 1981, and 513 people were killed or injured in them. Of those collisions, 13 were fatal and 110 were serious.

Collisions were up 1% on 1980 (353), and casualties rose from 474.

Across all years from 1979 to 2025, police recorded 13,495 collisions in Darlington.

Collisions in 1981
355
Up 1% on 1980
Casualties in 1981
513
Up 8% on 1980
Fatal collisions
13
3.7% of collisions
Serious collisions
110
31% of collisions

Crash severity in Darlington in 1981

3.7% of collisions in Darlington in 1981 were fatal and 31% serious, against 1.7% and 17% in Darlington from 1979 to 2025.

Collisions by worst injury

  • Fatal133.7%
  • Serious11031%
  • Slight23265%

People hurt, by injury

  • Fatal142.7%
  • Serious14628%
  • Slight35369%

Darlington road accidents by year

Collisions and casualties in Darlington, 1979 to 2025

Collisions peaked at 398 in 1998. 1981 is highlighted, with 355, up 1% on 1980.

  • Collisions
  • Collisions in 1981
  • Casualties

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

View as a table
YearCollisionsCasualties
2025137161
2024119156
2023107131
2022114136
2021122154
2020103138
2019167220
2018195258
2017209271
2016208295
2015207274
2014229322
2013231325
2012239344
2011239332
2010244336
2009297407
2008275380
2007280384
2006352484
2005325454
2004340468
2003343442
2002373500
2001355475
2000361473
1999367483
1998398576
1997394525
1996374530
1995308425
1994355472
1993350523
1992359494
1991345485
1990341483
1989395552
1988321456
1987309415
1986326417
1985331425
1984338432
1983300390
1982336448
1981355513
1980353474
1979369496

When and where crashes happen in Darlington in 1981

Collisions by day of the week

  • Monday52 (15%)
  • Tuesday62 (17%)
  • Wednesday38 (11%)
  • Thursday45 (13%)
  • Friday69 (19%)
  • Saturday50 (14%)
  • Sunday39 (11%)

Collisions by time of day

  • 00:00 to 02:5910 (2.8%)
  • 03:00 to 05:595 (1.4%)
  • 06:00 to 08:5932 (9%)
  • 09:00 to 11:5935 (9.9%)
  • 12:00 to 14:5952 (15%)
  • 15:00 to 17:5994 (26%)
  • 18:00 to 20:5973 (21%)
  • 21:00 to 23:5954 (15%)

Collisions by month

  • January32 (9%)
  • February21 (5.9%)
  • March31 (8.7%)
  • April22 (6.2%)
  • May24 (6.8%)
  • June30 (8.5%)
  • July38 (11%)
  • August23 (6.5%)
  • September37 (10%)
  • October37 (10%)
  • November36 (10%)
  • December24 (6.8%)

Light conditions

  • Daylight229 (65%)
  • Dark, street lights lit91 (26%)
  • Dark, no street lighting33 (9.3%)
  • Dark, lighting unknown1 (0.3%)
  • Dark, street lights unlit1 (0.3%)

Weather at the time

  • Fine, no high winds296 (83%)
  • Raining, no high winds39 (11%)
  • Fine with high winds9 (2.5%)
  • Snowing, no high winds8 (2.3%)
  • Raining with high winds2 (0.6%)
  • Other1 (0.3%)

Road surface

  • Dry222 (63%)
  • Wet or damp108 (30%)
  • Frost or ice13 (3.7%)
  • Snow10 (2.8%)
  • Flood over 3cm deep2 (0.6%)

Speed limit at the scene

  • 30 mph258 (73%)
  • 40 mph5 (1.4%)
  • 60 mph74 (21%)
  • 70 mph17 (4.8%)
  • Not recorded1 (0.3%)

Type of road

  • Single carriageway309 (87%)
  • Dual carriageway30 (8.5%)
  • Roundabout15 (4.2%)
  • Not recorded1 (0.3%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Who was hurt in road crashes in Darlington in 1981

Casualties by road user

  • Car occupant249 (49%)
  • Pedestrian100 (19%)
  • Motorcyclist81 (16%)
  • Cyclist35 (6.8%)
  • Bus or coach occupant30 (5.8%)
  • Van occupant12 (2.3%)
  • Goods vehicle occupant (over 3.5 tonnes)6 (1.2%)

Casualties by age

  • 0 to 522 (4.3%)
  • 6 to 1019 (3.7%)
  • 11 to 1540 (7.8%)
  • 16 to 20120 (23%)
  • 21 to 2563 (12%)
  • 26 to 3580 (16%)
  • 36 to 4538 (7.4%)
  • 46 to 5554 (11%)
  • 56 to 6534 (6.6%)
  • 66 to 7528 (5.5%)
  • Over 7515 (2.9%)

Drivers, passengers and pedestrians

  • Driver or rider264 (51%)
  • Passenger149 (29%)
  • Pedestrian100 (19%)

Vehicles involved

  • Car371 (64%)
  • Motorcycle85 (15%)
  • Pedal cycle40 (6.9%)
  • Van or goods vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes29 (5%)
  • Goods vehicle over 3.5 tonnes24 (4.1%)
  • Bus or coach22 (3.8%)
  • Minibus6 (1%)
  • Other vehicle2 (0.3%)
  • Taxi or private hire car1 (0.2%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Crash map for Darlington in 1981

Map of the last 24 crashes of 1981 in Darlington

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

  • 24 crashes
  • Serious
  • Slight

How Darlington ranked among 349 areas in 1981

Of the 349 areas in England, Scotland and Wales, Darlington had fewer road collisions than 276 of them in 1981.

Collisions
277th
of 349 areas, highest first
Casualties
266th
of 349 areas, highest first
Fatal collisions
157th
highest of 349 areas
Serious collisions
254th
of 349 areas, highest first

Roads in Darlington with the most crashes in 1981

The A167 had the most collisions in Darlington in 1981: 45, including 1 fatal and 16 serious.

Roads ranked by collisions in Darlington, 1981
RankRoadCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stA1674571116
2ndA674476118
3rdA663453116
4thA68223727
5thA1157131400
6thA1(M)61603
7thB627551201
8thB62795612
9thB62805602
10thA60724702
11thA11503501
12thA6882610

Towns in Darlington: crashes in 1981

Darlington itself had the most collisions of any town in the area in 1981: 236.

Postcode districts in Darlington: crashes in 1981

DL1 had the most collisions of any postcode district in Darlington in 1981: 170.

Latest crashes in Darlington in 1981

Of the last 24 crashes in Darlington in 1981, none were fatal and 10 were serious. The last was on 31 December 1981.

Severity

Darlington road accidents in other years