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CrashStats

Highland road accidents in 1981: crash map and statistics

Police recorded 967 road traffic collisions in Highland in 1981, and 1,461 people were killed or injured in them. Of those collisions, 55 were fatal and 391 were serious.

Collisions were down 1% on 1980 (981), and casualties fell from 1,487.

Across all years from 1979 to 2025, police recorded 28,651 collisions in Highland.

Collisions in 1981
967
Down 1% on 1980
Casualties in 1981
1,461
Down 2% on 1980
Fatal collisions
55
5.7% of collisions
Serious collisions
391
40% of collisions

Crash severity in Highland in 1981

5.7% of collisions in Highland in 1981 were fatal and 40% serious, against 4.2% and 31% in Highland from 1979 to 2025.

Collisions by worst injury

  • Fatal555.7%
  • Serious39140%
  • Slight52154%

People hurt, by injury

  • Fatal674.6%
  • Serious54737%
  • Slight84758%

Highland road accidents by year

Collisions and casualties in Highland, 1979 to 2025

Collisions peaked at 1,020 in 1979. 1981 is highlighted, with 967, down 1% on 1980.

  • Collisions
  • Collisions in 1981
  • Casualties

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

View as a table
YearCollisionsCasualties
2025245392
2024273405
2023259390
2022206308
2021207295
2020215296
2019335499
2018387540
2017307434
2016386545
2015379507
2014431580
2013443616
2012455696
2011488685
2010474724
2009614938
2008586846
2007626929
2006620879
2005656993
20046801,058
20036781,035
2002628927
20016941,071
20006871,031
19997601,146
19987801,211
19977461,172
19967221,172
19957141,092
1994617939
19936931,043
19927631,170
19917691,229
19908171,318
19898511,358
19887201,088
19877161,078
19867681,199
19857851,250
19848021,207
19837521,155
19829491,437
19819671,461
19809811,487
19791,0201,602

When and where crashes happen in Highland in 1981

Collisions by day of the week

  • Monday112 (12%)
  • Tuesday114 (12%)
  • Wednesday134 (14%)
  • Thursday119 (12%)
  • Friday150 (16%)
  • Saturday198 (20%)
  • Sunday140 (14%)

Collisions by time of day

  • 00:00 to 02:5976 (7.9%)
  • 03:00 to 05:5922 (2.3%)
  • 06:00 to 08:5960 (6.2%)
  • 09:00 to 11:5997 (10%)
  • 12:00 to 14:59180 (19%)
  • 15:00 to 17:59242 (25%)
  • 18:00 to 20:59155 (16%)
  • 21:00 to 23:59135 (14%)

Collisions by month

  • January75 (7.8%)
  • February66 (6.8%)
  • March49 (5.1%)
  • April57 (5.9%)
  • May85 (8.8%)
  • June101 (10%)
  • July115 (12%)
  • August115 (12%)
  • September80 (8.3%)
  • October96 (9.9%)
  • November73 (7.5%)
  • December55 (5.7%)

Light conditions

  • Daylight663 (69%)
  • Dark, no street lighting197 (20%)
  • Dark, street lights lit97 (10%)
  • Dark, lighting unknown6 (0.6%)
  • Dark, street lights unlit4 (0.4%)

Weather at the time

  • Fine, no high winds637 (66%)
  • Raining, no high winds155 (16%)
  • Raining with high winds33 (3.4%)
  • Snowing, no high winds26 (2.7%)
  • Fine with high winds22 (2.3%)
  • Snowing with high winds16 (1.7%)
  • Fog or mist7 (0.7%)
  • Other68 (7%)
  • Not recorded3 (0.3%)

Road surface

  • Dry548 (57%)
  • Wet or damp309 (32%)
  • Frost or ice64 (6.6%)
  • Snow39 (4%)
  • Flood over 3cm deep7 (0.7%)

Speed limit at the scene

  • 30 mph319 (33%)
  • 40 mph19 (2%)
  • 50 mph10 (1%)
  • 60 mph608 (63%)
  • 70 mph11 (1.1%)

Type of road

  • Single carriageway888 (92%)
  • One way street or slip road40 (4.1%)
  • Dual carriageway31 (3.2%)
  • Roundabout1 (0.1%)
  • Not recorded7 (0.7%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Who was hurt in road crashes in Highland in 1981

Casualties by road user

  • Car occupant876 (60%)
  • Motorcyclist200 (14%)
  • Pedestrian178 (12%)
  • Cyclist60 (4.1%)
  • Van occupant52 (3.6%)
  • Minibus occupant50 (3.4%)
  • Goods vehicle occupant (over 3.5 tonnes)28 (1.9%)
  • Other vehicle occupant8 (0.5%)
  • Taxi or private hire car occupant6 (0.4%)
  • Bus or coach occupant3 (0.2%)

Casualties by age

  • 0 to 524 (1.6%)
  • 6 to 1057 (3.9%)
  • 11 to 15104 (7.1%)
  • 16 to 20358 (25%)
  • 21 to 25247 (17%)
  • 26 to 35240 (16%)
  • 36 to 45143 (9.8%)
  • 46 to 55104 (7.1%)
  • 56 to 65100 (6.8%)
  • 66 to 7558 (4%)
  • Over 7526 (1.8%)

Drivers, passengers and pedestrians

  • Driver or rider746 (51%)
  • Passenger537 (37%)
  • Pedestrian178 (12%)

Vehicles involved

  • Car927 (66%)
  • Motorcycle180 (13%)
  • Goods vehicle over 3.5 tonnes87 (6.2%)
  • Van or goods vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes68 (4.8%)
  • Pedal cycle62 (4.4%)
  • Other vehicle27 (1.9%)
  • Minibus24 (1.7%)
  • Bus or coach18 (1.3%)
  • Taxi or private hire car12 (0.9%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Crash map for Highland in 1981

Map of the last 21 crashes of 1981 in Highland

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

  • 21 crashes
  • Fatal
  • Serious
  • Slight

How Highland ranked among 349 areas in 1981

Of the 349 areas in England, Scotland and Wales, Highland had the 82nd most road collisions in 1981.

Collisions
82nd
highest of 349 areas
Casualties
54th
highest of 349 areas
Fatal collisions
7th
highest of 349 areas
Serious collisions
22nd
highest of 349 areas

Roads in Highland with the most crashes in 1981

The A9 had the most collisions in Highland in 1981: 231, including 11 fatal and 97 serious.

Roads ranked by collisions in Highland, 1981
RankRoadCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stA92313761197
2ndA8297158938
3rdA963764315
4thA8363346012
5thA832214439
6thA830202725
7thA87203547
8thB9161192107
9thA850182512
10thA834131505
11thB861131503
12thA862112415
13thA88291025
14thA9591315
15thA89681514
16thA89071507
17thB87471305
18thB9707703
19thA82861214
20thA83161414

Towns in Highland: crashes in 1981

Inverness had the most collisions of any town in Highland in 1981: 103.

Postcode districts in Highland: crashes in 1981

IV2 had the most collisions of any postcode district in Highland in 1981: 108.

Latest crashes in Highland in 1981

Of the last 24 crashes in Highland in 1981, 1 was fatal and 9 were serious. The last was on 31 December 1981.

Severity

Highland road accidents in other years