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CrashStats

East Lothian road accidents in 1981: crash map and statistics

Police recorded 293 road traffic collisions in East Lothian in 1981, and 403 people were killed or injured in them. Of those collisions, 13 were fatal and 138 were serious.

Collisions were down 4% on 1980 (304), and casualties fell from 414.

Across all years from 1979 to 2025, police recorded 9,664 collisions in East Lothian.

Collisions in 1981
293
Down 4% on 1980
Casualties in 1981
403
Down 3% on 1980
Fatal collisions
13
4.4% of collisions
Serious collisions
138
47% of collisions

Crash severity in East Lothian in 1981

4.4% of collisions in East Lothian in 1981 were fatal and 47% serious, against 2.7% and 26% in East Lothian from 1979 to 2025.

Collisions by worst injury

  • Fatal134.4%
  • Serious13847%
  • Slight14248%

People hurt, by injury

  • Fatal133.2%
  • Serious16340%
  • Slight22756%

East Lothian road accidents by year

Collisions and casualties in East Lothian, 1979 to 2025

Collisions peaked at 315 in 1979. 1981 is highlighted, with 293, down 4% on 1980.

  • Collisions
  • Collisions in 1981
  • Casualties

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

View as a table
YearCollisionsCasualties
20256980
20246178
202383113
2022103143
202190113
202082104
2019101130
2018127196
2017158224
2016157203
2015158220
2014179243
2013153207
2012169218
2011158206
2010199247
2009174230
2008194240
2007212264
2006217269
2005206284
2004215286
2003204279
2002223332
2001239342
2000254362
1999221338
1998230307
1997236337
1996264350
1995222293
1994233293
1993238328
1992216308
1991251351
1990281382
1989275387
1988278394
1987243344
1986288400
1985273376
1984265369
1983278357
1982275374
1981293403
1980304414
1979315468

When and where crashes happen in East Lothian in 1981

Collisions by day of the week

  • Monday35 (12%)
  • Tuesday25 (8.5%)
  • Wednesday46 (16%)
  • Thursday45 (15%)
  • Friday41 (14%)
  • Saturday57 (19%)
  • Sunday44 (15%)

Collisions by time of day

  • 00:00 to 02:5912 (4.1%)
  • 03:00 to 05:596 (2%)
  • 06:00 to 08:5926 (8.9%)
  • 09:00 to 11:5930 (10%)
  • 12:00 to 14:5955 (19%)
  • 15:00 to 17:5954 (18%)
  • 18:00 to 20:5971 (24%)
  • 21:00 to 23:5939 (13%)

Collisions by month

  • January22 (7.5%)
  • February11 (3.8%)
  • March27 (9.2%)
  • April32 (11%)
  • May24 (8.2%)
  • June36 (12%)
  • July25 (8.5%)
  • August18 (6.1%)
  • September26 (8.9%)
  • October24 (8.2%)
  • November20 (6.8%)
  • December28 (9.6%)

Light conditions

  • Daylight203 (69%)
  • Dark, street lights lit56 (19%)
  • Dark, no street lighting34 (12%)

Weather at the time

  • Fine, no high winds234 (80%)
  • Raining, no high winds42 (14%)
  • Raining with high winds4 (1.4%)
  • Snowing, no high winds4 (1.4%)
  • Fine with high winds2 (0.7%)
  • Fog or mist1 (0.3%)
  • Other6 (2%)

Road surface

  • Dry193 (66%)
  • Wet or damp82 (28%)
  • Frost or ice16 (5.5%)
  • Snow2 (0.7%)

Speed limit at the scene

  • 30 mph166 (57%)
  • 40 mph4 (1.4%)
  • 60 mph123 (42%)

Type of road

  • Single carriageway282 (96%)
  • Roundabout5 (1.7%)
  • Dual carriageway4 (1.4%)
  • One way street or slip road1 (0.3%)
  • Not recorded1 (0.3%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Who was hurt in road crashes in East Lothian in 1981

Casualties by road user

  • Car occupant218 (54%)
  • Motorcyclist75 (19%)
  • Pedestrian71 (18%)
  • Cyclist20 (5%)
  • Van occupant12 (3%)
  • Bus or coach occupant3 (0.7%)
  • Goods vehicle occupant (over 3.5 tonnes)1 (0.2%)
  • Minibus occupant1 (0.2%)
  • Other vehicle occupant1 (0.2%)
  • Taxi or private hire car occupant1 (0.2%)

Casualties by age

  • 0 to 510 (2.5%)
  • 6 to 1026 (6.5%)
  • 11 to 1532 (7.9%)
  • 16 to 20103 (26%)
  • 21 to 2550 (12%)
  • 26 to 3574 (18%)
  • 36 to 4531 (7.7%)
  • 46 to 5527 (6.7%)
  • 56 to 6520 (5%)
  • 66 to 7520 (5%)
  • Over 7510 (2.5%)

Drivers, passengers and pedestrians

  • Driver or rider216 (54%)
  • Passenger116 (29%)
  • Pedestrian71 (18%)

Vehicles involved

  • Car319 (67%)
  • Motorcycle77 (16%)
  • Van or goods vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes23 (4.8%)
  • Pedal cycle20 (4.2%)
  • Goods vehicle over 3.5 tonnes14 (2.9%)
  • Bus or coach13 (2.7%)
  • Other vehicle6 (1.3%)
  • Minibus5 (1%)
  • Taxi or private hire car1 (0.2%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Crash map for East Lothian in 1981

Map of the last 24 crashes of 1981 in East Lothian

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

  • 24 crashes
  • Fatal
  • Serious
  • Slight

How East Lothian ranked among 349 areas in 1981

Of the 349 areas in England, Scotland and Wales, East Lothian had fewer road collisions than 314 of them in 1981.

Collisions
315th
of 349 areas, highest first
Casualties
311th
of 349 areas, highest first
Fatal collisions
157th
highest of 349 areas
Serious collisions
196th
of 349 areas, highest first

Roads in East Lothian with the most crashes in 1981

The A1 had the most collisions in East Lothian in 1981: 92, including 7 fatal and 39 serious.

Roads ranked by collisions in East Lothian, 1981
RankRoadCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stA192127739
2ndA1982542312
3rdB1348182409
4thB63711417010
5thA1087111105
6thA6093101504
7thA6137101507
8thA61248813
9thA60944601
10thB63554811
11thB64144504
12thB64154401
13thB13773501
14thB13452202
15thB63571100
16thB63631110
17thB63691101
18thB64541301

Towns in East Lothian: crashes in 1981

Musselburgh had the most collisions of any town in East Lothian in 1981: 57.

Postcode districts in East Lothian: crashes in 1981

EH21 had the most collisions of any postcode district in East Lothian in 1981: 78.

Latest crashes in East Lothian in 1981

Of the last 24 crashes in East Lothian in 1981, 1 was fatal and 12 were serious. The last was on 29 December 1981.

Severity

East Lothian road accidents in other years